Grave robbing, torture, possessed nuns, and a satanic Sabbath: Benjamin Christensen’s legendary silent film uses a series of dramatic vignettes to explore the scientific hypothesis that the witches of the Middle Ages and early modern era suffered from the same ills as psychiatric patients diagnosed with hysteria in the film's own time.

Far from a dry dissertation on the topic, the film itself is a witches’ brew of the scary, the gross, and the darkly humorous. Christensen’s mix-and-match approach to genre anticipates gothic horror, documentary re-creation, and the essay film, making for an experience unlike anything else in the history of cinema.

Released in September 1922, Häxan cost around 2 million Swedish kroner, making it the most expensive Scandinavian film of the silent period.

Its depictions of feverish nuns and demonic orgies met censorship everywhere it was released, preventing Svensk Filmindustri from recouping its costs. Despite the film’s success with Danish audiences, Christensen was forced out of the Scandinavian film industry with a damaging reputation for extravagance.

Swedish Film Institute