The horror film "The Witch," written and directed by Robert Eggers, has been lauded during the 2015 Sundance Festival and hailed as one of the most terrifying films by the media. Now the horror film has a new fan-base in The Satanic Temple, as proven by an official statement from its national spokesperson, Jex Blackmore.
In fact, The Satanic Temple is such a fan of the terrifying film that it will launch premiere screenings of "The Witch" in four cities: New York, Los Angeles and Austin on Feb. 10, 12 and 16, respectively, and Detroit, which doesn't have a screening date yet.
To show The Satanic Temple's support for Eggers' film, it also launched a website especially for the film where interested people can identify themselves as a witch by signing up. "The Witch examines theocratic patriarchy in microcosm, documenting the pathology of a religious hysteria that is still influential in politics today," Blackmore writes.
"While the patriarchy makes witches of only the most socially vulnerable members of society, Eggers' film refuses to construct a victim narrative. Instead it features a declaration of feminine independence that both provokes puritanical America and inspires a tradition of spiritual transgression," she adds.
Blackmore's written explanation on why "The Witch" is a film that people should watch may not register to some so watch her explain it in less than two minutes below.
Just to clarify, The Satanic Temple advocates practical common sense and justice guided by the human conscience and rejects tyrannical authority. When the group talks "Satan," they don't mean the supernatural being, the Archangel of Light called Lucifer, who led a rebellion against God mere seconds after creation. They don't conjure up images of a fearsome, cleft-footed, horned creature laughing maniacally as it throws souls in the eternal fires of hell either. What they consider as "Satan" is the human tendency to rebel against norms and injustices and that part in the human spirit that refuses to be silenced.
"Satan is symbolic of the Eternal Rebel in opposition to arbitrary authority, forever defending personal sovereignty even in the face of insurmountable odds. Satan is an icon for the unbowed will of the unsilenced inquirer," the site explains.
The group's symbol of choice may be questionable for many, but its mission is sensible.
Watch the official trailer of "The Witch" below.
