With its folk legends of ‘Dandelion Jack’, candlelit séances, creepy kids, reanimated rabbits, and grim-faced stars, the rain-lashed and mud-strewn Starve Acre looks like it’ll be right at home amongst its rural horror peers. Here’s the official synopsis, offering some tantalising clues as to what’s going on: “In rural Yorkshire in the 1970s, Richard (Smith) and Juliette Willoughby’s (Clark) seemingly idyllic family life is thrown into turmoil when their young son Owen starts acting out of character. A sudden, tragic event brings grief and drives a wedge between the once happy couple. At Starve Acre, their remote family home, academic archaeologist Richard buries himself in exploring a folkloric myth that the ancient oak tree that once stood on their land is imbued with phenomenal powers. While Juliette turns to the local community to find some kind of peace, Richard obsessively digs deeper. An unexpected discovery soon occupies the couple’s attention and dark and sinister forces, unwittingly allowed into their home, offer a disturbing possibility of reconnection between them.”
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Starve Acre is set to release in UK and Irish cinemas on 6 September. In the meantime, we’re off to pour some salt circles and stock up on crucifixes… better safe than sorry!