By Crystal Harrell
The 37th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival continued its tradition of showcasing bold, boundary-pushing cinema from around the world, and this year’s After Dark and Close-Ups programming delivered some of the most unsettling and thought-provoking entries in the lineup. The festival ran from January 2–12, 2026, screening 168 films from 72 countries and territories across Palm Springs venues.
The Plague
Charlie Polinger’s The Plague stands out as a chilling psychological drama-thriller that reframes the horrors of adolescence as something eerily primal. Set at a summer water polo camp in 2003, the film follows 12-year-old Ben as he becomes entangled in a cruel tradition where peers ostracize and torment a classmate nicknamed “the plague.” Shot on 35 mm and driven by Johan Lenox’s unsettling score, the film uses atmospheric imagery, from murky underwater sequences to tight camp quarters, to evoke the claustrophobia of youth social hierarchies and the terror of exclusion. What begins as a seemingly innocent coming-of-age narrative quickly becomes a haunting examination of bullying, tribalism, and the internal conflicts of identity and survival. Polinger’s debut is evocative in mood and tense character drama, with emotional impact that reflects a psychologically-driven horror experience rooted in real social anxieties.
Boorman and the Devil
In contrast to the horror-genre thrills of The Plague, Boorman and the Devil turns its gaze inward on cinema history itself. Directed by David Kittredge, this documentary delves into the tumultuous making of Exorcist II: The Heretic, one of Hollywood’s most infamous sequels, and the visionary director John Boorman’s fraught relationship with a film that nearly derailed his career. Through interviews with Boorman, cast members like Linda Blair and Louise Fletcher, and contemporary filmmakers and critics, the documentary unpacks the creative ambition, production disasters, and critical backlash that have come to define the legacy of the 1977 film. Rather than mock its subject, Boorman and the Devil offers a nuanced meditation on artistic risk, failure, and the mythos of genre cinema, making it both an engrossing documentary for film buffs and a compelling psychological study of artistic obsession.
The Book of Sijjin and Illiyyin
Representing the international horror spectrum is The Book of Sijjin and Illiyyin, the California premiere of this Indonesian black-magic horror tale directed by Hadrah Daeng Ratu. The film follows Yuli, a long-abused servant who turns to forbidden shamanic rituals to exact vengeance on her cruel stepfamily. Packed with graphic supernatural elements and visceral visuals, the story draws on regional horror traditions while delivering a relentless sequence of ritualistic terror and shocking set-pieces. Its effective jump scares and gore make it a standout for audiences eager for intense, culturally rich horror. The narrative emphasizes spectacle over emotional depth, yet it remains a memorable and unsettling exploration of vengeance and fate.
From psychological dread and documentary introspection to supernatural darkness, these selections from the 37th Palm Springs International Film Festival offered genre fans a rich, thrilling selection of films that challenge expectations and leave lingering impressions. Each of these titles reflects a different facet of what modern dark cinema can achieve with emotional resonance, historical reflection, and visceral shock that lingers long after the credits finish rolling.
