The horror genre doesn’t just scare people, but it also holds a mirror to the audience, reflecting society in its own creepy way. And as culture evolves, so too has the genre, shifting the narratives and tales it centers on, such as queer women.
Horror and women have always had a deep relationship. The concept of the final girl, after all, is deeply embedded in the genre. And slowly but steadily, that storytelling has adapted for more sapphic-coded projects that upend queer tropes and reflect the community’s experiences through a horror lens. Whether as the main character, a key plot theme, or even the villain, check out these sapphic horror movies and shows for a different kind of horror experience.
RELATED: 8 Horror Films From 2026 That Will Make for a Scary Good Halloween Movie Marathon
The Perfection – Competitiveness Taken to the Extreme
Never underestimate Allison Williams in a horror movie. Charlotte (Williams) is a talented cellist who reconnects with her former mentor. This leads her to meet his new star student, Lizzie (Logan Browning), and soon, the two form a friendship that hints at something more. But after they travel to China, their relationship begins to break down as sinister intentions and dark secrets bubble to the surface. The film delivers with its chemistry between the two leads while leaving viewers guessing as to where the story goes in this exploration of rivalry, ambition, and healing.
Jennifer’s Body – A Monster Movie for the Girls
It’s a shame that this movie was initially marketed as a horror movie for the male gaze of teenage boys when it was first released, given how nuanced it actually is. This slasher follows popular girl Jennifer (Megan Fox) and her best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried). When Jennifer becomes possessed by an evil spirit, she turns into a demonic monster that isn’t so much interested in killing people but killing boys.
The more-than-friends subtext between Jennifer and Needy (IYKYK) is evident throughout the movie as it quickly sheds the immature expectations into a feminist horror story that serves as a metaphor for women being taken advantage of. These days, Jennifer’s Body has seen its reputation rebound as a misunderstood and underrated women-centric monster movie.
Bodies Bodies Bodies – Gen Z Slasher
Director Halina Reijn delivered one of the 2020s’ most memorable Gen Z murder-mystery thrillers with Bodies Bodies Bodies. Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) and her girlfriend Bee (Maria Bakalova) travel with their friends to a mansion in the suburbs for a night of partying during a storm. But when one of their friends is found dead, they slowly turn on each other as secrets and deep-rooted contempt are exposed that take their friendship to the extremes. Smart, witty, tense, and one of the few films to do parody of Gen Z culture right, the movie easily finds its footing as a modern slasher with a sapphic love story that goes to unexpected places.
Dikit – A Manananggal Goes Through a Crisis
A feminist and queer interpretation of Ang Manananggal by José Nepomuceno, this award-winning folk silent short film follows a young manananggal who yearns for a new body. One day, she may have seemingly found her answer when a new couple moves into the neighborhood. But as she gets closer to them, her attraction pushes her to realize that something doesn’t feel right with the couple. While the short lacks dialogue, it makes up for it in how the lead protagonist physically and emotionally navigates her complicated feelings for another woman and herself.
What Keeps You Alive – From Lovers to Enemies Real Quick
What would you do if you learned that your partner is actually your biggest nightmare? That’s the premise of this thriller centering on Jules (Brittany Allen) and Jackie (Hannah Emily Anderson), a married lesbian couple enjoying their anniversary in the forests of Muskoka, Ontario. But unbeknownst to Jules, Jackie is actually a serial killer who has Jules as her next target. What was supposed to be a romantic getaway quickly turns into a fight for survival. With an isolated forest as the backdrop, the film ramps up the tension with some gory scenes and the sense of impending dread Jules faces as she tries to fend off her would-be killer.
Thelma – Navigating Repressed Feelings
Most know director Joachim Trier for his comedic dramas such as The Worst Person in the World and Sentimental Value. But before he rose to international acclaim, he first made a romantic horror movie whose elevator pitch can be summed up as: Norwegian Carrie, but queer. Thelma (Eili Harboe) isn’t allowed to do much because of her strict Christian parents. So, when she heads to university, it’s the first time she really feels free to explore the world. And in doing so, she meets and befriends her classmate Anja (Kaya Wilkins).
Soon, Thelma starts falling in love with her, but in doing so, her dormant psychic powers begin to manifest in disturbing ways. Aside from being a solid horror movie, Thelma serves as a metaphor for the shame and guilt closeted queer women face as they wrestle with their identity and the culture they were raised in. Thelma’s struggle to control her powers as she feels guilty for liking another woman makes for a compelling and even relatable plot, minus the psychic abilities, of course.
The Lovers – An Unexpected Duo
From Studio Heartbreak comes this Philippine-made sapphic enemies-to-lovers body horror animated short that has been an internet favorite ever since its teaser trailer went viral a few years ago. Set in Binondo, Manila, The Lovers tells the story of Sara Lim Baylon, a seafood chef who left college to work at Lidgat, her family’s restaurant. With a legacy to uphold, Sara is struggling to meet her family’s expectations, especially those tied to her late father’s reputation.
One day, the governor calls and requests to have an inauguration dinner at her family’s restaurant. The catch? She wants a sirena prepared as the main dish. Sirena, though, changes Sara’s life as she finds herself drawn to the mythological creature. The two end up developing feelings for one another as Sirena helps Sara open her eyes to a life she wants to live for herself.
Saint Maud – The Pitfalls of Religion
Religious horror takes center stage in this A24 effort about Maud (Morfydd Clark), a hospice nurse whose deep Catholic faith takes precedence over her duties as a healthcare worker. One day, she is assigned to care for Amanda (Jennifer Ehle), who is suffering from a terminal illness. Over time, Maud’s obsession with Amanda grows, particularly her desire to save her from what she feels is her sinful lifestyle and relationship with another woman, Carol (Lily Frazer), while also hinting at a possible jealousy.
Maud’s psyche begins to degrade as her religious fanaticism proves to be her undoing. Unsettling from start to finish, Saint Maud is a disturbing look at how unchecked self-righteousness can lead one towards a dark path.
What the Living Do – Saving a Dying Lover
Student filmmakers can be a good source for what creativity in the medium can look like as the next generation finds new ways to tell all kinds of stories. Such is the case with this student thesis short film by Jam Borja, Alexis Tolosa, and rafa cabal, graduating film students from the Meridian International (MINT) College. Starring Aira Caliao and Nour Hooshmand, this sapphic body horror fantasy romance follows Ysabel, a folk healer who, in her desperation to bring back her dead girlfriend, Slyvia, casts a resurrection spell on her. While it seems like it worked, Slyvia’s body begins to rot and decompose, leading to a race against time to save her lover from a doomed fate.
Balaraw – The Secrets of Balaraw Island
It’s not every day that we get queer representation on a local series, and one from a major content provider at that, so Balaraw is already winning on that front. But there’s a lot more to the mystery series than just a sapphic couple as its main protagonists. After years of searching for her missing mother, Rebecca (Agot Isidro), Sabina (Janine Gutierrez) learns that she may be on the mysterious island of Balaraw.
Despite the dangers, Sabina, her girlfriend Bulak (Charlie Dizon), and her uncle head to the island, where what awaits them are family secrets, a dark culture, and otherworldly creatures. This Rae Red thriller isn’t just commendable for featuring a queer couple, but for the fact that it treats them as a normal part of the world, and as it should be. As Sabina and Bulak search for Rebecca, they come face-to-face with horrors beyond their comprehension.
Featured Image: IMDB (via Website)
Recommended Video
Latest Posts
Latest Issue
