The Severed Sun (2025)

 

"Beguilingly Weird British Folk Horror"

Writer-Director Dean Puckett's THE SEVERED SUN, which is based on his own 2018 short THE SERMON is getting a digital release from Blue Finch.

In an isolated rural British community some time after an unspecified apocalypse, Magpie (Emma Appleton from LOLA and the first two episodes of THE WITCHER) kills her abusive husband, possibly while under the influence of a tall, taloned, glowing-eyed Beast (James Swanton). Following this, another abusive man in their village is killed, after which Magpie is accused by Andrea, the man's wife, (Jodhi May, also from Season One of THE WITCHER) of being a heretic. 

Magpie is almost hanged but is saved by the intervention of the community's leader and pastor (Toby Stephens) who also happens to be Magpie's father. However soon even he begins to realise that to control his flock he may have to sacrifice some of the members of his own family.

THE SEVERED SUN benefits immensely from gorgeous landscape photography, some beautiful compositions, and from not being shy of splashing the gore about where necessary. That plus its measured pacing means it could make an excellent companion piece on a double bill with Robert Eggers' THE WITCH (2015) and if you're a fan of that film then you may well like this, too. 

Those who want subtext with their folk horror won't have to dig too deep to find it, and there's an effective electronic music score by 'Unknown Horrors' that adds to the creeping atmosphere of dread and claustrophobia, one that's skilfully constructed to contrast with the backdrop of the wide open spaces of the story's setting (actually Bodmin in Cornwall). Here's a trailer:

Dean Puckett's THE SEVERED SUN is out on Digital from Blue Finch Releasing on Monday 6th October 2025. There will be selected cinema Q&A screenings from Monday 29th September