You Won’t Be Alone: Horror With a Heart

Why This Folk Tale Is One of the Most Profound Films in Recent Years.

First things first: for people who don’t like horror films, I’ll wager you still may like You Won’t Be Alone (2022). Technically it is categorized so, but it really doesn’t feel like horror. It’s not scary. It has no jump scares, or any cheap thrills. Oddly, the trailer tries to pass it off as one. This is the problem with genre categorization. People who like horror have an expectation of what a horror film is and that’s what they want. So that’s how the film was marketed.

I have analysis of the themes, style, genre and some of the production methods all below, including some notes for smartphone filmmakers.

Personally I love being surprised in a good way. This film felt a lot more like slow cinema and art house, with powerful emotional depth. Despite the term “slow cinema”, the film is paced fantastically. It doesn’t feel “slow” as in dragging, but it isn’t encumbered by artificial quickness either. There are beautiful long takes that capture emotional moments perfectly. In the end, the film is deeply profound. Historically I would have thought horror was an odd genre to find such depth.

Where to Watch:

https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/you-wont-be-alone

Why Filmmakers Should Consider Horror

I have a mixed relationship with the horror genre. After my teenage years, I’ve mostly felt they were immature… like they were some bloodlust craving of adolescence. In film school I learned a different way to look at horror. It can be about the human condition. But it can also provide a sense of catharsis for humans who don’t experience real world fear and adrenaline so much anymore. This isn’t a universal statement. I’m speaking from my privileged place in the U.S., where typically people are protected by safe environments. Some suggest we are built to feel those other less pleasant emotions, but we have no outlet. This is the draw to horror, thrillers and action. It gives us a safe environment to experience those little felt human emotions. This probably speaks volumes about society, but we’ll leave that for another post.

Horror can be one of the better genres to start making films in. Many a director cut their teeth in horror. Peter Jackson, James Cameron, Guillermo del Toro, Jordan Peele, and Ridley Scott are a few that come to mind. Learning how to make an audience feel is one of the most important parts of the job. Horror leans heavily into the experience of feelings without dialogue. It’s the very essence of “show, don’t tell” an adage frequently heard in film schools. Thankfully, You Won’t Be Alone is a masterclass in show, don’t tell.

Why I Watched This Movie

I read the description: “Curious about life as a human, a witch in 19th-century Macedonia accidentally kills a peasant -- then takes the victim's shape to live in her skin.”

I think it was categorized under “Hidden Gems.” Based on the description, I was ready to go on this promised exploration of what life is like as a human from a character who doesn’t already know.

You win some, you lose some. This was a rare cinematic triumph.

Brief Plot Overview

In 19th-century Macedonia, a mute girl named Nevena lives a secluded life hidden in a cave by her overprotective mother, who fears the return of a sinister witch. This witch, Maria, known as the "Wolf-Eateress", had spared Nevena as a baby but stripped her of her voice and claimed her for her own upon reaching adulthood.

When Maria finally reclaims Nevena, she transforms her into a shapeshifting witch like herself before abandoning her to fend for herself in the outside world. Naive and untethered, Nevena embarks on a journey of discovery, taking on different human forms to live as a woman, a man, and a child. Through these stolen identities, she experiences the joys and sorrows of love, connection, and loss for the first time, piecing together what it means to be human.

Maria, driven by bitterness and anger, watches Nevena’s journey from afar, her own torment mirrored in her protégé’s innocent explorations. You Won’t Be Alone is a haunting and poetic meditation on humanity, told through the eyes of an outsider learning about the fragile, beautiful complexity of life.

Analysis

One of my favorite elements of the film is that the main character is mute. There’s a minimalist approach to dialogue. There is some voiceover from the protagonist, which is sometimes considered ill-advised in filmmaking. Here, I think it is a wonderful aid to understanding the character. Use with caution, but don’t rule it out in every case.

Another caution in filmmaking is being too “on the nose” or heavy handed with sentiment. I admit I enjoy some sentimentality, especially when its done without the filmmaker telling us, but rather showing us through the visual action of the film. Doing it this way leaves it more open, more experiential, allowing the viewer to experience it from their own point-of-view.

Theme Over Genre

This film highlights the remarkable ability of cinema to transcend traditional genre boundaries.

• Exploration of universal themes—solitude, identity, and the beauty of existence in the everyday or the extraordinary. These themes often serve as a bridge across genres, inviting viewers into an introspective space rather than relying heavily on conventional genre markers.

• For instance, while You Won't Be Alone employs the horror trope of body possession, it uses this device to examine humanity, connection, and the meaning of life.

Tone and Atmosphere

• A contemplative tone often subverts the expectations of traditional genre storytelling. In horror, it might replace fast-paced terror with lingering dread or quiet existential fear.

• The deliberate pacing, lush cinematography, and reflective soundscapes create an immersive atmosphere that feels more aligned with arthouse sensibilities than genre conventions.

Empathy Through Characters

• Genre boundaries blur when characters are treated with profound empathy and depth. This film centers on an individual whose inner world unfolds through subtle, experiential storytelling.

• This focus on personal journey allows the film to sidestep traditional expectations, drawing viewers into intimate portrayals of transformation and reflection.

Artistic Intent Over Plot Mechanics

• Instead of following plot-heavy trajectories, this film emphasizes mood, feeling, and philosophical inquiry. You Won't Be Alone uses the supernatural to delve into timeless human questions aiming for emotional resonance rather than narrative resolution.

Blurring Boundaries Between Horror and Beauty

• In You Won't Be Alone, the horror elements often juxtapose grotesque moments with scenes of quiet beauty, fostering an uncanny sense of awe.

• This film has a poetic quality, using the horror genre merely as a canvas for exploring life's complexities rather than dictating a rigid tone or style.

Lessons for Aspiring Filmmakers:

For those inspired by this film, here are some takeaways:

• Prioritize Tone Over Genre: Consider how your story’s emotional and philosophical undercurrents can guide its genre expression.

• Embrace Ambiguity: Allow the narrative to breathe, offering audiences room for interpretation and emotional engagement.

• Focus on Character Depth: Whether through sparse dialogue, rich visuals, or moments of stillness, ground your story in characters who reflect the themes you wish to explore.

• Experiment with Form: Don’t be afraid to blend elements from disparate genres or traditions to find your film's unique rhythm.

Understanding Ambiguous Endings

Open-ended resolutions and unconventional climaxes are common in contemplative, arthouse, and boundary-crossing films like You Won’t Be Alone. These narrative choices reflect the thematic depth and emotional ambiguity that often define such works. Let’s unpack why this approach aligns so well with their storytelling goals.

Open-Ended Resolutions Reflect Life’s Ambiguity

• Philosophical Basis: Life rarely offers neat conclusions, and these films mirror that uncertainty. They resist tying up narrative threads, allowing viewers to interpret and internalize the story's meaning in personal ways.

Focus on Themes Over Plot

• This film prioritizes the exploration of existential or philosophical questions over delivering plot-driven endings. This approach allows the climax or resolution to serve as an emotional or thematic culmination rather than a narrative one.

Subversion of Hollywood’s Narrative Structure

• Hollywood Model: Often adheres to the “three-act structure,” with a clear inciting incident, escalating conflict, climactic showdown, and satisfying resolution.

• Arthouse Model: Disrupts or disregards this framework, opting for:

  • Ambiguous or cyclical endings.

  • Minimal climaxes, sometimes opting for a narrative plateau rather than a peak.

  • Focus on mood or character growth rather than external resolution.

Encouraging Viewer Participation

• Open-ended conclusions invite viewers to engage actively with the story, drawing their own interpretations and conclusions. This participatory storytelling creates a more intimate connection between the audience and the film.

Climaxes That Are Internal, Not External

• In You Won’t Be Alone, the climax is deeply emotional and introspective, as the protagonist finds a profound understanding of humanity. It’s a “quiet climax,” a moment of inner revelation rather than outward conflict.

• Films like these shift the weight of storytelling onto inner transformations, making their climaxes feel more intimate and resonant.

Aligning with Slow Cinema and Meditative Traditions

• Open endings and subtle climaxes align with the ethos of "slow cinema" and contemplative films, where the journey itself is more significant than the destination.

• The resolution often feels like a continuation of the themes explored throughout the film, leaving viewers with a lingering sense of thoughtfulness.

Why This Works for the Audience

• Emotional Resonance: Viewers leave the theater reflecting on the film, making it a more lasting and personal experience.

• Universality: Ambiguity allows the story to resonate across cultures and perspectives, as each viewer brings their own meaning to the ending.

In short, this type of film aims to evoke rather than explain, reflect rather than resolve, making their endings feel like poetic invitations for viewers to contemplate the human experience. This approach is deeply suited to their introspective and existential themes, standing apart from the traditional, resolution-driven Hollywood style.

Visual and Cinematic Style

Notes on the Production (What It Was Shot On)

You Won’t Be Alone was shot digitally on an ARRI Alexa Mini using Cooke S4 lenses to achieve its earthy, vintage look. However, director Goran Stolevski and cinematographer Matthew Chuang intentionally emulated the visual texture of film.

• Aspect Ratio: The film’s 4:3 aspect ratio creates an intimate visual experience reminiscent of older films and aligns with the story’s timeless, folkloric tone.

• ARRI Alexa Mini:

  • Known for its dynamic range, soft highlights, and natural color reproduction, the Alexa Mini is a favorite for filmmakers looking to replicate the organic, analog qualities of film.

  • Its lightweight design also makes it ideal for handheld, naturalistic shooting, which aligns with the film’s earthy, immersive style.

• Cooke S4 Lenses:

  • Cooke lenses are renowned for their "Cooke Look", which delivers a gentle, warm, and slightly vintage quality with beautiful bokeh.

  • The lenses contribute to the soft, painterly aesthetic of the film, particularly in natural light and close-ups.

• Natural Light and Visual Style:
  The cinematography embraces natural lighting and handheld camera work to create a raw, organic aesthetic, reinforcing the film’s connection to nature and folklore.

• Why It Feels Like Film:
  Through careful lighting, lens choices, and color grading, they achieved a grainy, textured look that evokes the tactile qualities of celluloid.

For the Smartphone Filmmaker

The smaller size of the sensors on smartphone cameras won’t ever match the dynamic range of an Arri Alexa Mini. That thing costs like $90k for the body alone. That being said, smartphones have come along way. They say the iPhone 15 pro max with true log 10-bit pro res shooting can get you up to 12 stops. Add an ND and a Pro Mist filter to most smartphones, some good color grading, and you should be able to capture something stylistically similar to this film with an iphone.

There will be significant differences for sure, especially when the lighting conditions aren’t ideal. I can tell which one is which in the following video, especially when they are up on a big screen. But while significant, to the average viewer, it may not even be noticeable. It’s certainly no reason to not shoot your project.