Posies Review: When Wounds Bloom and Secrets Fester

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A young woman sits in front of her dresser, worried about wounds appearing on her skin as she bizarrely tries to hide them with flowers. But these aren’t just ordinary lacerations—something far worse is happening to her.

Directed by Katherine Fisher and R.H. Stavis, the short horror film Posies is a dark, stylish, and suspenseful movie starring Anna Diop as Maddy, a protagonist with plenty to hide, apart from the strange scars sprouting on her body. She soon begins to wonder if she is “devolving” into a monster.

Anna Diop is hauntingly captivating as the troubled Maddy, and the opening scene makes you question whether she is a performance artist experiencing some dark, out-of-body ordeal. A creepy, unsettling moment where Maddy places a petal in a deep wound within the first minute of Posies immediately grabs viewers’ attention, leaving them wondering what’s really happening to Maddy. Are the wounds real? Or is she simply imagining things? Does she need a therapist, or a demonologist?

At just under 15 minutes, Posies is a metaphorical tale that imagines a world where humans pay a physical price for their transgressions, with their punishment manifesting in grotesque forms. Although the supernatural scenes are limited, the special effects are fantastic and successfully create the eerie, creepy atmosphere the filmmakers aim for. The background music also plays a strong role, with a wistful score on a gramophone adding to the tension as Maddy grapples with her bizarre transformation.

The climax feels rushed and abrupt, wrapping up Posies like a teaser for a larger horror film. It may leave viewers a bit disappointed, but it’s an intriguing short worth watching.

You can watch ‘Posies’ on YouTube.

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