[Fantasia 2026] FILM REVIEW: Ancestral Beasts

Ancestral Beasts - Fantasia World Premiere Review

Director: Tim Riedel

Starring: Morgan Holmstrom, Darla Contois, Asivak Koostachin, Shannon Baker, Josh Strait

Written by: Tim Riedel

Produced by: Fawnda Neckoway, Tim Riedel

Cinematography by: Joey Forte

Original Score by: Justin Delorme

Synopsis:

A troubled Métis woman commits to finally facing the figurative demons in her past only to uncover a literal demon living within the bowls of her rural home that she must battle before it kills her and everyone she loves.

Thoughts:

Horror has always been a great prism to explore generational trauma within different familial structures. 'The Babadook' addressed the struggles of a single mother in the wake of her partner’s death. 'Relic' looked at the fear of losing a loved one who is losing a sense of who they are due to dementia . But perhaps the most popular recent example of this can be found with 'Hereditary' which looked at mental health issues being passed from generation to generation. Tim Riedal’s latest film, 'Ancestral Beasts' speaks a lot about this theme but through the lens of the indigenous people of the Métis Nation. 

The film follows a troubled woman, Elyse (Morgan Holmstrom) who hasn’t fully come to terms with the death of her mother from four years previous. The pressures of her job and her sister Nikki (Darla Contois) in the city leads her to move to her auntie’s rural cabin to clear her head. In doing so she is forced to not only confront not just her past but a dark presence that dwells within the house. 

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There are a lot of interesting ideas at play with 'Ancestral Beasts' in its exploration of generational trauma. It takes what is arguably a tired idea within the genre and tries something different by tying it to the indigenous experience. It is abundantly clear throughout that writer/director Tim Riedal is going for something personal in the way he is externalising the internal horrors of his characters. Unfortunately there are many shortcomings along the way that means it does not live up to its potential. 

From a visual perspective the film looks very flat and ordinary which makes the drama feel unengaging for the most part but it is a different story when it comes to the moments of horror. A good example of this is when Elyse arrives at her auntie’s house for the first time. There is a haunting atmosphere evoked from the manner in which the scene is shot and the snow falls gently in the background. Another scene that delivers on the horror front comes when Elyse is trying to sleep in bed but the dark presence (which is an unusually creepy and effective hybrid of a hand puppet and centipede) attacks her. Riedal’s talent for moments like these is clear to see as he builds up tension novelty and delivers some effective jump scares but the same can’t be said for the more emotionally dramatic scenes. 

The manner in which these scenes are shot is functional, offering very little to the weight that the material demands. It looks at times like a typical Hallmark channel movie which detracts from the dramatic stakes of the film, making for an unsatisfying experience. The dialogue doesn’t help matters either as it is quite clunky and feeds into the performances which come across as being quite uneven and monotone. Despite this Holmstrom is solid as the lead in trying to make the material as engaging as possible. 

Throughout the film the idea of confronting your past in a healthy manner is sold through the Stolen Matriarch’s podcast that Elyse listens to and the payoff of the true meaning behind this doesn’t land as it should. This is due to the manner in which everything else is handled beforehand making it feel like a missed opportunity as it is one of the more interesting aspects of the film. 

'Ancestral Beasts' is a perfect example of an idea that is great on paper but in execution it leaves a lot to be desired due to a script that doesn’t inspire much in the actors. The horror aspects of the film work quite well and are far and away the best aspect of it but as a whole it fails to live up to the promise of the thematic ideas. 

Verdict: ⭐️⭐️

-Joseph McElroy

'Ancestral Beasts' received its World Premiere at Fantasia '26 on July 22nd