184. HOOD WITCH (2025) dir. Said Belktibia

HOOD WITCH stars Golshifteh Farahani as Nour, a single mom living in urban France who makes her living selling supplies for alternative healing, witchcraft, spells, you name it. She sees herself akin to the ones who sold shovels during the Gold Rush. If people want to believe, she'll happily oblige them.However, after one of her clients dies by suicide, she's accused of murder by the client's father. Suddenly, Nour, along with her teen son, is the target of a literal witch hunt, fueled by the instant transmission of social media and the viral nature of mob mentality and conviction.Said Belktibia, HOOD WITCH's writer/director, crafts a story in constant conflict, both physical and ideological. Does Nour actually have powers? Can illnesses be cured via spiritual means? What constitutes an individual's responsibility for critically thinking through the messages and calls to action bombarded their way on an instant, increasingly global basis?These questions persist throughout the film, kept thrilling and moving by Farahani's ferocious performance and Belktibia's pulse-pounding sensibilities.HOOD WITCH is now available to watch in select theaters and VOD.---Follow The Movies on Instagram & LetterboxdThrow a couple dollars in the tip jar!