‘Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages’ @ the Nordic Museum

Ready for a pre-Halloween treat? Step into the eerie, phantasmagoric world of “Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages,” Benjamin Christensen’s 1922 Swedish silent film that explores the history of witchcraft, occult belief and the persecution of women. This landmark work blends documentary and dramatized vignettes — think grave robbing, possessed nuns and satanic Sabbaths — to create a mesmerizing exploration of fear, superstition and cultural control.

Far from a simple historical account, “Häxan” examines the ways societies have constructed and enforced ideas of witchcraft, largely to oppress women. Christensen suggests that the women accused of sorcery may have suffered from the same conditions that were later labeled as hysteria, merging historical record with psychoanalytic inquiry. The film’s elaborate visual storytelling anticipates modern horror and folk-horror cinema (though neither term would have been used when it came out), presenting witches as complex figures whose persecution reflects broader social anxieties.

The director himself even appears as the devil, inspired by Hieronymus Bosch 15th-century renderings of demons and other historical depictions of evil, heightening the film’s surreal, almost hallucinatory atmosphere. Throughout, dramatic reenactments interweave with archival references, emphasizing how myth, fear and history intersect across centuries.

Co-presented with Scarecrow Video, this pre-Halloween screening is ideal for film buffs, weird history enthusiasts and anyone drawn to the dark and uncanny. “Häxan” immerses viewers in a visually striking meditation on power, belief and the enduring fascination with witches.