Women in Horror
Some awesomely horrific women making horror history.
Ashlee Blackwell
Ashlee Blackwell is a professor, writer, and producer best known for her documentary Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror. Blackwell co-founded the website Graveyard Shift Sisters where she writes about horror from the perspective of a black woman. The film industry rarely recognizes black voices, but Blackwell is here to change that. She promotes horror filmmakers of color, and writes amazing pieces on black horror. On top of all of that, she is also a professor at St. Joseph’s University where she teaches about horror in film and TV.
Chelsea Stardust
Chelsea Stardust (which is the coolest name ever) is a horror director and producer known for her film Satanic Panic. She was an assistant to Judd Apatow and Jason Blum, and worked on a multitude of films including Insidious and Bridesmaids. Her first feature was Blumhouse’s All That We Destroy, which she directed the same year as Fangoria’s first original movie Satanic Panic. Her films often feature awesome and powerful female characters, as she wants to redefine what constitutes a strong female character.
Dr. Rebekah McKendry
I don’t think that I have ever met (or will ever meet) anyone that knows as much about horror as Dr. McKendry. She’s a professor, director, writer, producer, and host of multiple horror podcasts and events. Dr. Mckendry has dedicated much of her life to the genre, and even teaches a course on horror production at USC. She was previously Fangoria’s Director of Marketing and the Editor-In-Chief of Blumhouse, and is best known for her film All The Creatures Were Stirring. She’s incredibly knowledgeable about all things horror, and completely disproves the assumption that women can’t be “true” horror fans. Dr. McKendry also partnered with Etheria Film Nights to create a fellowship for female horror filmmakers. You can find her podcasts here:
Michelle Swope
Michelle Swope is a horror critic and author. She’s best known for her work on DreadCentral.com where she writes about all things horror (I especially love her interviews). She also has the best recommendations on up and coming indie films. Additionally, she is a Tomatometer-approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. Swope is very unapologetically herself, as one could guess from her trademark pastel pink hair, and because of this shows the world that women don’t need permission to be avid horror fanatics. She’s very active on Twitter, and her page is is full of awesome new film recommendations and news!
Molly Henery
Better known as “The Blogging Banshee,” Molly Henery is a horror critic, writer, and blogger. She writes for multiple horror sites including Fangoria and Nightmarish Conjurings, as well as Rotten Tomatoes and her own horror blog where she reviews horror media and events. Her blog is always my first stop for movie recommendations; her reviews are honest, thorough, and genuinely refreshing. She often writes about feminist horror films, but her recent Fangoria articles on “Uterus Horror” have especially raised a lot attention about women in horror. Henery was the first to coin the term “Uterus Horror,” and boldly explores it when many are too scared to address female biology in film. Check out her blog here: https://thebloggingbanshee.com/
Nia DaCosta
Nia DaCosta is a director and screenwriter best known for directing and writing the upcoming Candyman sequel. At just 30 years old, DaCosta has already made one of the most anticipated horror films of the year. Her first feature film, Little Woods, illustrated many of the issues that women in rural America have to face. She is drawn to writing about unconventional women that defy societal expectations. She is outspoken and often raises awareness about feminist issues in new and creative ways.