‘The Face of Horror': How a Japanese Ghost Story Became a Medieval Revenge Thriller

‘The Face of Horror’ reimagines one of Japan’s most famous ghost stories as a medieval English revenge tale, blending Japanese theater traditions with a dark, visually heightened horror style. Director Anna Biller, along with actor's Jonah Hauer-King and Kristine Frøseth, discuss adapting the story from Kabuki, embracing larger-than-life performances, and finding authenticity within a world of tragedy, horror, and melodrama. They also explore the film’s complex characters, from a toxic medieval “man baby” to a woman whose suppressed rage finally erupts. At its heart, the film is a story of grief, vengeance, female power, and the liberation that can come from confronting buried pain.