Heir of the Witch, an indie horror film from Pasha Entertainment, is set to bring a unique personal perspective to the genre and the concept of witches. Written and directed by Victoria Bell, the film follows an underprivileged seamstress, haunted by her past, who seeks love and acceptance in high society but is faced with a curse from her evil roots. The feature film will be released domestically and internationally via streaming platforms on August 4th, 2023.
Synopsis for ‘Heir of the Witch’:
The story revolves around Anna, an heir of a witch, who does not want to carry on the family legacy (curse) and the spirit of her grandmother haunts her and tries to corrupt her thinking and actions in order to lure her into what she is destined to become.
Anna, a middle-class seamstress, takes care of her Aunt Rosie who is her only link to the family that is still alive and protects Anna. With the passing of Rosie, the witch becomes more present and torments Anna with disturbing visions of her past and her future. The witch desires to bestow the dark gift on to Anna, but she refuses to give in to the inherited curse. The witch blinds Anna with a web of deception and she becomes pregnant. Now her child becomes the target of the witch’s endeavor to awaken the dark offering of her ancestors.
The witch eliminates a series of people that comes in the way of Anna’s coercion, isolating her and creating chaos to the point Anna is questioning her own sanity. Will Anna be triumphant in her battle against the witch or will her and her child fall victim to the power of inevitability.
Victoria Bell & Inspiration Behind ‘Heir of the Witch’
Bell serves as the co-founder and creative arm of Pasha Entertainment, LLC, where she has written, directed, and produced many short films and collaborated on several projects with other production companies.
The Beginning: Heir of the Witch is a story that was drawn from my personal fears. anxieties and individual experiences. In my youth, I learned to write from my heart and immerse into my deepest feelings and at times was hesitant and ashamed to admit my families dark, malevolent past and reveal my worst nightmares.
Victoria Bell
The story of Heir of the Witch was birthed from my own childhood happenings. My grandmother on my paternal side, was a formidable witch. I was told she sold her soul to the devil and couldn’t die until the spirit of the darkness released her ghost only after she passed the “gift” to someone else. Until this day, we do not know who she passed this “gift” on to as we no longer associate with that side of the family for fear of condemnation.
My father abandoned us when I was only 1 year old. His actions were a result of my grandmother’s “work” or so she claimed. I grew up with vividly, terrifying nightmares and a heaviness that carried though my waking moments that made me consistently fearful and weary of my surroundings. It wasn’t until I spent several months in a monastery continuously praying that this heaviness was lifted and the nightmares went away.
I’ve always felt a deep shame and never wanted to admit that my paternal grandmother was a witch. But shame cannot survive in the same space as vulnerability. So I started to write…. Write what I know, write what I fear, write from where it hurts. Something cathartic happened through the process of producing this film. By speaking out about my fear and shame, I have conquered that within myself and have put the past behind me.
The production team of Heir of the Witch is formed of 80% women that came from all walks of life. Bell is determined to encourage women to step up in front (or behind) the camera to express and tell their own stories. The film cast includes Bell, Ben Holtzmuller, Sophia Vandy, Deanna Rashell, Rachel Petsiavas, Julian Brittano, Lorayn DeLuca, and Vanessa Neff.
