Witchy Girlhood Horror: Forbidden Fruits Unleashed

Forbidden Fruits, a new film adapted from Lily Houghton's 2019 play, explores themes of female dynamics, grief, and femininity through a witchy, body horror lens. Starring Lili Reinhart, Victoria Pedretti, Lola Tung, and Alexandra Shipp, the movie is set in a Texas shopping mall, mirroring the filming location of other notable films. The narrative follows a group of mall employees who form a 'femme coven,' delving into their individual secrets and traumas. This culminates in a descent into full-throttle body horror.

Writer Lily Houghton drew inspiration from her personal experiences with grief, particularly the loss of her father, and a desire to amplify feminine voices often dismissed. She aimed to create a story that celebrates the poetic nature of feminine language and explores the complexities of female relationships within societal constraints. The film's unique structure retains lengthy monologues from the play, a feature advocated for by producer Diablo Cody, contributing to its distinctive, campy horror style.

Director Meredith Alloway proposed the mall setting, highlighting its dying nature as a metaphor. Houghton further developed the concept, inspired by her own time working in retail and a desire to explore how women might create their own system or society. The film also examines how society often equates suffering with being interesting, a theme reflected in its characters' journeys, particularly Cherry's resilience and reclamation of her experiences with joy and love.