You are here:

Impetigore

Name: Impetigore
Director: Joko Anwar
Released: 2019
Duration: 106 min

Representation Score

7.5/10

Good

2019

Not Rated

Director

Joko Anwar

Runtime

106 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Impetigore succeeds as a localized folk horror that centers on non-Western ability to act and challenges traditional gender roles. By positioning a female protagonist as the driver of the mystery, it moves away from typical horror clichés of female victimhood. However, the film's focus on biological inheritance and traditional kinship leaves little room for LGBTQ+ or neurodivergent representation. The narrative structure is closely tied to ancestral and straight-centered structures. While the film excels in cultural specificity and racial authenticity, it uses physical disability primarily as an aesthetic tool for horror. This limits the depth of its representation regarding disability and ability to act.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Impetigore have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The story focuses almost exclusively on straight and cisgender family connections. There are no LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities in the plot.

How does Impetigore portray gender?

Good

Maya plays a key role in driving the investigation rather than being a passive victim. The film highlights female-centric power dynamics and the impact of maternal legacies within the village.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Impetigore?

Excellent

The film offers a rich depiction of a non-Western cultural setting. It avoids a touristy perspective by emphasizing indigenous nuances and a specific local ethnic reality.

How does Impetigore represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative focuses on folk mysticism and ancestral curses rather than organized religion. It portrays the village community as a fragmented collective driven by superstition.

Does Impetigore include disability representation?

Fair

Physical ailments and decay serve primarily as plot devices to enhance horror. Characters with disabilities lack independent ability to act, serving instead to illustrate the supernatural curse's reach.

Present on Screen

Strong female-driven storyline through the protagonist Maya.
Authentic, non-Western cultural landscape and ethnic identity.
Challenges patriarchal leadership through matriarchal historical themes.
Effective use of localized folk mysticism and indigenous storytelling.

Limited or Absent

Lack of LGBTQ+ characters or non-straight identities.
Disability is used as a plot device rather than for character development.
Narrow focus on straight and cisgender biological lineages.
Limited representation of neurodivergent perspectives.

Official Synopsis

A woman inherits a house in her ancestral village, but she's unaware that members of the community have been trying to locate and kill her to remove the curse that has plagued them for years.

How are these scores produced? →