Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

Ava's Possessions (2016) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Ava's Possessions (2016) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 89 min · English
JustWatch #13,200 10
Directed by
Jordan Galland

Awakening from a terrifying demonic possession, Ava Dopkins finds herself with no memory of the previous month. Seeking answers, she joins a support group for those with similar experiences. Within the group, she attempts to piece together her fragmented identity and confront the forces that took control of her, all while struggling to reclaim her life and understand the truth of what happened.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (3)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like Ava's Possessions
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Ava's Possessions (2016)

Where can you watch Ava's Possessions? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Philo, Starz and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

Streaming availability powered by JustWatch

3 main characters · contains spoilers

Ava's Possessions Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Ava's Possessions (2016), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Ava

    Ava is a young woman grappling with the aftermath of her possession, showcasing resilience as she seeks to reclaim her life. Her journey is marked by emotional turmoil, as she navigates the complexities of trust, family dynamics, and the scars left by her demon. Ava's character development reflects a battle for autonomy in a world that threatens to overshadow her with darkness.

    • 🧠 Emotion
    • 🔮 Resilience
    • 👩‍⚕️ Recovery
  • Roger

    Roger is Ava's sister's fiancé and plays a pivotal role in the unfolding chaos surrounding Ava's life. His malicious motivations and hidden connections to darker forces reveal a character driven by self-preservation and fear. As Ava uncovers his true nature, Roger embodies the theme of betrayal inherent in familial relationships.

    • ⚔️ Villainy
    • 🥀 Betrayal
    • 🌓 Manipulation
  • Tony

    Tony is the strict facilitator of Ava's rehabilitation program, representing authority and the struggle for healing. His no-nonsense approach underscores the tension between guidance and control in Ava's journey, making him a complex figure that balances support with potential danger. He embodies the dualities present in recovery from trauma.

    • 👨‍⚕️ Authority
    • 🏋️‍♂️ Strength
    • 🔑 Control

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 22:06

Was this helpful?

Setting

Where and When Does Ava's Possessions Take Place?

The setting of Ava's Possessions (2016): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

The story unfolds in contemporary times, reflecting modern societal issues surrounding mental health and the stigma of possession. The setting emphasizes the struggle between personal demons and the support systems available for recovery.

Location

Ava's home, Rehabilitation facility

Ava's home serves as a stark backdrop to her recovery, filled with remnants of her past life and memories overshadowed by her possession. The rehabilitation facility represents a space of healing, where she attempts to rebuild her life while dealing with the emotional scars of her traumatic experience.

  • 🏠 Home
  • 🏥 Facility

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 22:06

Was this helpful?

3 major themes

Ava's Possessions Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Ava's Possessions (2016) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Possession

    The theme of possession is central to Ava's journey as she fights the lingering influence of the malevolent entity, Naphula. This theme explores the psychological trauma associated with losing control and the struggle to reclaim one's identity. It underscores the societal views on mental health and the fear surrounding supernatural forces.

  • Family Secrets

    Family secrets weave a complex narrative throughout the film, with Ava uncovering hidden truths about her family's dark history. As she delves deeper, the ramifications of these secrets reveal a troubling legacy that affects her perception of trust and loyalty. The theme raises questions about the lengths families will go to protect their own.

  • Time and Memory

    The manipulation of time and memory is a recurring theme, as Ava struggles to piece together her fragmented recollections of her possession. This theme highlights the impact of trauma on memory and how the past can haunt the present, suggesting that true healing requires confronting painful truths.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 22:06

Was this helpful?

Character & theme questions

Ava's Possessions Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Ava's Possessions (2016): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where does the movie take place?

The story unfolds in Ava's home and a rehabilitation facility. Her home serves as a stark backdrop to her recovery, filled with remnants of her past life overshadowed by the possession. The rehabilitation facility represents a space of healing where she attempts to rebuild her life while dealing with the emotional scars of her traumatic experience.

  • setting
  • locations
  • home
  • rehabilitation facility
  • environment
Q2

What time period is the movie set in?

The movie is set in contemporary times, reflecting modern societal issues surrounding mental health and the stigma of possession. The setting emphasizes the struggle between personal demons and the support systems available for recovery.

  • contemporary
  • modern
  • time period
  • mental health
Q3

What is the main theme of the movie?

The central theme is possession and the psychological trauma associated with losing control. Ava fights the lingering influence of the malevolent entity Naphula while struggling to reclaim her identity. This theme explores how possession mirrors mental health struggles and the fear surrounding supernatural forces that threaten one's sense of self.

  • possession
  • identity
  • trauma
  • mental health
  • demon
Q4

What role do family secrets play in the story?

Family secrets weave a complex narrative throughout the film as Ava uncovers hidden truths about her family's dark history. As she delves deeper, the ramifications of these secrets reveal a troubling legacy that affects her perception of trust and loyalty, raising questions about the lengths families will go to protect their own.

  • family secrets
  • legacy
  • trust
  • betrayal
  • dark history
Q5

How does the movie explore time and memory?

The manipulation of time and memory is a recurring theme as Ava struggles to piece together her fragmented recollections of her possession. This highlights the impact of trauma on memory and how the past can haunt the present, suggesting that true healing requires confronting painful truths.

  • memory
  • time
  • trauma
  • fragmentation
  • healing
Q6

Who is Ava and what is her journey about?

Ava is a young woman grappling with the aftermath of her demonic possession, showcasing resilience as she seeks to reclaim her life. Her journey is marked by emotional turmoil as she navigates the complexities of trust, family dynamics, and the scars left by the demon Naphula. Her character development reflects a battle for autonomy in a world that threatens to overshadow her with darkness.

  • Ava
  • protagonist
  • possession
  • resilience
  • identity
Q7

Who is Roger in the story?

Roger is Ava's sister's fiancé and plays a pivotal role in the unfolding chaos surrounding Ava's life. His malicious motivations and hidden connections to darker forces reveal a character driven by self-preservation and fear. As Ava uncovers his true nature, Roger embodies the theme of betrayal inherent in familial relationships.

  • Roger
  • antagonist
  • betrayal
  • fiancé
  • family
Q8

What is Tony's role in the movie?

Tony is the strict facilitator of Ava's rehabilitation program, representing authority and the struggle for healing. His no-nonsense approach underscores the tension between guidance and control in Ava's journey, making him a complex figure that balances support with potential danger, embodying the dualities present in recovery from trauma.

  • Tony
  • facilitator
  • authority
  • rehabilitation
  • support
Q9

What is the demon Naphula?

Naphula is the malevolent entity that possesses Ava, leaving her with no memory of the previous month. The demon represents the central antagonistic force that Ava must confront to reclaim her identity. Its lingering influence creates psychological tension throughout the film as she battles to break free from its control.

  • Naphula
  • demon
  • entity
  • possession
  • antagonist
Q10

What is the support group in the movie?

The support group is a rehabilitation program for people who have experienced demonic possession. Ava joins this group to seek answers about her lost month and to piece together her fragmented identity. The group represents a space where individuals with similar traumatic experiences attempt to rebuild their lives together.

  • support group
  • rehabilitation
  • possession victims
  • healing
  • community
Q11

Is the movie scary or funny?

The movie blends horror with comedy, creating a darkly humorous tone. While it deals with serious, disturbing themes of possession and psychological trauma, the genre tags include Comedy, suggesting moments of dark or situational humor provide relief from the intensity. This combination makes for a unique viewing experience that doesn't take itself entirely seriously.

  • horror
  • comedy
  • genre
  • tone
  • dark humor

Movie threads

More Movies Like Ava's Possessions, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Ava's Possessions tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about traumatic aftermath like Ava's Possessions

Characters piece together their lives after a life-shattering supernatural event. If you enjoyed Ava's Possessions' focus on recovery and piecing together a fractured past, you'll find similar stories here. This collection features movies where characters deal with the psychological fallout of supernatural horror, identity crises, and unsettling truths discovered in the wake of a traumatic event.

  • unsettling
  • anxious
  • psychological
  • paranoid
  • uncanny
  • dark
  • Tone: dark, unsettling, psychologically intense
  • Pacing: steady, investigative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread often begin after the main horrific event. The protagonist is left wounded, physically or psychologically, and must navigate a new, unsettling reality. The plot involves a journey of discovery, therapy, or investigation as they try to understand what happened to them and reclaim their life, often uncovering darker secrets in the process.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together by their shared focus on the recovery process rather than the initial horror. They blend psychological thriller elements with deep emotional weight, creating a compelling mix of personal drama and lingering supernatural or psychological dread.

Darkly humorous horror movies like Ava's Possessions

Where supernatural terror is seasoned with a dose of bleak, situational comedy. For viewers who liked the blend of genuine dread and dark humor in Ava's Possessions, this section highlights similar films. Discover supernatural horror and thriller movies that use comedy to explore bleak themes, creating a uniquely unsettling and entertaining experience.

  • darkly humorous
  • ominous
  • unsettling
  • tense
  • satirical
  • bizarre
  • Tone: dark, ominous, darkly humorous
  • Pacing: steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread present a serious, often high-stakes supernatural threat, but the characters' reactions or the bizarre circumstances introduce moments of levity. The humor is typically derived from the absurdity of the situation, cynical character observations, or the ironic juxtaposition of mundane life with otherworldly horror, providing brief relief amidst sustained tension.

Why they belong together: These films are connected by their unique tonal balance. They deliver scares and psychological tension while simultaneously offering witty dialogue or situational comedy that highlights the absurdity of horror, creating a complex and memorable viewing experience that is both frightening and darkly amusing.

If you liked this

Movies Like Ava's Possessions

Similar movies to Ava's Possessions: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

Ava's Possessions (2016) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Ava's Possessions in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app