The Heretics

The events unfold in a contemporary setting. The narrative centers on Gloria’s trauma and slow recovery after she was abducted by a cult five years earlier, with the locust moon motif signaling a looming climax.

The story shifts between a remote countryside cabin where Gloria is held and the local church where she attends a therapy group. The cabin provides isolation and a menacing atmosphere during the occult ritual, while the church setting anchors Gloria’s recovery and social support.

🫀 Trauma

Gloria’s arc is defined by the lasting impact of the kidnapping. Therapy groups, family tensions, and fraught relationships reveal how memory, fear, and guilt shape behavior. The film emphasizes how trauma can warp identity while also exploring resilience and the possibility of healing.

🕯️ Cult Power

The cult’s rituals and manipulation demonstrate how belief systems can exert control through secrecy, fear, and ritual symbolism. The leadership dynamics—culminating in Joan’s dominance and the revelation of her sister’s cruelty—drive the tension and moral ambiguity.

🪞 Identity

Gloria’s transformation into an inhuman form challenges the boundary between victim and vessel. The narrative investigates how external forces and inner voices shape who she is, and whether she can retain humanity while exposed to Abaddon’s influence.