The Spirit Compels Her

The Spirit Compels Her: Possession and the Demonization of Women is a film series running from October 30 to November 5, 2026. Programmed by Yasmina Tawil as part of BAM Film 2026, it explores how possession has long been weaponized to demonize women who seek independence and freedom. Its films follow women and girls who push boundaries and find themselves accused of, or truly in the clutches of, possession by demons, witchcraft, or other spirits, ranging from the phantasmagoric to the devastatingly corporal.