Starve Acre

Starve Acre is a British folk horror film from 2023, directed and written by Daniel Kokotajlo. It adapts Andrew Michael Hurley’s 2019 novel. The lead roles are played by Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark.

The story follows Richard, a university lecturer in archaeology, and his wife Jules. They live with their young son Owen on a remote farm in the moors, which belonged to Richard’s late father. Owen, who has asthma, tells his mother he hears whistling from someone named Jack Grey. Richard reacts angrily, blaming an old family friend named Gordon, who sometimes looks after Owen. Richard, who was abused by his own father, believes Gordon has been scaring the boy with folk tales. He insists Gordon is no longer allowed near Owen.

At a village fete, while Richard and Jules relax, Owen plays football. Suddenly, screams—both human and animal—draw them to a crowd. A young girl’s pony has been attacked and blinded. Owen sits alone, holding a bloody, sharpened stick.

Richard and Jules take Owen to a psychiatrist, but tests show nothing unusual. At home, Richard spends more time with Owen, and the boy’s sweet nature returns. One day, while Richard is at work, Jules steps outside for a moment, leaving the door open so she can hear Owen. She falls into a trance while watching an eerie mist settle near the stone wall. When she snaps out of it, Owen lies in the doorway, not breathing. Jules calls Gordon, and they rush Owen to the hospital.

At the hospital, Richard finds Jules collapsed in grief. A doctor tells him Owen died from a severe asthma attack. Both parents are devastated.

Jules sinks into deep depression, barely leaving her bed. Her sister Harrie arrives to help. Gordon brings a local psychic, Mrs. Forde, who cleanses the house and says Owen is at peace. Jules and Harrie are startled when a candle goes out and then flares back to life. Slowly, Jules begins to recover. She and Harrie repaint Owen’s room.

Meanwhile, Richard finds his father’s journal. It describes a belief that an entrance in the farmyard allows the spirit of nature to enter the real world. Richard starts an archaeological dig where the journal says the entrance lies. The journal also details his father’s attempts to sacrifice his young son to that spirit.

During the dig, Richard uncovers a hare’s bones. He collects them and takes them to his study. A strange organic material grows on the bones. R