" His House " is a critically acclaimed 2020 horror-thriller that blends supernatural scares with the harrowing reality of the refugee experience. Directed by Remi Weekes, the film follows a young couple, Bol and Rial, who flee war-torn South Sudan to seek asylum in England, only to find their government-assigned house is haunted by more than just memories.
desperately wants to assimilate, painting over the peeling walls and trying to live like his neighbors to "be one of the good ones." His House
clings to her identity and the memory of their daughter, believing the house is a manifestation of their past that cannot simply be ignored or painted over. Critical Reception " His House " is a critically acclaimed
: Director Remi Weekes won a BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer. Critical Reception : Director Remi Weekes won a
The film is noted for its unique "dual horror." While the nights are filled with wall-crawling specters, the daytime offers a different kind of dread: the . Bol and Rial are placed in a dilapidated house and forbidden from working or moving, essentially trapped in a space that feels hostile both physically and socially. This "social horror" highlights the isolation and alienation often felt by displaced people. Survival vs. Memory
: The film maintains a rare 100% critic score , praised for its "visceral scares" and "stark, thoughtful" storytelling.
At the heart of the haunting is an , or "night witch." Unlike traditional Western ghosts, the apeth is a creature from South Sudanese folklore that Bol and Rial believe followed them across the ocean. The film uses this entity to externalize the couple's survivor's guilt —the haunting isn't just about malevolent spirits, but the weight of the moral compromises they made to escape their homeland. The Horror of Bureaucracy