Fantastic Fest 2025 Review: Disforia

The cast of Disforia deliver a visceral, unsettling story of family trauma and psychological horror at Fantastic Fest 2025.

Family dysfunction and psychological breakdown collide in Christopher Cardenas González’s Disforia, a film that starts as an uneasy domestic drama before plunging headfirst into chaos. What begins as a fragile story of a mother attempting to reconnect with her daughter quickly mutates when a stranger enters the picture, unraveling every relationship tethered to the home.

At the center is Esther (played with precision by Fariba Sheikhan), a woman torn between repairing herself and her role as a mother. Across from her is Claudia Salas (Elite, Piggy), delivering a volatile, unnerving performance as Vera—a character whose unpredictable behavior and obsession with social media streaming amplifies the film’s second half. The family is rounded out by Eloy Azorín, embodying a father desperately trying to hold the pieces together, and Noah Casas, a promising young talent whose fiery presence as the daughter sharpens the film’s emotional edges.

The first act unfolds at a deliberate pace, immersing the audience in fractured family dynamics and the weight of unspoken trauma. But once the horror element ignites, Disforia doesn’t let go. The tone shifts from simmering dread to a full-bore psychological nightmare, with bursts of violence and unsettling commentary on identity and social voyeurism. The inclusion of live-streaming as a narrative device makes the collapse feel disturbingly current, reflecting how our private agonies often become public spectacle.

González’s film thrives on its layers: family trauma, mental health, the pressures of motherhood, and a looming sense of societal collapse. While not flawless in execution, it’s a bold, layered entry that blends genre thrills with uncomfortable truths. Horror fans will find themselves rewarded in the latter half when the intensity kicks into overdrive.

We give Disforia a 3 out of 5 here at Horror Movies Uncut—a striking, surprising film that doesn’t shy away from heavy issues, while still delivering the unease genre audiences crave.