Fantastic Fest 2025 Review: Mother of Flies
- Travis Brown
- Sep 20
- 2 min read
The Adams family — not the macabre clan from pop culture, but the true indie horror family of Toby Poser, John Adams, and their daughters Zelda and Lulu — return to Fantastic Fest with Mother of Flies, a visceral, witchy exploration of life, death, and the space in between.
Zelda Adams leads as a college student confronted with a terminal diagnosis, who crosses paths with a witch and necromancer played by Toby Poser. John Adams plays her father, torn between skepticism and desperation as he witnesses the strange bond forming between his daughter and this mysterious figure. What unfolds is a folk-horror tale layered with fever dream imagery, visceral witchcraft, and emotional reflection.
The Adams family’s work has always carried the DNA of folk horror—nature, ritual, and unease—and Mother of Flies continues that tradition. Their filmmaking process remains as DIY and uncompromising as ever: they write, direct, act, edit, and even manage the effects. John’s editing in particular carries an organic rhythm that amplifies the naturalistic, unsettling atmosphere.
Compared to their last feature, Hellbender, which sometimes faltered in execution, Mother of Flies feels sharper and more confident. Toby and Zelda’s performances stand out, with Zelda in particular continuing to emerge as a distinctive screen presence. The film’s house setting, stark and uncomfortable, reinforces the unease, while the imagery pushes toward the uncanny without losing the human core of the story.
At its heart, Mother of Flies is not a coming-of-age film, but a coming-of-life one—an acknowledgment of death not as an end, but as part of the cycle. It’s both eerie and moving, a reminder to embrace life and not fear the inevitable return to the earth.
Rating: ★★★½☆ (3.5/5)
A haunting, visceral return for the Adams family — American folk horror at its most intimate and uncompromising.
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