Film Review: The Latcher 2026 Melbourne International Film Festival

August 10, 2026

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A story of grief and female trauma, The Latcher tells the story of a midwife haunted by an entity that materialises after the loss of her baby postpartum.

Paralysed with fear, Alice, the film’s protagonist (Lucy Lovegrove), tries to find a way to get back with her husband and patch up her wounds. However, she finds herself helping her ex-sister-in-law give birth to a healthy baby, attempting to break the cycle. A psychological thriller with horror moments, the film creeps into Alice’s broken home and bears her scars.

The Latcher is captured in evocative lighting, either starkly cold blue light or unsettlingly warm shades of gold, sculpting a beautiful image through which Alex Serafini’s cinematography shines.

In a claustrophobic 4:3 aspect ratio, Serafini paints a bleak portrait of Alice’s surroundings, keeping her isolated in the frame and relegating the haunting ‘Bush Witch’ to the shadows.

The Scoop Two women sit at a table in a dimly lit room; one wears a red blouse and looks toward the other, who holds their hands. — The Latcher tells the story of a midwife haunted by an entity Image supplied

Ryan Granger and Johnsen Cummings’ sound design works magic alongside Mitchell Sloan’s score, building out an ambient, almost non-existent at times soundscape.

The score is a creeping sense of dread, a painful undercurrent of tension for the characters. In a birth scene at the film’s climax, the music carefully balances triumph with a lingering suspicion of threat in a truly admirable way.

The landscape of the film is vast and cold, and Valentina Serebrennikova and Lufan Shi’s production design, particularly in the baby’s room, is sad and intricate. Paired with the moth motif, this sets the scene for Alice’s heartbreak; a house no longer a home, empty and isolating.

The concept of this film is really compelling; the physical manifestation of grief, the body horror elements of childbirth and loss of a child at birth, the moth imagery and Bush Witch mythos.

The Scoop Man washes dishes at the kitchen sink by a sunlit window, while a woman sits at a chair in the doorway background. — The film is captured in evocative lighting through which the cinematography shines Image supplied

However, I think this story could have benefited greatly from a female director. The nuances and sensitivity of the female protagonist are lost at times, as there is not enough of her character to latch onto as an audience member. She is a rather passive character in the film’s story and struggles to drive the narrative forward, only really taking a somewhat literal stand by the film’s climax.

There is a missed opportunity for connection between Alice’s character and her ex-sister-in-law, Jess (Monique Fisher), one that could be deep, healing and comforting, but instead sits on the surface.

With more women in head of department roles, I could see a film like this saying something that really connects with its audience, rather than a series of captivating visuals without much emotional substance.

The Latcher made its world premiere at Melbourne International Film Festival from 8 – 9 August 2026. Check the film’s socials for further screening dates.

Website: https://miff.com.au/program/film/the-latcher

Socials: https://www.instagram.com/melbfilmfest/ and https://www.instagram.com/thelatcher/