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Bleak Week film festival celebrates the comfort found in darker movie themes

WBUR

Published June 1, 2026 at 11:08 AM CDT

A still from the 2018 horror movie "Hereditary." (Courtesy of Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair)

When times are dark, many people find comfort from watching happy movies or listening to upbeat music. But some relish in darker stuff: horror, war, illness or suffering. That’s what makes them feel good.

June 1 is the start of a global movie festival celebrating those kinds of films. It’s called Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair and it kicks off on Monday.

Reporter Todd Melby has the story.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.