Shudder recently revealed the trailer for acclaimed South African writer/director Jenna Cato Bass‘s (High Fantasy, Flatland) new horror film Good Madam, a film that openly probes the deep-seated fears of South African culture. A Shudder original and the fourth film of Bass’s loaded catalog, the film made its world premiere back in 2021 at the Toronto International Film Festival to rave reviews. The trailer gives the rest of the world a look at the film, which brings conventional horror to the forefront and teases the terrifying titular Madam (Jennifer Boraine).
The general premise of the film is set up succinctly within the first half of the trailer. Tsidi (Chumisa Cosa), a single mother, is temporarily moving in with her mother Mavis (Nosipho Mtebe) who works as the live-in servant for a white woman, known only as Madam, who is catatonic. Clearly, Mavis is incredibly fearful of Madam, given how aggressively she cleans and how insistent she is to Tsidi and her child on the rules of the house – no running, no touching the fridge, and most of all, no setting foot in Madam’s room. We see why she’s so terrified as bad energy permeates the house. Tsidi describes how the house doesn’t like Mavis and how Madam, supposedly out for the count, seems ever-present in the house.
Through this, Good Madam also shows the weight of culture on the backs of Mavis and Tsidi. The film looks to comment on the state of South Africa in the years following the end of apartheid, a system that essentially declared that all non-white South Africans don’t possess basic human rights. Mavis still lives by this system which she’s been through her entire life and parts of the trailer show how it’s almost become second nature to her to serve her Madam. The forces of oppression are scarier than any spirit or supernatural element in this teaser as they’ve instilled terror in Mavis and, by proxy, her family.
Alongside Cosa, Mtebe, and Boraine, Good Madam also stars Kamvalethu Jonas Raziya, Sanda Shandu, Khanyiso Kenqa, Sizwe Ginger Lubengu, Siya Sikawuti, Peggy Tunyiswa, and Chris Gxalaba. Cosa also writes alongside Cato Bass and Babalwa Baartman. Fox Fire Films, Sanusi Chronicles and Causeway Films produced the flick with Salmira Productions and Strange Charm. Kristina Ceyton, who also produced The Babadook and The Nightingale, served as producer here with Baartman, Cato Bass, and Samantha Jennings (Cargo). Executive producers include Salman Al-Rashid, Sam Frohman, Richard Mansell, David Bass, and Jason Newmark.
Cato Bass is a big name on the festival circuit after receiving award buzz for her other features starting with Love the One You Love. Written and directed solely by Cato Bass, the film picked up five wins from multiple international fests, paving the way for her as an established filmmaker. She followed up with High Fantasy and Flatland, both of which received similar praise.
Good Madam comes to Shudder on July 14. Check out the trailer below to see the specter of Madam beginning to stir: