A Dark Song
A grieving mother undertakes a dangerous occult ritual.
A Dark Song is a 2016 independent horror film from Ireland and Britain, the first feature directed by Liam Gavin, who also wrote the script. The leads are Steve Oram and Catherine Walker. It came out in limited theaters and on digital platforms on 28 April 2017.
The story follows Sophia Howard, a grieving woman who rents a remote house in Wales. She hires Joseph Solomon, a short-tempered occultist, to guide her through a difficult, months-long ritual from *The Book of Abramelin*. The goal is to summon her guardian angel so she can speak with her dead seven-year-old son. Solomon warns her that leaving the house before the ritual ends would put them in grave danger, and that she must endure punishing exercises involving real demons and angels. She agrees. She completes dozens of painful tasks but refuses a forgiveness ceremony. To make up for this, Solomon demands she drink his blood and says they must have sex as part of the ritual. He tricks her into undressing, then masturbates, admitting it was just for his own release. Sophia gets back at him by urinating in his breakfast.
Over time, they grow to know each other reluctantly. After months, Sophia complains the ritual is taking too long. Solomon accuses her of dishonesty. She admits she actually wants the angel to grant revenge on whoever kidnapped and killed her son. That night, he wakes her for a re-birthing ritual in the tub, but drowns her, recites a spell, and revives her with CPR. Angry, she pushes him, and he falls onto a large kitchen knife, impaling his side. As she treats the wound, he says this shows the ritual is working and that she will get her revenge. He reveals he will ask the angel to make him invisible for the rest of his life, to escape people.
Solomon continues despite the wound. Sophia starts seeing and hearing menacing presences, including her son’s voice. When his wound becomes infected, he dies in his sleep. She checks his books for guidance, but everything is crossed out and unreadable. She steps outside the house, but her car won’t start. Walking down an empty road, she finds herself back at the mansion. Inside, demons appear, drag her to the basement, torment her, and cut off a finger as she apologizes. They retreat as a bright white light fills the house. She finds a massive angel in armor. She asks for the power to forgive, and the angel smiles. She later buries Solomon in a
- Release year
- 2017
- Country
- Ireland and United Kingdom
- Director
- Liam Gavin
- Starring
- Steve Oram, Catherine Walker
- Genre
- Independent horror
- Runtime
- Not specified in article
Lore & Background
The film follows Sophia Howard, a bitter and grieving woman who rents an isolated house in rural Wales to convince short-tempered occultist Joseph Solomon to lead her in a gruelling, months-long rite from The Book of Abramelin. The goal is to summon her guardian angel so she can speak with her dead seven-year-old son. Solomon warns that leaving the house before the ritual ends will bring grave peril, and that Sophia must endure punishing exercises involving real demons and angels.
Sophia complies with dozens of painful exercises but refuses to perform a forgiveness ceremony. Solomon insists she drink his blood and attempts to include sex in the ritual, though he later admits it was for his own release. Sophia gets revenge by urinating in his breakfast. Over time, they begrudgingly get to know each other, but Sophia admits she actually wants revenge on whoever kidnapped and killed her son. After a near-drowning incident and Solomon's accidental impalement, the ritual progresses, and Sophia experiences menacing presences. Solomon dies from an infected wound, and Sophia finds his books crossed out. She is trapped in the house, encounters demons, and eventually meets a beatific angel, asking for the power to forgive.
Reader's Guide
A Dark Song received mostly positive reviews, holding a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 41 reviews, with a consensus calling it 'atmospheric, unsettling horror' and marking Liam Gavin as one to watch. Critics praised the film's classy production, including Cathal Watters' cinematography of the Welsh landscape and Ray Harman's brooding score. Steve Oram's performance was noted for its sour, slyly comic realism. The film premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh in July 2016 and was shown at Fantastic Fest, the BFI London Film Festival, and the Boston Underground Film Festival before its 2017 release. Its exploration of love, loss, faith, and the human reaction to tragedy was highlighted as elevating it from a novel concept to a powerful piece of genre filmmaking.
Did You Know?
- The film is Liam Gavin's directorial debut.
- It premiered on 8 July 2016 at the Galway Film Fleadh in Ireland.
- The ritual in the film is based on The Book of Abramelin.
- Sophia's son was seven years old when he died.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A Dark Song?
A Dark Song is a 2016 independent horror film co-produced in Ireland and the United Kingdom, marking director Liam Gavin's feature-length debut. It received a limited theatrical and digital release in April 2017.
Who are the main characters in A Dark Song?
The film centers on Sophia Howard (Catherine Walker), a mother consumed by grief, and Joseph Solomon (Steve Oram), a volatile occultist she hires to lead her through a dangerous summoning.
What ritual is performed in A Dark Song?
Sophia and Solomon undertake a months-long process drawn from The Book of Abramelin, an occult text, with the aim of calling forth Sophia's guardian angel so she can communicate with her deceased seven-year-old son.
What is Joseph Solomon's role in the story?
Solomon acts as Sophia's reluctant guide through the Abramelin ritual, warning her of the spiritual and psychological dangers while she pushes forward with the summoning despite his cautions.
Why is A Dark Song notable in the magic-horror genre?
It stands out for grounding its supernatural premise in a specific, historically referenced grimoire rather than generic spellwork, and for treating the ritual as a slow, months-long process instead of a single climactic scene.
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