As it seems, horror is back this summer. From indie hits like “Obsession” to Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day”, everyone is buying into a summer of scares and suspense. It’s the perfect season for spooky stories and unknown adventures. One horror trope is undeniably popular and seasonal within the genre– summer camp.
Roasting marshmallows, sneaking around after dark, and campfire stories are just the beginning of most camp slashers. What if instead of a killer-on-the-loose story, we got a witch-coven-goes-rampant story? Thanks to Avalon Fast, now we have one.
“CAMP” follows Emily as she copes with deep trauma by attending a summer camp as a counselor. While everything seems normal at first, she soon realizes the group of women she’s bonded with has a secret she never would’ve guessed. The film is witchy, emotional, and sure to leave you with more questions than you started with. So– is it worth the watch?
Synopsis
The film begins with Emily grieving the loss of her best friend. To help, her Dad suggests she sign up to be a counselor at a Christian summer camp. When she arrives, she meets a charismatic yet unsettling group of women who welcome her with open arms. After settling in, she forms a bond with a young camper, Eden, and helps her navigate womanhood and growth. Between campfire parties and secret late-night rituals, Emily finally starts to settle in when things go awry.
After Eden has a day of turmoil, Emily feels she doesn’t have the power to help her, causing a breakdown. Comforted by her romantic interest, Clara, Emily finally gives in to the witchcraft and free nature of the coven. We find out that the coven’s magic grows at the expense of other people’s failures, which Emily takes part in. After being initiated, she finds sisterhood in the darkness with the others, making it a bittersweet end for our protagonist.
Spellbinding Themes
While on the surface, the film sounds like a fun, witchy time, the plot is often heavy and confusing. There are so many sequences that leave the viewer disoriented and trying to piece together what’s truly going on. For viewers that want a clear cut plot progression and resolution, this isn’t it. It focuses more on the internal journey of Emily, and how her summer changes her. As much as it is about healing, it’s also about the deconstruction of her current life and self that it takes to get there.
Director Avalon Fast has commented on the mixed messaging of the film, saying the message is to “Indulge in your friends, in crazy behaviors, do the drugs, live your life. You can heal, or find yourself—whatever that means—that way as well.” Not many filmmakers will tell their audience to indulge in these behaviors, but when asked about this, Fast said “I think there’s a lot of pressure to heal in a certain way […] But really, the ways that I’ve been able to heal have been through hanging out with my friends.” Sometimes embracing the messiness is the first step to healing, and who better to be there through the heartbreak than those who understand it first hand?
Visual Patterns
Following in the footsteps of “I Saw the TV Glow,” the cinematography and imagery is what stands out in this film. With dreamy sequences and animated details, it transports you into a feeling of nostalgia and unease. To make this movie feel ethereal, Eily Sprungman had a few tricks up her sleeve. Director Avalon Fast explains how she would rub vaseline on the lens to give it a more hazy, angelic feeling with the light blurring. Sprungman truly brought to life the magical quality of the film that makes it feel so special.
As the film progresses, a motif of red visuals emerges that emphasizes themes of femininity, witchcraft, and desire. Emily’s dreams during the night are covered in red haze, red wine is shared, and the woman Emily bonds with and develops feelings toward has dyed red hair and vivid crimson lipstick. Everywhere we look, there’s an allusion to blood, and it’s sure to drive the viewer wild in the same way it does Emily.
As witchcraft is the central horror trope in this film, there is a focus on light that sets the mood, which is impressive considering the majority of the film takes place at night. We rely on the flicker of a flame to see the story in front of us, and it makes the film all the more magical. Part of this magical feeling can be attributed to one of the lighting guys on set, who came from a family of mediums. Fast spoke about this, calling it “one of the coolest experiences” she’d ever experienced after he told the crew he felt the presence of Fast’s late friend, who inspired the film.
Standout Campers
Unfortunately, a lot of the acting falls flat in the first third as we’re learning about Emily’s past. For such an important backstory filled with grief and struggle, it’s hard to focus on the information being given. It feels like a student film at first, but luckily the acting picks up as we enter the summer camp.
The coven itself– Zola Grimmer, Alice Wordsworth, Cherry Moore, Lea Rose Sebastiantis, and Ella Reece– are standouts in the acting department and truly bring the witchy nature of the film to live. They’re rambunctious and enchanting in the best way, and their coven is one that is alluring and memorable. Compared to films like “Forbidden Fruits,” which was released recently in early 2026, this coven feels much messier– and with the chaos of “Forbidden Fruits,” that’s an impressive feat.
Summer Camps Throughout Horror
Within the catalogue of horror films, summer camp is one of the most common. Maybe it’s the tradition of scary tales around the campfire or the dark wilderness that sets up camp as a popular trope, but either way, “CAMP” fits right into the catalogue. Within the film, the camp itself is just titled “Camp”, possibly to capture the generalization of summer camps in film and how similar they all really are. This camp isn’t unique– it could be anywhere and anyone.
While films like “Sleepaway Camp” have been around for decades, summer camp has stayed persistent in recent films as well. With “Hell of a Summer” in 2023, written and directed by Billy Bryk and “Stranger Things” star Finn Wolfhard, the twisted slasher genre is making a comeback with a younger generation of filmmakers.
For Fast, “CAMP” is about exploring grief and the role friendship plays in healing those wounds. In her interview with Katie Rife, she explains that her friends play a huge part in her creative process. In that sense, summer camp was the perfect setting, as it’s a place where young people come together, bond, and grow.
Within the history of queer film, camp is a common setting to explore tension and desire. Emily is thrown into this circle of women, and Clara brings out a comfort she didn’t know she could have. Throughout the film, these two women juggle romantic tension with the expectation to be platonic. It’s only once Emily unburdens herself and joins the coven that she’s able to kiss Clara and explore that deeper connection than she’s been craving.
Is it worth the watch?
Although a lower-budget independent film, “CAMP” is a true spectacle. This movie is suitable for film fanatics who want to leave the theater unsettled, bewildered, and perhaps a little healed. It’s gorgeous for the eyes and touching for the heart. In many ways, it acts as a reminder to cherish those around you while they’re there. Through Emily, we get a well-rounded portrait of grief. It’s not cookie-cutter. It’s crying in the rain, forgetting to call home, and searching for something beyond yourself. Different for different people, the path to healing can be anything but conventional.
Overall, this film is a fever dream and feast of sensations that leave the viewer wanting more, but Fast doesn’t give it to us. Instead, we’re left with an open ending. It’s bittersweet, heartwarming, and our own story to figure out. Making the viewer ponder, Fast shows it’s worth the journey to do so.
Festivals and Theaters
“CAMP” first premiered in 2025 at the Fantastic Fest on Sept. 21, 2025. In October of 2025, the film was chosen for the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival as a main attraction. With its spellbinding cinematography and storytelling, it’s easy to see why. It continued to be selected for various festivals in late 2025 and early 2026, including Outfest and SXSW Sydney. At the Sitges Film Festival, it made its international debut and Fast was nominated in the “New Visions” category for Best Picture.
After being picked up by Dark Sky Films, “CAMP” is finally being shown in select theaters across the US. With an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, this is a whimsical, dark horror film you don’t want to miss.
