Receiving a diagnosis of relapse remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) would feel like a real-life horror story to many, and this disease is at the center of the short body horror film Unravelling. Writer, director and award-winning Scottish filmmaker Aimie Willemse is the mastermind behind the project and was inspired to make the film after being diagnosed with RRMS in 2020 at the age of 30. The short film is not widely released but has started making its rounds at various film festivals, premiering recently at London’s FrightFest. I had the wonderful opportunity to see it in advance and am here to share some enticing tidbits.
For anyone who may be unfamiliar with body horror, it’s a subgenre of horror that highlights mutations of the human anatomy in grotesque and unsettling ways. However, it’s primary purpose isn’t to shock viewers. Instead, it serves as social commentary on significant topics. In the case of Unravelling, the effects of RRMS on an individual living with the disease are explored.
When Aimie Willemse discovered she had relapse remitting multiple sclerosis in 2020, it was during the onslaught of the pandemic. Her reaction at receiving the news was a mixture of fear and relief because she finally knew the source of her symptoms. Yet, she noticed mainstream media’s depiction of the condition is narrow and full of stereotypes, presenting a bleak image. In a press release, the creators state by making this film they’re “aiming to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis while challenging media stereotypes and preconceptions through a national platform.”
Willemse has partnered with producer Serena Gardner to bring her vision to the screen, and the result is beautifully riveting. The plot centers on a young woman named Fiona who is caring for her ill grandmother, Maeve. She knows her grandmother is in pain and wants to help, but Maeve is insistent on being as independent as possible. When walking in to check on her grandmother, the invisible disease becomes visible to Fiona, taking on a dreadful form she wasn’t prepared to witness.
Frightened, Fiona escapes into the forest surrounding her grandmother’s home. Suddenly, Fiona realizes her body has been affected by some malignant force. What ensues is disturbing and absorbing to watch. Your senses are assaulted by fleshy sounds and bloody sights, making you cringe and almost feel her pain. A poignant scene transpires when she encounters Maeve in the wooded area. She approaches her and attempts to help her. Maeve responds, saying, “Don’t. They will pass. It always passes.”
I can’t imagine what it’s like to live with RRMS. This short film conveys the pain the disease can cause in a poetic, surreal and disquieting manner. Aimie Willemse describes the condition, saying, “Plagued by paralysis, vision loss, and numbness, a relapse can feel like a possession. Your body isn’t your own anymore as your control is slowly stripped away. It’s as though something malignant is clinging to you like a shadow and no one else could even tell.”
However dire the disease is, the short film ultimately aspires to give hope to those affected:
“With over 130,000 people in the UK alone inadequately represented on screen, my intention as a filmmaker is to explore multiple sclerosis through the creative lens of horror. To immerse the audience in this waking nightmare while still being able to find a shred of hope. Life with MS doesn’t start in a wheelchair or disability and isn’t limited to the elderly, so why does the media portray it as so?”
– Aimie Willemse
Unravelling will have its U.S. premiere at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival in Los Angeles this October. You can support the film and get the latest updates by following the project on social media. Check out the trailer below.
Vamp Jenn's Corner 
I know a few people with this illness and it is tragic. Especially when it happens to children and young people. People can have it so it is less severe.
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It must be difficult seeing someone live with this disease and not be able to give them relief. Although I was aware of the illness, there’s a lot I don’t know. This short film gave me a lot to think about.
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Yes you are right, and the up and downs are quite difficult since it can give the illusion of being cured and then it’s down again.
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