Shiraishi Koji has been a welcome presence in Japanese horror cinema for more than 20 years now. His 2005 film Noroi: The Curse has become a cult favourite, and was followed by the likes of Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman (2007), Grotesque (2009), Cult (2013), and franchise spin-off Sadako vs Kayako (2016). Red Spider Lilies: The Ascension (2024) is a new 29-minute short film that has just had its North American premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival.

The film follows three sisters (Akama Mariko, Nakamura Eriko, and Kono Tomomi), whose parents and partners have all died under various tragic circumstances. Now a supernatural presence threatens one of the three, and they have no recourse other than to pay a spiritual guru to come and investigate the house.

This is a nicely pulpy and old-fashioned work, reflecting the sorts of horror films that were popular in Japan during the 1990s. The use of supernatural creatures, or ‘yokai’, as well the whole idea of cursed and haunted houses, are all very familiar to regular viewers. There is a particular sense of play here: the performances are heightened somewhat, and a strong tongue-in-cheek sensibility. The film’s 29-minute run-time allows it to form a short story-like structure: setting up a mystery, complicating it, and then reaching a satisfying resolution. Among the cast Nakamura Eriko is particularly entertaining, while veteran actor Honda Hirotaro presents a very theatrical turn as the somewhat untrustworthy exorcist. Tomona Hirota rounds out the cast as his dutiful assistant. Altogether it is an old-fashioned, creepy delight.

Based on the narrative and the title it is clear that this is not the last we have heard of Red Spider Lillies. Not only does the film work as a self-contained short, it sets up characters and situations that really feel as if they will be followed up in feature or serial form. That is hopefully something to look out for.

Red Spider Lillies: The Ascension premiered at the 2025 Fantasia International Film Festival. Click here for more information.