Is this the birth of a martyr — or a monster? We all know the story of the birth of Jesus Christ: Mary is chosen to be the mother of Jesus via immaculate conception. She and her husband Joseph travel the lands to protect the child and birth him safely, bringing forth a new era in religion. Director/writer Ramone Menon took that story and transformed it into a tale of horrific proportions: Virgin.
Imagine being pregnant in the ancient Middle East, a time and place where women are property, there are strict spiritual rules, and there is no way to prove ancestry beyond blind trust. In Virgin, Mary (Miryam) finds herself with a conflicted Joseph (Yosef), growing more and more disheartened and angry as they travel and as Miryam becomes closer to giving birth. While resting in a barn, her prayers grow unanswered and Yosef’s faith fizzles. In the darkness lies evil, ready to jump in and use Yosef’s hate to spill holy blood.
There is nothing more I can say than “I love it!” Seriously. Religious horror can often be preachy, where the good guy always wins and God is there to save the day. Each minute of this short throws your thoughts from one side to the other, wondering if Miryam is truthful about the baby’s parentage or if there is something else going on. Virgin is full of tense moments and leaves you on the edge of your seat.
Smartly colored with reds, blues, and neutral tans, Virgin clearly depicts good and evil through lighting and colored text. Prayers to God are blue, while manipulative musings from a demon are red. One note from me: keep an eye on Miryam’s words towards the end!
At just 15 minutes, Virgin is as short as the number of people in its cast; we only see three actors: Jessica Damouni (Miryam), Herman Gambhir (Yosef), and Katie Lynn Stoddard (the Beast). I can safely say that three is the perfect number — a Holy Trinity, if you will — because these folks acted their hearts out. There was no lack of emotion or terror to be had. Doe-eyed Miryam is easy to root for. Yosef’s rage is felt with every passing second and every dismissive word. The Beast knows exactly what to say and do to push the action to where it needs to go.
Virgin answers the questions we’ve all had about what it could really be like during that time. Even if you aren’t moved by the thought of God vs. Satan or good vs. evil, you can surely empathize with the very human feeling of being in danger from a loved one while not 100% in top shape (i.e., pregnant). It’s a very real thing worry for some people. Although I want to see more, I think at the end, Virgin was just the right amount of story, the right amount of scare, and the right length. Religious or not, Virgin will have you clutching your crucifix.
Keep up with Ramone Menon’s work by following him on Instagram.
One thought on “REVIEW — Virgin (2025)”