Aradia

Aradia

Directed by Richard Wilson

A heartbroken woman tears a photograph in half and summons a demon to kill the boyfriend who blindsided her, unaware that the supernatural rules of the ritual still recognize them as one image

Director Statement

I have dated one or two women in my life who considered themselves witches. Over time, I have watched modern witchcraft become a kind of cultural shorthand. Crystals, moon phases, spells bought online, astrology, ritual, intuition, and all the things people are quick to mock before they ever try to understand them.

The modern day witch gets a lot of flack. Sometimes fairly, sometimes lazily, and often from people who are more interested in feeling superior than asking what those beliefs are actually doing for the person who holds them. With Aradia, I wanted to give that figure a little bit of vindication.

This film only scratches the surface of what we wanted to explore. There is so much underneath it that we did not have the time or resources to fully unpack. The damage that male limerence can do to female partners. The social stigma around modern witchcraft. The ugly clarity that can come after heartbreak. The desire for revenge when someone makes you feel unseen, unheard, and disposable. And, at the center of it all, the lore of Aradia, the famous “first” witch and daughter of Satan.

I thought it was only appropriate that the witch associated with the words “you shall all be freed from slavery, and so you shall be free in everything” would be the one to enact revenge on a man who never took the time to truly know, respect, or understand the woman he was dating.

We made this movie with a total team of eight people, two of whom were not on location during the shoot. On set, we had three actors, two crew members, one incredibly talented makeup artist, and myself. The film was shot and edited over the course of four days.

My day job is Creative Director at a social media marketing agency that specializes in viral campaigns. Through that work, I have been lucky enough to meet some incredibly talented people. I am finally at a point in my life where I can gather a small team, have none of us get paid, spend our own money, and make something meaningful because we believe in it.

That is what Aradia is to me. A small film made by a handful of people who wanted to create something personal, strange, angry, and alive. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who helped bring it into existence.

Director Biography

Richard Wilson is a San Diego filmmaker, cinematographer, and creative director whose work spans narrative film, branded entertainment, photography, and social media, generating billions of views. His filmmaking emphasizes atmospheric visuals, emotional immediacy, and character-driven suspense. His supernatural horror short Aradia explores heartbreak, resentment, and the destructive consequences of acting from emotional pain.

Plays in

Into the Unknown: Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Shorts