Gwen 2019

In the 19th century, nestled in North Wales, a young farm girl named Gwen lives with her mother and younger sister, Mari. One day, while playing outside, the girls pass by a neighboring farmhouse, where they observe a group of men attending to what appears to be several dead bodies. The local doctor, Dr. Wren, attributes these deaths to cholera.

The following morning, the family goes to church. After the service, Gwen’s mother engages in a brief conversation with a stranger. However, upon returning home, they are confronted with a horrifying sight: an animal heart has been nailed to their front door. The next day brings more trouble as Gwen discovers that their crops have spoiled unexpectedly. Curious about the man her mother spoke to, Gwen inquires whether they might be selling their home, but her mother dismisses the idea.

Soon after, Gwen witnesses her mother in the pasture, distraught over their sheep that have been mutilated and killed. Determined to uncover what is happening, Gwen investigates the cholera-infected house nearby and observes signs that suggest a struggle has occurred, connecting the patterns of violence to their farm’s plight. When she shares her findings with her mother, she is scolded and told to stop.

The situation escalates when Gwen’s mother suffers a violent seizure, which grabs the attention of Dr. Wren during church. He prescribes a tonic wine, subtly indicating that his medical practice is financially tied to the local quarry company. Meanwhile, as Gwen sells vegetables at the market, she notices the villagers giving her unsettling looks or outright ignoring her, further intensifying her sense of isolation.

The tensions rise when men from the quarry arrive at their farm to negotiate with Gwen’s mother, insisting on purchasing their land. After a hostile conversation, her mother sends them away, but the confrontation has severe consequences. As punishment for eavesdropping, Gwen is forced to butcher their dead horse, a task her mother insists upon until she ultimately resorts to violence.

Later, while reading a letter at her mother’s request, Gwen uncovers the painful truth: their father will never return home, something her mother had kept secret. Tragedy strikes when a man armed with a dagger approaches their farmhouse, leading to a violent encounter where Gwen and her mother must defend themselves. In the chaos that follows, Gwen’s mother orders the girls to flee, just as the quarry men overpower her and set their home ablaze.

In the aftermath, Gwen and Mari escape into the hills, watching their home burn to the ground. As they grapple with their uncertain future, Mari asks where they will go next, to which Gwen resolutely responds that they will begin a search for their father, hoping to find safety and security in a world now filled with darkness and despair.