© 2026 Interlochen
CLASSICAL IPR | 88.7 FM Interlochen | 94.7 FM Traverse City | 88.5 FM Mackinaw City IPR NEWS | 91.5 FM Traverse City | 90.1 FM Harbor Springs/Petoskey | 89.7 FM Manistee/Ludington
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Temporary service disruptions during improvements on WIAB 88.5 FM and WHBP 90.1 FM

Bleak Week film festival celebrates the comfort found in darker movie themes

A still from the 2018 horror movie "Hereditary." (Courtesy of Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair)
Courtesy of Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair
A still from the 2018 horror movie "Hereditary." (Courtesy of Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair)

When times are dark, many people find comfort from watching happy movies or listening to upbeat music. But some relish in darker stuff: horror, war, illness or suffering. That’s what makes them feel good.

June 1 is the start of a global movie festival celebrating those kinds of films. It’s called Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair and it kicks off on Monday.

Reporter Todd Melby has the story.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR