Leviticus: A Haunting Exploration of Queer Desire and Conversion Therapy in Australian Horror

Leviticus, the debut feature by Australian writer-director Adrian Chiarella, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and offers a fresh take on queer horror. The film centers on Naim and Ryan, two gay teens navigating secret relationships in an isolated Australian town steeped in homophobia. When their relationship is exposed, Ryan and another teen, Hunter, are forced into a conversion-therapy ritual led by a mysterious outsider. The ritual unleashes a supernatural curse in which one’s deepest desires manifest as deadly threats, visible only to the cursed individual. The film cleverly blends psychological horror with supernatural elements, exploring themes of love, self-destruction, and the dangers of societal repression. Chiarella’s direction captures both the cold, isolating horror of the town and the tender moments of first love, with standout performances from Joe Bird and Stacy Clausen. Visually and emotionally, the film balances terror and romance, while subverting common horror tropes, including predictable depictions of religious zealotry. Though the finale’s repetition of the curse motif slightly diminishes momentum, the film concludes with a poignant and memorable ending, amplified by a Frank Ocean track. At 86 minutes, Leviticus stands out in crowded sub-genres like trauma horror, queer horror, and curse horror, delivering a bold, bittersweet narrative that resonates on both a human and supernatural level.