Camp is a witchy and hypnotic coming-of-age film

Early on in writer/director Avalon Fast's Camp, the lead character, Emily (Zola Grimmer), watches her best friend OD right in front of her after taking some of Emily's drugs. This marks a second tragedy that Emily confronts early on in her life, and it also puts her on suicide watch before she eventually becomes a counselor at a religious camp, where she meets other troubled young women and together, they form a coven of sorts. The result is a bewitching coming-of-age movie that's a slow burn and absorbing watch.

At the camp, Emily befriends Clara (Alice Wordsworth), Rosie, (Cherry Moore), Nev (Lea Rose Sebastianis), Eden (Izza Jarvis), and Hope (Ella Reece). The women soon suck Emily into their coven, where they have late night parties in an attic and manifest their hopes to the universe. All of this is done under the nose of the camp's leader, Dan (Austyn Van de Kamp). Soon, the stakes are raised when Emily learns that the coven requires sacrifices. She questions if that's necessary or ethical, but she never turns on the group, either. They become her family and help her cope and process her trauma, and they also support each other.

Credit has to be given to Fast's script. Every one of the young female characters feels distinct. They don't blend together or fade into the background, even if some of their roles aren't as big as Emily's. Each woman has her own personality, which is another benefit to this film. Additionally, comparisons to The Craft are warranted. After all, this is a coming-of-age movie about female empowerment, but unlike The Craft, there's not eventual tension among the women, at least to the level of The Craft, which results in the face-off between Nancy (Fairuza Balk) and Sarah (Robin Tunney). Yes, Emily does question the group's methods at times and the notion of sacrifice, but at the end of the day, the women maintain their friendship, love, and support for each other.

This film also has some great humor. The fact that it's set at a religious camp really helps. The setting is an asset in that regard, especially when everyone sits around the campfire with a group of children and sings songs about Jesus. Meanwhile, when night falls, the women sneak off, booze it up, and practice witchcraft. It's a great contrast.

That said, not only is Camp a movie about female friendship, but it's also about the way that Emily processes her trauma. There's a dissociative quality to this movie because of Emily's mental state, and all of this leads to a surprising and captivating ending that again underscores the way that Emily addresses her trauma and the loss of her best friend. Further, there's a dash of surrealism to this movie because of the magical elements, but also some of the shots and framing. The camera's focus on a starry night sky or the moon often looks like a painting, something familiar, yet not quite real.

Overall, Camp is a mesmerizing and witchy coming-of-age tale. Some of its influences are clear, but Fast manages to cast her own spell. She's a director to watch.

Camp releases in theaters on Friday, June 26.