Lady Puritan will screen at this year’s Dances With Films, Film Festival on June 27th at 11:30PM
By Juan Markos
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 06/26/2026 – “Lady Puritan” is a horror short film directed by Gustine Fudickar and Justin Streichman, with a screenplay written by Fudickar. The narrative unfolds in an altered reality where the protagonist, a woman, is troubled by a haunting figure from her nightmares that also intrudes upon her waking life. This character is depicted as being on the verge of insanity, as demonstrated in the opening scene, where she cleans an already spotless sink, suggesting themes of purity and perhaps an escape from a puritanical past.
The term “Puritan” historically refers to a group of 16th-century Protestants who sought to reform the Church of England by eliminating practices they deemed reminiscent of Catholicism. They faced persecution in England and sought refuge in the New World during the 1620s. Ironically, their descendants are striving to impose their moralistic beliefs on contemporary society, often overlooking their own history as refugees. In modern context, “Puritan” describes individuals with a strict moral viewpoint, sometimes seen as prudes, moralists, or killjoys.
The film explores themes of guilt ironically comparable to the concept of “Catholic guilt” and examines the tension between pleasure and moral rigidity in today’s society. The protagonist’s journey involves confronting a puritan ancestor whose presence symbolizes the weight of their shared history. The film delves into America’s complicated legacy of Protestantism, witch hunts, and the eradication of perceived evil, Lady Puritan draws parallels between historical and contemporary moral battles.
Starring Stacy Dawson, Dorothy Dubrule, and Gustine Fudickar, the performances are powerful and unsettling. The film’s visuals are striking, combining beauty with a haunting quality that evokes feelings of emptiness and reflects on themes of colonization and loss in the present day.
Lady Puritan will screen at this years Dances With Films, Film Festival on June 27th at 11:30PM, for tickets and more info please visit: https://danceswithfilms.com/2026-lady-puritan/
