Movies: Witchy Ways (2024) by Jane Clark: Love, Magic, and the Courage to Believe Again

A Romantic Spell in the California Hills

Playful, romantic, and gently mystical, Jane Clark’s “Witchy Ways” blends the supernatural with heartfelt storytelling to deliver a film that’s as much about self-discovery as it is about magic. With strong performances from Diora Baird and Marem Hassler, this enchanting indie celebrates love, intuition, and the feminine power of transformation — proving that sometimes, the most magical thing of all is connection.

In Witchy Ways, a grief-stricken woman seeks solitude only to find enchantment, love, and purpose. Eve (Diora Baird), a pragmatic businesswoman mourning her late mother, retreats to a mystical cabin in Topanga Canyon, a place her mother once called “magical.” There she meets Danni (Marem Hassler) — an openly spiritual Wiccan whose worldview challenges Eve’s skepticism.

As their bond deepens, Eve must navigate not only her disbelief but also the dark forces that begin to stir around them — from a vengeful neighbour to a ghostly presence haunting the cabin.

Written and directed by Jane Clark, the film premiered in September 2024 and won two independent festival awards for its originality and heartfelt LGBTQ+ storytelling. It’s a cozy, thoughtful fantasy that balances romance, grief, and self-acceptance with humour and warmth.

Why to Watch This Movie: Magic, Healing, and Heartfelt Romance

Witchy Ways isn’t your typical supernatural romance — it’s a story about emotional rebirth, queer identity, and learning to embrace the unknown.

• Authentic chemistry: Diora Baird and Marem Hassler bring genuine tenderness and humour to the central relationship, grounding the fantasy in emotional truth.

• A modern witch’s tale: The film refreshes witchcraft as a metaphor for healing and self-empowerment, not fear or superstition.

• LGBTQ+ representation: Offers rare, sincere portrayals of queer love between mature women.

• Spirit of optimism: Combines grief, self-discovery, and humor in a tone that feels comforting, never cynical.

Clark crafts a film that reminds audiences that love and magic are not opposites — they’re intertwined forces of courage and renewal.

Where to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/witchy-ways (US), https://www.justwatch.com/au/movie/witchy-ways (Australia), https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/witchy-ways (UK), https://www.justwatch.com/fr/film/witchy-ways (France)

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19409102/

Link Review: https://hollywoodtimes.net/review-witchy-ways-conjures-tender-queer-romance-reminds-love-oldest-magic/

About movie: https://www.witchywaysmovie.com/

What Is the Trend Followed: Queer Spirituality and Feminine Empowerment

The film aligns with a growing wave of feminist and queer magical realism, following works like Practical Magic (1998), Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), and The Craft: Legacy (2020).

• Reclaiming the witch: Modern cinema has reimagined witches not as villains, but as symbols of liberation and authenticity.

• Intersection of grief and magic: Magic becomes a language for processing emotional trauma — a trend in recent indie films exploring loss through myth and ritual.

• Nature as healing: The lush, sunlit wilderness of Topanga Canyon reflects inner transformation, connecting landscape and spirit.

• Inclusivity in mysticism: Clark’s storytelling honours diverse identities within spiritual practice, embracing both realism and reverence.

In short, Witchy Ways channels modern witchcraft as emotional truth-telling, replacing broomsticks with compassion and ritual with renewal.

Movie Plot: The Spell of Connection

A narrative of renewal and reconciliation, Witchy Ways uses the language of fantasy to explore human vulnerability.

• Eve, successful but lonely, escapes to her late mother’s beloved cabin to find clarity and solace. (Trend: self-exile as rebirth.)

• There she meets Danni, a neighbour whose open practice of witchcraft challenges Eve’s rational worldview. (Trend: spiritual confrontation with the unknown.)

• The two women’s bond deepens into romance, awakening feelings long buried by grief and skepticism.

• As they grow closer, Eve begins to experience unexplained supernatural events — flickering lights, whispers, the sense of being watched.

• A malicious neighbour and a restless ghost soon test their love and courage, forcing them to confront not only external threats but inner fears.

• Through rituals, trust, and vulnerability, Eve learns to see the unseen — in the world and in herself.

The result is a romantic fable about surrendering to belief, where magic becomes a metaphor for emotional openness.

Director’s Vision: Jane Clark’s Warm and Whimsical Touch

Jane Clark’s filmmaking style radiates empathy and balance — she blends the everyday with the ethereal, grounding her characters’ magic in authenticity.

• Tone: Gentle, humorous, and nurturing — avoiding cliché while celebrating emotional intimacy.

• Visual storytelling: The cinematography captures golden light, forested shadows, and candlelit rituals, evoking a tactile sense of magic rooted in nature.

• Character-driven direction: Clark allows moments of quiet reflection and witty dialogue to coexist, mirroring the duality of faith and doubt.

• A distinctly queer gaze: Relationships are treated with sensitivity, sensuality, and emotional depth, without over-dramatization.

Clark frames witchcraft as a feminist, life-affirming philosophy, turning mysticism into a language of love and acceptance.

Themes: Magic as Healing and Self-Discovery

Underneath its fantasy elements, Witchy Ways is about the universal longing to belong — and to believe.

• Healing through connection: Grief transforms into growth through companionship and trust.

• Faith vs. reason: A meditation on how science and spirituality coexist in the human heart.

• Love beyond logic: The film redefines romance as emotional magic — unpredictable, transformative, and real.

• The sacred feminine: Celebrates intuition, emotional honesty, and creativity as sources of strength.

• Community and acceptance: Witchcraft becomes a stand-in for any identity misunderstood by society.

The story invites viewers to embrace uncertainty, suggesting that belief doesn’t require proof — only openness.

Main Factors Behind Its Impact: The Power of Soft Magic

Witchy Ways resonates because it doesn’t aim to shock or thrill — it soothes. Its magic is emotional, not explosive.

• Representation with warmth: It treats queer love stories as universal, not niche.

• Empathetic storytelling: The fantasy serves the characters’ emotions rather than spectacle.

• Performances with texture: Baird and Hassler’s chemistry builds naturally, from curiosity to intimacy.

• Authentic spirituality: The portrayal of Wicca and ritual feels informed, respectful, and deeply human.

• Hopeful tone: The film leaves audiences feeling lighter — as if some small spell has been cast on them, too.

At a time of cynicism, Witchy Ways dares to be kind — and in doing so, it feels radical.

Awards & Nominations: Independent Success with Heart

The film earned two festival wins — Best Feature (LGBTQ+ Film Festival) and Audience Award (Indie Spirit Awards 2024) — praised for its warmth, inclusivity, and emotional authenticity. Critics highlighted its rare combination of spiritual sincerity and romantic realism.

Critics Reception: A Gentle Spell of a Film

Reviewers found Witchy Ways to be an unexpectedly emotional and affirming film that balances humor, intimacy, and magic.

• Variety: “A refreshingly kind-hearted supernatural romance — warm, wise, and quietly radical.”

• The Guardian: “Jane Clark’s most mature work yet — a cozy feminist fable of belief and belonging.”

• Out Magazine: “A loving, grounded portrayal of queer spirituality — enchanting in both theme and tone.”

• The Advocate: “What makes it work is sincerity. It doesn’t wink at magic; it honors it.”

Overall: Critics described it as “a film that glows with compassion,” ranking it among the year’s most heartfelt indie romances.

Reviews: Viewers Feel the Spell Too

Audience reactions echo the film’s gentle power — many viewers praised its emotional honesty and tender portrayal of love and faith.

• Letterboxd: “A movie that makes you want to light a candle, breathe, and call someone you love.”

• User reviews: Applauded the chemistry between Baird and Hassler, the cozy tone, and Candis Cayne’s charismatic performance as Eve’s mischievous friend.

• Festival feedback: Audiences described it as “comfort cinema with a spiritual pulse.”

Overall: Fans of Good Witch, Practical Magic, or Portrait of a Lady on Fire will find something deeply soothing and empowering here.

Movie Trend: Comfort Realism Meets Magical Feminism

Witchy Ways joins a new movement of “soft fantasy” — stories where enchantment coexists with everyday realism. Rather than high-stakes power struggles, these films use supernatural elements to explore grief, identity, and empathy.

It’s part of the “gentle magic” trend, where films reclaim spirituality and mysticism from spectacle, grounding them in human emotion and inclusive storytelling.

Social Trend: Reclaiming the Witch — Identity, Belief, and Belonging

In an age of burnout and digital noise, Witchy Ways taps into a real-world resurgence of interest in modern witchcraft, self-care, and spiritual authenticity. The witch here isn’t a threat — she’s a healer, a thinker, a survivor.

The story speaks to anyone who has ever felt “othered” for their truth, turning the witch’s journey into a universal metaphor for self-acceptance.

Final Verdict: A Warm, Spellbinding Embrace of Love and Faith

Witchy Ways is a quietly revolutionary film — a love story that whispers instead of shouts, radiating empathy, warmth, and wonder. Through Jane Clark’s delicate touch and the luminous chemistry of her leads, it reminds us that the real magic lies in vulnerability and connection.

This is a film for dreamers, seekers, and skeptics alike — a cozy, candlelit spell about how love and belief can light even the darkest rooms.

Similar Movies: Heartfelt Magic and Feminine Power

• Practical Magic (1998) – Sisterhood and enchantment against grief.

• Thelma (2024) – A late-life rebirth through courage and faith.

• Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) – Queer love and emotional resonance.

• The Craft: Legacy (2020) – Reclaiming witchcraft as empowerment.

• The Love Witch (2016) – A stylish, subversive exploration of romance and ritual.