Elizabeth Sankey’s "Witches" goes beyond simply documenting historical persecution; it serves as a sharp criticism of the ways society tends to invalidate women’s experiences, particularly within healthcare settings. Sankey employs an inventive combination of film excerpts and personal accounts to illustrate the disturbing connection between past witch trials and present-day medical gaslighting. The movie effectively shows how female pain—especially concerning reproductive health—has been frequently downplayed, misinterpreted, and sensationalized. The documentary’s emphasis on postpartum psychosis highlights a troubling reality: women's mental health struggles are often viewed as unusual, inexplicable, or even otherworldly. By placing historical witch trials alongside contemporary medical procedures, Sankey reveals a disturbing pattern: women aren’t usually trusted when they describe what’s happening with their own bodies. This type of disregard isn't theoretical; it has serious consequences. Medical studies have historically omitted women as participants, the typical understanding of heart attack symptoms is based on male physiology, and conditions like endometriosis often take eight years to be diagnosed—largely because women's complaints are not given proper consideration. "Witches" functions as more than just a documentary; it’s an essential challenge to how ingrained sexism works, how it suppresses voices, and the ways it continues to cause damage.

Source on TMDB