XX

XX is a ghoulishly fun, four-part horror anthology, the first ever in this genre to come from from an entirely female point of view. Each of the four stories in XX was written and directed by women, and in every story, there is a female protagonist who breaks out of the typical scary movie “scream and die” trope. XX is not alone—horror has been getting a real reworking lately by the cool-girl crowd, judging from last year’s spooky offering The Babadook (directed by Jennifer Kent), new movies like this year’s unsettling vegetarian-turned-cannibal shocker Raw (directed by Julia Ducournau), the upcoming kidnap nightmare Berlin Syndrome (directed by Cate Shortland) and the much-anticipated of Southern gothic horror cult classic The Beguiled (directed by Sofia Coppola).

Annie Clark, otherwise known as indie rocker St. Vincent, makes her directorial debut in XX with the best tale of the quartet, The Birthday Party, also featuring the great Melanie Lynskey in the leading role as a frantic suburban mom. Jovanka Vukovic helms another creepy take on motherhood with The Box, starring Natalie Brown (The Strain). Karyn Kusama directs an occult treat, Her Only Living Son, and Roxanne Benjamin presents Don’t Fall, a camping-gone-wrong classic, but with a female twist. Each of these directors were given free reign their projects, and the results prove, things can get pretty scary when you leave the ladies in charge.

XX opens in theaters on February 17. Watch the trailer, above.