superstition and belief

His films like Hereditary and Midsommar deeply explore how superstition, ritual, and inherited beliefs can trap and destroy families.

His work consistently blends magical realism with folklore and superstition, examining belief systems as vital to human identity in films like Pan's Labyrinth.

His films engage with Japanese folklore, supernatural beliefs, and the tension between modern rationality and ancient superstition across genres like horror and crime thrillers.