CAT&Docs Teams Up with ‘HEX’ Before Film Premiere at Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival
EXCLUSIVE: Paris-based sales company CAT&Docs has secured the rights to HEX in advance of the film’s international premiere at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in Greece.
Directed by Maja Holand, the documentary chronicles the journey of Witch Club Satan “from their underground beginnings to becoming the world’s fastest-growing metal band.” According to a press release, the film offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the band’s evolution, highlighting their rise while exploring their personal connections to witchcraft.
HEX will make its world premiere on March 2 at the Kosmorama film festival in Norway, followed by its international debut in the Newcomers competition at Thessaloniki. Following this, the film will be featured at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen as part of the festival’s Sound & Vision strand.
Johanna Holt Kleive performs with Witch Club Satan at the Roskilde Festival on July 4, 2025, in Roskilde, Denmark.
“HEX takes place in the heart of Norway’s renowned, male-dominated black metal scene, a fitting backdrop for witches to come alive again,” the synopsis details. “Three ordinary young women—Nikoline, Victoria, and Johanna—forge a three-year pact to become the black metal band Witch Club Satan, channeling their music to express the raw and hidden powers of women. Despite their initial lack of musical skills, they seek the power of witches as they navigate their rapid rise, which ultimately pulls their lives in different directions.”
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The continued synopsis emphasizes the band’s struggle to maintain their dream of freedom and magic in a challenging, masculine world. The film questions the true essence of female freedom and the pressures of conforming to societal expectations. “However it ends, they definitely make a hell of a noise and start screaming.”
Holland, a prominent cinematographer and editor, marks her directorial debut with HEX. She remarked, “Working on the documentary has deepened my understanding of Witch Club Satan and their journey within the black metal scene. The film evolved into an exploration of the personal and artistic challenges faced by the band members, intertwining their internal narratives with the broader historical context surrounding them.”
“HEX was created to challenge and inspire by examining both the historical roots of witch trials and their modern implications for women. I hope it prompts introspection and encourages the audience to embrace their true selves,” she added.
CAT&Docs is responsible for world sales of the film. Their recent titles include 9-Month Contract, Black Water, Facing War, and Jōhatsu.
Nikoline Spjelkavik and Victoria Roysen perform with Witch Club Satan at the Roskilde Festival on July 1, 2023, in Roskilde, Denmark.
In a statement, CAT&Docs emphasized that “This film doesn’t just document a band — it documents a reckoning. By reviving the witch as a symbol of resistance, these artists connect with a cultural movement that spans from underground metal stages to the millions engaging with WitchTok online. It challenges the historical silencing of women and confronts the patriarchal structures within both the music scene and society at large. The urgency of this narrative feels particularly relevant as gender discussions intensify.”
HEX is produced by Mari Nilsen Neira for Norway’s Herstory. The production notes highlight that the film “experiments with new technology to create a strong, physical audience experience.” Through a collaboration with Nomono, the filmmakers developed the use of ambisonic field recording in documentary filmmaking, aiming to enhance the immersive quality of the film through innovative sound capture techniques.
“Spatial sound has long been utilized in cinema, but HEX explores the potential of new, portable technology to capture multi-channel audio directly during filming,” the creators stated. This approach grants unique creative freedom, enriching the film’s atmosphere both visually and sonically. The documentary is accompanied by striking visuals, with availability of a teaser to preview the film’s artistry.
