Friendship in the captivity of fear

This study examines the impact of fear on interpersonal relationships through the lens of friendship, focusing on how friendship dynamics are portrayed in horror cinema. Employing a qualitative methodology and descriptive analysis, the films IT (2017), The Ritual (2017), and The Descent (2005) are analyzed. Theoretical discussions explore the concept of friendship from historical, psychological, and sociological perspectives, with emphasis on themes such as modernity, individualization, trust, and the disintegration of social bonds. The film analyses reveal how fear influences collective behavior, tests interpersonal trust, and either reinforces or dissolves solidarity among individuals. Horror cinema, in this context, serves not only as a genre that presents fear and suspense, but also as a narrative space in which the nature of human relationships is challenged, reshaped, and sometimes reconstructed. Ultimately, fear is conceptualized as a multidimensional force—simultaneously threatening and connective—within social interactions.