All language subtitles for The Calling Witch 2026 CinemaCity

The Calling Witch by Meredith Lay.

Dedicated to Edward and Virginia.

Day Out of the Woods.

There once was a little boy who lived
with his mother on the edge of a very

large forest.

Aren't you afraid?

Parents would ask the mother at the
village store.

You know that's where she lived, don't
you?

Children would tell the little boy at
school.

And whenever they did this, the boy
would reply the way his mother had told

to. He'd straighten his spine, stick out
his chest, and confidently say, I'm not

afraid. And if you had a mother like
mine, you wouldn't be either.

My mother will protect me.

But the boy couldn't help being a little
afraid.

He did know that the very large forest
was the home of the calling witch.

And when she called, mostly on dark,
windy nights, children would wander out

their homes and into it, where they
would become her dinner.

The boy could tell his mother was
afraid, too, though she'd never let on.

Some nights she'd grow so upset that all
she could do was sit on the floor of

their basement.

hugging her knees and mumbling into the
darkness.

On such nights, the boy would have to
make his own dinner, draw his own bath,

tuck himself in bed.

Then he'd lie awake.

Then he'd lie awake, listening for the
witch's call.

When it came, he'd clutch his blanket,
lock his legs, and try his best to

the urge to wander outside.

But of course, one night...

The urge was just too strong.

And so, the boy wrapped himself in his
winter coat and wandered out of his home

and into the very large forest, where,
to his great astonishment, he found

his very own mother.

Of course, the calling witch was a good
mother and would never eat her own

child.

And so she went without her dinner and
took the little boy home, safe and

Now, mostly on dark, windy nights, the
little boy makes his own dinner, draws

his own bath, puts himself to bed.

Then he lies awake, listening for his
mother's call.

When it comes, he straightens his spine,
sticks out his chest.

He reminds himself he's not afraid.

Mary Mary Elderberry?

What's the night, Edward?

Teddy won't stop meowing.

Someone's outside.

Go ahead.

Listen up, you inbred townie assholes.
Leave her goddamn house alone.

Just me.

Saw the typewriter out again?

Mm -hmm.

Got a new idea?

Maybe.

Not ready to talk about it, though.

How'd the interview go?

Good job the 11 weeks.

So, we'll have to get someone for the
last part of it?

I said end of summer, Dad.

That's what you said, yes.

But... Go ahead.

I thought, given what Edward just lost,
what we've all just lost, you

might be willing to give him a little
more time.

After high school, when Edward was still
a baby and Mom was in a rough patch, I

gave you more time.

And after college, not a single class of
which I attended in person, back when

mom was still promising to get help, I
gave you more time. None of it's been

fair. And now there's a diploma for a
master's degree hanging on my wall. And

the first summer of my adult life, like
my real, actual, professional life,

it's over in eight weeks.

We need you.

Just one more time for three more weeks.

Someone was outside messing with Mom's
studio tonight.

Broke the lock on the door.

Where'd you pray?

Who else?

How do you need a decision?

concern Monday.

You know, if you keep leaving Teddy
outside, he's going to get eaten by a

Nah, he's good at hiding.

Remember he meowed all night when that
homeless man was living in our cave?

Not our cave, Edward.

I assume you're reading mysteries
because you're done with your unit?

It's reading, so I'm reading.

It's not just about reading.

It's about finishing your unit so you
can get done with school and get out of

here. Maybe you don't want to get out of
here as bad as you do.

I live in a wooden house.

Sound carries.

I'm going to go to town.

You want to go?

Edward, you got to keep up.

I'm not buying you candy if you can't
keep up. I think it's a gemstone.

Hey, wait up.

Wait up.

Let me get on.

Yeah, sure.

Why are you guys messing with our place?

What? We heard you, Greg.

You broke the lock on the studio door.

Doesn't matter. Nothing in there means
shit to us. It doesn't mean shit to us

either. Somebody was in your place last
night. It wasn't us.

Might want to report that to the police.

We're going to the store. Is your
grandma working today?

How the hell should I know?

Do you know you're day drinking in
public?

Even for your family.

Doesn't look very good, right?

Stay away from our place.

How do we know who's telling the truth?

Because we'd never voluntarily contact
you unless we had a good reason to do

A little thin.

Now, you say that you think that Greg
and his friends have been trespassing.

Have you any proof?

They've done it before.

Have you any proof of that?

And no proof that he took your bike.

Well, who the hell else would take it?
Virginia.

Do you have anything else to add here,
Warren?

If she says your kid took her bike, he
did.

Greg, one more time.

Did you and your friends take Virginia's
bike?

No, sir. Did you cause any damage to it?

No, sir.

Okay.

I want to press charges.

For? Theft.

Destruction of property.

With no proof.

And Judge Terrence will end up sitting
for this.

He's an old fishing buddy of mine.

So I trust that he will view this
situation with nuance.

Greg, give Virginia our home phone
number just in case she decides to let

bygones be bygones.

really going to press charges all the
way from New York?

It's Teddy.

They're back again.

This could take all night, Edward.

You know, if

Teddy

doesn't want to be found, we're not
going to find him.

Maybe you're right.

Maybe we should press charges.

I'll head to town, have a little talk
with you, pray, after I clean this up.

What's that?

Paint.

Craig again?

Are they gonna come back?

No.

What's that?

Anything inside?

There's a statue missing.

From the lawn?

No. Another one.

Did you kill my brother's cat?

You psycho!

It's me.

Where's Edward?

He's asleep in his room.

How's he holding up?

He's Edward.

Are they sending someone?

Dupre said he would.

He won't.

Probably didn't help you calling him in
the middle of our meeting to accuse his

son of murdering our cat.

He did.

I'm not saying he didn't.

I'm going to turn down the fight.

No way I can leave Edward alone with a
stranger with all this going on.

Well, your next correspondence course
probably won't come in the mail for the

next day or so.

What do you want to do?

It all started when you were about four.

Bloody dresses, broomsticks, cauldrons
filled with dog crap.

One time they hung a wrestling dummy in
a white dress and a wig from your

treehouse.

It made Dad real mad, but Mom seemed
almost...

Amused by it.

So, you didn't do anything to them?

Mom seemed to mostly ignore it until
they left a baby doll on the front porch

covered in blood.

For some reason that just... That what?

She told me to keep an eye on you.

Drove to town.

And back before Greg's mom died, she
worked at the store with his grandma.

And mom walks right up to her register
and smacks her across the face with a

glass doll's head.

Tells her to keep her son away from her
house.

Did Greg's mom get hurt?

Nine stitches.

And eventually an addiction.

Painkillers.

Dad, has she died?

Mom did a week in county, and the lawyer
helped her plead out later.

Dad and the sheriff have hated each
other ever since.

Wow.

Yeah.

What county?

J .L. Edwards.

Oh.

Let's plead out.

Sam.

For sun, my dear, delphinium sky.

We took a walk just yesterday to watch
the

world go by.

And when you took a chill, my dear, we
fed

you love.

Mary, Mary, elderberry.

Mary, Mary, pie.

Mary, Mary, elderberry.

I've been singing it since Mom died.

She used to sing it to me when I was
little.

It was her song.

Mom used to sing?

A long time ago.

Way back before you were born.

Might be the first thing I remember.

Me too.

Only you were the one to me.

Virginia?

Is that me or you?

It's too early for it to be either of
us.

It was four years before I was born.

What about those?

Virginia, tell me.

Do you know what a miscarriage is?

It's, um... It's when the baby doesn't
make it.

Mom miscarried a lot.

That's the rule.

No telling, Daddy. Let me sleep in this
room. And no more reading.

A mystery.

Like one of my books.

Not a mystery, Edward.

Happens all the time.

People have a hard time conceiving until
they run out of options and stop

trying.

Why do you never tell us?

There's lots of stuff that parents don't
tell their children.

They've lived whole lives before we were
even an idea in their head, but

Somebody wanted us to know Right

Virginia? Yeah?

Is the calling witch real?

No, Edward.

No witches are real.

Why?

I think I saw her outside.

Where?

Edward, I don't think any...

No. Greg Dupre and his idiot friends.

Then why are you grabbing the rifle?

Look, if you're going to come out, I
need you behind me the whole time with

hand on my back so I know you're there.
Got it? Why?

Because I want to know I can shoot if I
have to.

My dad's been taking us hunting for as
long as I can remember.

My rifle's got 25 rounds.

If you don't come out at the count of
three, I'll fire.

What if there's actually someone in
there?

Then they should come out.

One.

You could kill them.

They're on our property.

Two. Maybe just fire into the air so...

Do you think there was someone in there?

I think we would have heard them.

Stay there.

Should we call Dad?

Not yet.

I'll stay up and keep watch.

I can stay up with you.

Who would take morning watch?

Get some sleep.

Mary Mary Alderberry?

Tyson one day is a little much for me
right now, Edward.

Virginia, shh.

Don't come down there, will you?

No, could you please dispatch Century
Woods?

Because Aletteville won't come.

Yes, ma 'am, I know what 911 is for.
We've just been trying to get a hold of

Aletteville the last few days, and they
just won't take us seriously, so I...

Because they hate our family.

No? No, thank you.

Hey, Dad, it's me.

I know you're probably asleep right now,
but if you could call me when you get

this.

I don't want to worry you.

Edward, grab the rifle.

Hold on. What the hell?

What do you want, Greg?

I just want to talk. Then talk.

Will you put the goddamn gun down?

Jesus. Why are you messing with us?
We're not.

Bullshit. Look, your mom killed herself.

Thanks, moron. We know.

Holy shit. Will you just let me talk for
like ten seconds without interrupting

me?

Please? Look, I know we've done a lot of
shit to you guys, okay?

But we're not going to mess with you a
month after your mom... dies.

Right? And we're not going to murder
your cat. We're not monsters.

So trashing my bike is still cool,
though? You started that, okay?

You told my grandma we were day
drinking. And when my dad finds out

he's not going to be happy. I didn't
tell her anything.

Well...

Maybe don't make threats you don't
intend to keep, then.

You guys haven't been messing with our
place?

No. The studio?

No, it's not us.

The files on the porch?

What?

We need a ride to town.

Wait here.

Edward, let's go!

We need to get to the station as soon as
we would.

Your dad's not going to help.

Oh, dude, seriously, don't puke. Greg?

What is she?

I hit her.

You did good.

Are you okay?

Is she dead?

She could have died. You saved me. You
saved my life.

Look at me. You didn't want to, but you
had to, okay?

You okay?

Okay.

We find a thief, we run straight to the
car. We don't, we come in. Got it?

What if she runs out of the woods?

I don't want to shoot her. We won't have
to. We'll just run right inside. I

don't want to use any more ammo than we
have to.

You said we had 25 rounds.

Ten. We've already used five.

You ready?

Let's either hold the rifle or check his
pockets.

Okay?

She took them.

Can you come

on the bike?

Do you have a towel under there?

Please, please, please.

One,

two.

She's looking for somebody.

A woman?

I think.

Maybe not.

Why?

I thought everybody that cared already
knew that Mom was dead.

Not the real Cullen Witch.

No.

Just the crazy.

Earlier tonight on the radio, they were
talking about that woman.

Do you remember what they said?

She escaped that hospital in Bolton.

I've been talking about her for the last
couple of days.

I've put lockdowns in place because...

You're in for the woods.

Go to the town.

There's got to be people out there
looking for her.

That's 40 minutes on your bike.

Edward, we have the rifle. She's not
going to follow us.

We have to be quick.

It also doesn't matter.

He lost a lot of blood on him.

We don't even know if it's damaged his
life.

We don't know. Then what if we can save
him? I need to save you. Why me? Because

you deserve it.

I'm done risking our lives.

We brought him in. We bandaged him.

He's already gotten a lot more than he
deserves from us.

I'm not going to sit here and wait to
die with Greg.

He wouldn't be here if we didn't accuse
him of breaking his leg. He told me

exactly like it in the past.

Maybe if he hadn't break my leg, we'd
actually have a chance at saving him.

Virginia?

She has the breaker box.

She wants us to turn the lights back on.

I want the lights back on. You can't do
that.

I know.

She's trying to get us to go outside.

Why?

Because out there we're vulnerable.

Draw her out.

It all goes to flip the breaker.

She comes after you.

The other one gets a shot at her.

Virginia. I'm not asking Edward to go
outside. I'm not asking him to kill

I think you can't understand.

Neither.

Headed out.

Greg, ready?

Yeah.

30 count.

Now.

I broke a box. Anything?

What do we do?

Do you dare?

Stay there!

I need a light under the deck!

I know I hit you.

I have 17 rounds left.

If you come out,

we'll get you some help.

He has ten seconds!

Oh, yeah?

No. Keep

going,

Greg.

Cut it.

Don't make any noise.

Okay?

Well, you tell my mom what I did, that I
tried to help you guys.

She's been really disappointed in me.

We'll be back.

You're a liar.

Why didn't you kill me?

I need you.

I see you got a little boy with you.

But if he won't tell me where she is...

I don't know who you're talking about.
Who are you looking for?

Meredith.

Meredith Lay?

Caroline.

Who's Caroline?

Maybe.

You took her from me yesterday.

You think Meredith Lane took care of
you. I know you did.

Dr. Prady said I lost the day.

It was true.

It's right, I did.

Life won't matter, Sarah.

Just tell me where she is.

Allison. From Rider City. You were in
that hospital in Bolton.

Yes.

They're looking for you.

They've been talking about you on the
news for days.

Turn on the radio. You'll hear it.

I'm not your mom.

That boy that you saw wasn't my son.
He's my brother.

Whatever our mom did to you, it has
nothing to do with me and my brother.

Please.

I'll bring you your little boy's warm
heart.

Set it down in your hands.

And I'll bet you tell.

Edward, get me out of this.

Find a rocker.

How did you get that? She dropped it.

She wanted to pick it.

For Greg?

I hid Greg in Dad's closet.

She's going to find us, Edward.

We got out.

Greg didn't. Do we need to get out of
here?

No, Edward.

Edward.

Tell me where my baby is.

Can you breathe?

I'll tell you.

She's not here.

She's somewhere only my family knows
about.

How do I know I can trust you?

Because I understand.

I don't know what it's like to have a
baby taken away from me, but I know what

it's like to take care of one.

I was there when my parents brought him
home from the hospital.

I watched him take his first steps.

Taught him to read.

And I've watched him grow into this
person that I'm just so proud to know.

Allison, if anybody ever took Edward
from me, I would do anything.

Let's go get your daughter.

Let's go get Caroline.

The truck's on the driveway.

Go. Lock the doors.

Now.

I heard on the radio.

Are you hurt?

Yeah.

Where?

She killed Greg.

I think he's in the tramps.

I don't understand. What was he doing
here?

He came to apologize.

What are you doing?

I don't know.

He did it to protect us.

He needed to be sure that she couldn't
hurt us anymore.

She dropped the axe.

She already stopped trying to hurt us.

He needed to be sure.

I have to help Dad.

Call me if she tries to untie herself.

Edward.

Sorry, from my dad and my sister.

I'm not...

Bad people.

They're dying.

A miracle person, my dear.

A video sky.

Took off just yesterday

to watch the world go

by.

No idiot would change.

I did.

You said you thought I'd not.

We were desperate.

I was desperate.

Your mother was devastated that we
couldn't have children, hated herself

hated her body.

Started to drink.

And when the drinking prevented us from
adopting, she just...

When

you're on site, guys talk.

One of my foremen and writer keeps
telling us about what a terrible person

stepsister is.

Police record.

Addicted to heroin.

And to make matters worse, she has a
three -year -old daughter.

He's thinking about asking the state to
grant him custody, but he's not sure

they will.

You're not going to believe me, but when
I found you, you were sitting on the

floor in dirty diapers with her passed
out on a urine -stained mattress, the

needle sticking out of her arm.

I picked you up for the very first time
in you.

You weren't afraid.

You just stared up at me like you knew I
was going to take care of you, like you

knew I would give you a home.

Getting taken out of that house was the
best thing that ever happened to you,

Virginia. And taking you out of there
was the best thing that ever happened to

me.

Worst thing that ever happened to
Allison Kemp, though.

This woman is... What?

A bad mom?

Nothing like hers, right? Your mother
did her best. Yeah, and her best was

It's the reason that I've been stuck at
home for seven years. It's also the

reason that my brother is more upset
about me leaving to start my life than

was when he found out that our mom
killed herself.

Yeah, what about Mike Paxton?

What are you going to do?

She needs help. She's beyond help.

But I'm not.

And neither is Edward.

What do you think is going to happen to
us if Dupre finds out about all this?

We didn't do anything. It doesn't
matter.

He'll take the opportunity to get his
judge friend to crucify the both of us.

And then he'll send Edward somewhere we
will never find.

You know he will.

Dad and I are gonna have to go outside
for a while.

Why?

We have to hide Allison and Greg.

And we can't ever talk about this again.

Are you really Allison's daughter?

Yes.

Who am I?

You're my brother.

Don't come out till I say it.

There once was a little boy who lived
with his mother on the edge of a very

large forest.

Aren't you afraid?

Parents would ask the mother at the
village store.

You know that's where she lives, don't
you?

Children would tell the little boy at
school.

And whenever they did this, the boy
would reply the way his mother had told

to.

He'd straighten his spine, stick out his
chest, and confidently say,

I'm not afraid.

And if you had a mother like mine, you
wouldn't be either.

My mother will protect me.

Dad, let me do it.

But the boy couldn't help being a little
afraid.

He did know that the very large forest
was the home of the calling witch.

And when she called, mostly on dark,
windy nights, children would wander out

their homes and into it, where they
would become her dinner.

And the boy could tell his mother was
afraid, too, though she'd never let on.

Some nights, she'd grow so upset that
all she could do was sit on the floor of

their basement, hugging her knees and
mumbling into the darkness.

On such nights, the boy would have to
make his own dinner, draw his own bath,

tuck himself in bed.

Then he'd lie awake, listening for the
witch's call.

When it came,

He'd clutch his blanket, lock his legs,
and try his best to resist the urge to

wander outside.

But of course, one night...

The

urge was just too strong.

And so...

The boy wrapped himself in his winter
coat and wandered out of his home and

the very large forest where to his great
astonishment he found his very own

mother.

But of course the calling witch was a
good mother and would never eat her own

child.

And so she went without her dinner and
took the little boy home safe and sound.

Now Mostly on dark, windy nights, the
little boy makes his own dinner,

draws his own bath, puts himself to bed.

Then he lies awake, listening for his
mother's call.

When it comes, he straightens his spine,
sticks out his chest, and reminds

himself he's not afraid.

Dad?

Who are Edward's parents?

You need to shoot me, Virginia.

If you don't tell me.

Edward is mine.

Mine and your mother's.

And nothing that happens now will ever
change that.

Just give me a name.

prior to helping me wrap up Greg and
Allison and destroy evidence back in the

house.

You hadn't done anything illegal.

But now you're at least an accessory to
murder.

And you probably fixated Allison when
you wrapped her up in that tub.

The name.

We've got a great charge. You knock them
out until I get you, understand? Where

are you going?

I'm going to get Allison.

I'll listen. I'll listen.

I'll listen.

We're a great case.

What if Dad comes out?

He might not, Edward.

What if he does?

And I'll tell him to go away.

What if he will?

He will.

Are you sure?

No.

Keep watching.

Wooden hail.

We took a walk just yesterday

to watch the world fly.

It went into a chill.

If I keep loving you, I need you down

here, my dear, my minister.

Mary, Mary, help me, Mary.

Mary, Mary.

Everything we have been is

you.

Who was it?

One of the women from the list?

You weren't on the phone very long.

She didn't move to Jason until 1980.

I'm gonna find her.

It could take us forever.

You should just let GPS take me.

GPS, Edward.

Why would I do that?

So you can go start your life in New
York.

You don't have to wait anymore.

You know, you could keep the search up
from New York just as well as from

here.

We?

Yeah.

We.

You didn't ask for that, Virginia.

It's not fair.

It's only not fair if I don't choose it,
right?

Well, I do.

Move to New York with me.

Okay?

Okay.