KAYLA'S GOING-AWAY PARTY: Horror Icons Bill Moseley And Lynn Lowry Join Indie Horror Film

After a suburban housewife suffers a psychotic episode during her farewell party and her guests vanish without a trace, a movie-obsessed detective must unravel a crime with no evidence—and a suspect who remembers nothing.

Bill Moseley and Lynn Lowry Join the Guest List for Kayla’s Going-Away Party

 

Horror icons Bill Moseley (The Devil’s Rejects) and Lynn Lowry (Shivers) have joined the independent horror film Kayla’s Going-Away Party, alongside special effects veteran Marcus Koch (Jakob’s Wife). Moseley will star in and executive produce the project, describing the script as “weird and wonderful.”

 

Lowry added: “I have seldom read such a unique and surprising script as Kayla’s Going-Away Party. As I was reading the script I was thinking of how the horror fans are going to absolutely love this film. I cannot wait to bring my character to life.”

 

Logline:

After a suburban housewife suffers a psychotic episode during her farewell party and her guests vanish without a trace, a movie-obsessed detective must unravel a crime with no evidence—and a suspect who remembers nothing.

 

Set against a backdrop of decaying Americana and unraveling paranoia, the film blends the hallucinatory tension of Italian giallo thrillers with practical effects in the tradition of early Cronenberg body horror. Tonally, the project has been described as The Invitation meets Cronenberg.

 

Moseley stars as lead investigator Detective Sammy O’Brien, while Lowry portrays Ruthie Benson, a flirtatious and eccentric neighbor attending the ill-fated gathering. Joining them are Ilirida Memedovski (The Book of Birdie) as Kayla Shepherd and Conner Stumm (Buddy) as rookie cop Milo.

 

Production is set to begin next spring in Sandwich, IL. The film will emphasize practical effects and puppetry developed by Koch and his longtime creative partner, Jessie Seitz (Monster Girls), rather than relying heavily on CGI.

 

“Body horror is one of my favorite subgenres, and it’s rare that I get to work on a project like this,” said Koch.

 

The film marks writer-director Al M. Hemphill’s second feature following The Red Frame. Hemphill’s previous work received Best Feature Film nominations at the Shortcut 100 International Film Festival and the East Village New York Film Festival, while producer Richard Burgin’s Fang earned Lowry a Best Actress win at the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival alongside multiple festival nominations.

 

Cú Chulainn Cinéma, founded by producer John Joseph Dunn and later expanded through partnerships with producers Burgin and Hemphill, is producing the film. The company is currently in early discussions regarding distribution and festival partnerships ahead of production, with a targeted release planned for late 2027.

 

“This is one of those projects you read, and immediately you start saying no to every other opportunity that comes your way,” said John Joseph Dunn.

 

While Dunn emphasized the project’s immediate appeal, Hemphill described the film’s evolution from traditional slasher into something far more surreal. 

 

“My initial goal with this project was to do the impossible: create an original slasher,” said Hemphill. “What began as a straightforward concept evolved into something surreal, psychological, and deeply personal. I’m thrilled to be collaborating with such an incredibly talented team and with artists who have helped define modern horror.”

 

Moseley and Lowry previously shared the screen in Cynthia.