One title starting to build a bit of buzz ahead of its July 26th premiere at Fantasia is Jason Banker's is-it-horror, is-it-drama feature TOAD ROAD. Previously known primarily for his documentary work (DP on Teenage Paparazzo and Walk Away Renee and director of My Name is Faith, amongst other), this is Banker's dramatic directorial debut.
A few words on the film from Simon Laperrière and the Fantasia site:
The impressive second full-length feature by the talented Jason Banker, the unclassifiable TOAD ROAD is at a crossroads of sorts. On the one hand, it's an intimate meditation on lost youth that evokes the films of Gus Van Sant. Depicted with disconcerting realism, Banker's narrative paints a nuanced portrait of a nihilistic generation, and with the penetrating gaze of a Larry Clark, it captures James's essence of despair. The result is a poignant drama of human decline. But TOAD ROAD also represents a radical deconstruction of genre cinema. Inspired by a real urban legend, it imagines a world close to our own where the fantastic arises in daily life. The closer our protagonists get to Toad Road, the blurrier the border between real and imaginary becomes. Suddenly, the initial naturalistic position gives way to a contagious waking dream that challenges everything we see. Blind terror chokes us and won't let go. Devastating and brilliant, TOAD ROAD is an object of contemplation and dread, and a journey down unexpected paths.
Our friends at Indiewire brought you the film's first teaser a few days ago, and we've got an exclusive first look at the second teaser ahead of the film's premiere. Check it out below!