Emergence It is kind of hard not to cheer for filmmakers Bruno Samper and Kristina Buozyte. Their previous film Vanishing Waves was a festival circuit darling and a damn good film. We should already be familiar with their next project as we were eager to see what the duo would come up with next. They wish to shoot the exteriors in North Africa - the film is set in Morocco- and hope the interiors will be shot in Lithuania or here in Canada. On the plus side as well they plan to shoot their sci-fi neo noir with an English speaking cast which should help with accessibility outside of the festival circuit.
The son of a brilliant bio-engineer returns to his father's home to deal with the legacy of his father, a conscious, synthetic Organism in the form of a marvelous garden, which is now dying. He is the only one who has the power to save the Organism and his actions may have repercussions for humankind's destiny.
If you want to know what to look forward to notes on the film include, "According to its mood, the film will be a mix between 1950s classy film noir, Arabian NIghts with some Lovecraftian mood and organic high tech sci fi". They also used M83's Outro, which might be cliche, but I am a sucker for that song so it bode well with me.
They are working again with producer Ieva Norviliene at Tremora.
Extra Ordinary The pitch for this Irish supernatural comedy may be the one pitch that stood out for everyone yesterday. The project is currently in its 2nd draft stage but even that did not stop commercial directing duo DADDY from putting on a show stopper. Claiming that one of the duo, Enda Loughman, was killed before the festival began his partner Mike Ahern reached out to him in the spirit world and made contact where everyone talks in a high pitched voice.
The supernatural comedy was pitched to us as an 'Irish rural ghostbusters'. The central characters Rose is a small-town driving instructor with 'The Talents'. The town has its own issues with small hauntings and feeble ghosts. She meets widower Martin and his daughter Sarah. Sarah asks her to deal with her passed mom because she is not so much haunting as she is nagging Martin. Reminders to pay the gas tax are written on the steamy window as he gets out of the shower. The story develops as an aging rock star kidnaps Sarah to complete a deal with the Devil using her soul.
If Ahern's understated and humorous pitch is any indication as to the level of humour that will been present in DADDY's film then consider this one already on my radar. They wish to shoot in February/March of 2015. It is being produced by Blinder Films.
An upcoming project from Red, White & Blue director Simon Rumley, The Godless will take place in the heat-ravaged Midwest. There are seven characters on a collision course; four women and three men. The women are all dealing with separation and losses. Twin sisters Mary and Belle are separated from each other. Clementine is dealing with the loss of her spouse. And Rose is dealing with separation from God. On the male side we have a drug dealer, an OCD hitman and an ex-army medic at war with God as well. Yes. This is another happy movie from the British director.
The appeal of this project, other than its harsh philosophical undertones and surprises about the characters that I have omitted to preserve the vision of project is that the script was written by Dan Schaffer. Schaffer wrote The Scribbler, which itself was adapted to film recently, and has that same happy go lucky attitude that Rumley picked up on in The Godless (sarcasm). This is a dark noir pulp thriller that may challenge even the hardest nuts in the audience. It will raise questions about existence and God and the answers may come in the form of bloody and brutal violence.
Rumley is working again with producer Bob Portal (the blotchy one in the pic - sorry, Bob) from Fidelity Films. This project is next in line for Rumley as he is currently at work on something else.
A little bit of hometown love for Rite of the Witch Goddess as it is being produced by a friend of ours from Toronto, Katarina Gligorijevic at Ultra8 Pictures. Filmmaker James Sizemore popped up on his radar with his micro-budget horror flick The Demon's Rook. He made an impression with the array of prosthetics and makeup effects. And he looks to be back at it with Rite of the Witch Goddess. They had even taken the time to produce a proof of concept video to show us complete with writhing naked women. With horns. Covered in blood. Yep.
The old school film geek in me says stay. The Jesus in me says 'RUN AWAY!'
The description of the film, you ask? "A horned god fornicates with a young witch under a blood red moon, wrapping his tentacle-appendages around her and encasing her in a sticky cocoon. Her sister reaches in and pulls out... a screaming newborn" I don't need to go on, do I? The film will evoke the tone and mood of witchcraft films like Argento's Suspiria and The Wicker Man but will be set in present day.
Sizemore and production partner Tim Reis are from Georgia. They are willing to shoot anywhere and the post will be done in Toronto as part of a partnership with a post-production facility. The proposed budget is meager compared to any of the other proposals and just 'fucked-up' enough of an idea they should be able to secure financing and bring this bizarre vision to the big screen.
Canadians have a long cinematic history with body horror films thanks to the tireless efforts of Uncle Cronenberg. So there is an appeal to the body horror romance of Todd E. Freeman's Love Sick.
A couple recently separated realize how hard it is to disconnect from one another. Their pain, lies and betrayal will manifest physically not just in the couple but the others whom they have become involved with intimately.
I think if Freeman can combine the emotional turbulence with the physical horror well enough I think we have a film with gut-punch potential. Driven by his own personal experiences and healing I really hope this translates well on screen.
His cast is already in place. Tristan Risk, Francisco Barreiro, Andrew Sensenig, Barbara Crampton and Bill Moseley are all signed on. Todd is producing Love Sick with production partner Lara Cuddy at Polluted Pictures.
Honorable Mention - The Offing I feel I have to mention the horror thriller The Offing, currently in the scripting stage by writer and director David Prior. Prior is looking to create this suspenseful thriller, set in Alaska, and honor a time in horror cinema where tone and atmosphere were keys to the thrill. Where moments of patience and stillness added to the fear.
His film is about a couple who take a boat out for a much needed vacation in the waters of Alaska. They will run afoul of a island cult whose inhabitants worship an ancient deity. The village was built over an old Haida village.
Having grown up on the west coast of Canada and toured and camped on some of the Gulf Islands you can find yourself alone and isolated pretty quick out there. Throw in a bunch of wacko islanders willing to offer you up to their god and I call that a recipe for fun.
Prior's film will be produce by Jeremy Platt. Platt worked with Prior on his short film AM1200 and manages the likes of Adam Wingard, Jim Mickle, E.L. Katz and Jason Eisener. All of whom should be familiar names to ScreenAnarchy readers. According to Prior and Platt, thanks in part to their work on DVD and Blu-ray features for films like Fight Club, Fight Club, Zodiac and Blade II, filmmakers David Fincer and Guillermo Del Toro will support the project.
Creature and makeup effects will be provided by Mike Elizalde and Spectral Motion, who did work on Del Torro's Hellboy films.