Checking In On Five Independent Filmmakers

There's been some great news coming from some of our favorite indie filmmakers, so we thought it' be a good time to give you an update on what five of them have brewing. The following projects are guaranteed to melt your eyeballs upon release.

Patrick Rea: With his first feature film Nailbiter getting a Lionsgate release later this spring, Rea is gearing up for his second feature film Enclosure. With shooting due to start soon, he's begun an indie-a-gogo campaign to help offset some of the financial costs.

Nailbiter is easily one of my favorite films of the past couple years (review). It features a Buffy-esque turn from its lead Mag Saricks, and walks the fine line between being clever and horrific. My former site partner Chris compared Rea's work with Joe Dante, and that strikes me as a perfect description. Like the creator of Gremlins, Rea understands that a the ability to strike a playful tone and a wink at the audience can make the horror all the more jarring when it's delivered. Nailbiter earned accolades and awards during its festival run, and it won't be too long before Rea is a more familiar name among genre fans. If you're interested in learning more about Enclosure check out Patrick's personal appeal below and go here to kick in a few bucks you lousy cheapskates:



Richard Marr Griffin: The director of Exhumed, Atomic Brain Invasion and Disco Exorcist has put the finishing touches on his latest ode to schlock cinema and is ready to unveil Dr. Frankenstein's Wax Museum of the Hungry Dead March 24th at the Cinemaworld Theater in Lincoln RI (otherwise known as the Paris of New England). It's hard for me to be objective when I've fallen completely in love with the past few releases from Griffin. There's a sense of joy on display with his work that sends a middle finger to the too-serious trap so much indie horror falls in to.  Wax Museum promises to be no different as it pays homage to the gore soaked works of Herschel Gordon Lewis and Jess Franco as it follows a group of teens that find themselves trapped in a madman's wax museum. Tickets will be on sale soon, in the meantime check out the trailer below.

Maude Michaud: Our friend north of the border recently wrapped shooting on her first feature film Dys and is hitting the post production phase hard in order to unleash the film up on the world. When a virus breaks out that turns everyday people into ravenous, cannibalistic monsters, a young married couple discover the only thing more horrifying than an outside world filled with diseased killers is being trapped together in the small apartment confines. The film stars the always fantastic Shannon Lark and I'm excited to watch Ms. Michaud build on the success of her body of short films. Take a look at the teaser poster on your left and you have a bit of understanding what Dys has in store for the viewer.  (official site)

Karen Lam: The first promotional image for Ms. Lam's new film Evangeline has been released, and a trailer should be out next month. Karen Lam has helmed a number of horror and dark fantastic short films, including two of my favorites from the past Viscera and Etheria film festivals respectively: Doll Parts and The Stolen. She crafts intricate works with amazing attention to detail and stunning visuals, and if this is teaser image is any indication, Evangeline won't disappoint in that regard. (official site)

Eric Walter: I had the opportunity to catch the documentary My Amityville Horror at last year's Fantastic Fest (review). It's a sad, disturbing portrait of Daniel Lutz, one of the children at the center of The Amityville Horror hoax. Thirty five years later, Lutz is still affected by the trauma he went through in that home. While just about anyone that loves horror is intimately familiar with the details of the story, this documentary is a real peel-back-the-curtain look at the side of the tale never given much consideration. IFC Films and SundanceNow have partnered up in order to distribute the film, and it will receive a video on demand release on March 15th, followed by limited theatrical engagements in select cities. While the film feels like its pulling Lutz' strings if not outright exploiting him, it remains a compelling watch.