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WORLD WAR II: THE SHIPWRECKS OF TRUK LAGOON, 45min., Germany Directed by Christian Wehrle “World War II: The Shipwrecks of Truk Lagoon” is a 45-minute documentary that dives into the haunting underwater world of Chuuk Lagoon, a site of immense historical and ecological significance. Once a formidable fortress for the Japanese Imperial Navy during World War II, this tranquil Pacific lagoon now cradles a ghostly fleet of sunken warships and aircraft, remnants of the devastating Operation Hailstone. Through a blend of captivating underwater footage, historical insights, and expert interviews, the documentary unveils the stories of these submerged relics. It explores the ecological transformation of these wrecks into vibrant marine habitats, while also pondering the ethical considerations of diving in this underwater graveyard. The film invites viewers on a reflective journey, intertwining the lagoon’s war-torn past with its present status as a unique sanctuary for marine life, leaving a lasting impression of the intricate ties between history, humanity, and the natural world.
Charlie and Lily are cousins, roomates, and best friends trying to embrace the spooky season with a horror movie marathon. Are they just high? Or is their paranoia legit?
When two besties get together to do a PJ party and horror movie marathon, things don’t quite go as planned. We can all relate to this story, you’re watching a scary movie and suddenly you start hearing EVERY weird sound in your house. It’s unnerving. You start wondering if it’s your imagination or if there really is a zombie in your friend’s antique trunk. True story, and no, I did NOT let her open the trunk to show me there was nothing inside. That’s horror movie no-no number 1.
Nicole Coulou and Caitlin Burdi portray the two lead characters, Charlie and Lily, and their on camera rapport is sensational. You can just tell these two are great friends. They are also really great writers. The screenplay was written by Nicole and Cailtin and I am so thrilled to see women writing in the horror genre. They knew how to craft a story and build suspense but also make it very funny by giving the audience a twist on the horror movie tropes. Skyler Pinkerton was the director, cinematographer and editor and his talents along with Nicole andCaitlin’s really make this film shine.
A typical suburban neighborhood is plunged into a nightmare as an invisible, monstrous force begins picking the neighbors off, one by one. The terror outside the house is no match to the terror that forms inside the house where survival, isolation, and hunger all play tricks of the mind for a man, an expectant wife, and their unborn child. The film begs the big question and the great reveal – What is eating the neighbors?
“Sparrow Street” takes bold strides in the eerie footsteps of Darren Aronofsky’s “Mother!” by transcending unconventional horror tropes and delving into a narrative rich with allegorical depth. Directed by Billy Jack, the film invites audiences to navigate a world where horror extends beyond the supernatural, into the intricacies of human existence in the dark side of nature.
At the heart of the film lies a compelling gluttonous metaphor, encapsulated by the theme of aggressive eating and discussions about the poisoned state of our food supply. The script artfully explores questions about what defines a healthy diet and the reflections of our dietary choices to our very identity. In a suburban neighborhood where the wind becomes an antagonist, forcing people indoors, the movie builds a mysterious universe where something is in the air, leading to the demise of neighbors.
The initial gluttonous perception of food, the sustenance of our bodies, creates a sense of urgency and desperation among the characters. The narrative follows a couple expecting a child, emphasizing the consequences of their gluttonous choices that push them into perilous territory. The film takes a grim turn when heinous situations unfold within the confines of their home, ultimately resulting in the tragic death of the wife and the harrowing delivery of the baby from her corpse.
“Sparrow Street” masterfully portrays the theme of sacrifice when faced with the bleak reality of having nothing left to live for. The protagonist’s journey reflects the resilience to keep going despite overwhelming despair. A pivotal moment of salvation arises as an apple lies at the end of the bed, challenging conventional perceptions of perishables in an apocalyptic setting. The temptation of the apple, stolen by another, foreshadows the characters demise, drawing a poignant parallel to the biblical story of Eve eating the forbidden fruit.
The film expertly weaves a sense of refuge into its narrative, evolving into an anxiety-driven environment years later. The passage of time provides a glimpse into the future for the main characters, now navigating a world where their baby has grown, walks, and receives an education even. The palpable weight of anxiety in the air resonates, mirroring the real-world experiences of a society emerging back into function from a pandemic. “Sparrow Street” subtly encapsulates the emotions and challenges faced collectively without explicitly stating the parallel to our shared community experiences.
“Sparrow Street” is a thought-provoking cinematic exploration transcending the horror genre, blending allegory with suspenseful storytelling. Billy Jack’s direction, coupled with a poignant script, delivers a film that not only chills but also prompts reflection on the complexities of human choices and the enduring effects of societal upheaval.
A showcase of the best new movies and their respective trailers from around the world today.
AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS:
Best Story: CANEPA´S ROAD BRIDE Best Editing: WAIT Best Direction: THE MEMORY OF MY HEART Dance Trailer: THE TIDES Student Trailer: DEAR FORGIVENESS Music Video Trailer: FEARLESS Thriller/Suspense Trailer: THE BATON ROUGE SERIAL KILLER Crime/Mystery Trailer: THE D WORD Comedy Trailer: OMG! THE CAPTAIN IS HERE Mockumentary Trailer: THE END OF DAYS Sci-Fi Trailer: BLACK HOLE Mythological Trailer: SICK TWISTED FAIRIES Supernatural Trailer: DELUSIONAL STATE Documentary Trailer: DREAM BIG FOR WHAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN Horror Trailer: ABHORRENT
See the Full Lineup of Films:
THE TIDES, 2min., Directed by Sophia Williams The beginnings of a movement to amplify the under-heard voices of dance. Created and directed by female Cypriot/New Zealander artistic director, Sophia Williams, and choreographed by Leiland Charles on the Artists of Pointeworks.
DEAR FORGIVENESS, 2min., Directed by Lawrence Dumas Jr. A young and successful entrepreneur is about to launch one of the biggest deals of his life. This deal will put him in the top 1% of the business world. He is striving to honor his mother Sunshine Sandison who passed a year ago. Jaden deals with grief and resentment towards his father Brian who left during Sunshine’s sickness. This is hindering Jaden from completely locking in on the upcoming brand launch.
FEARLESS, 30 seconds Directed by Asel Suluu Our project is a celebration of women’s empowerment, uniqueness, and freedom. It revolves around a fearless female persona who boldly embraces her freedom and refuses to be constrained by boundaries, prejudices, or stereotypes. Her belief is simple but powerful: YOU are in charge of your life, do what you love, and be fearless.
THE BATON ROUGE SERIAL KILLER, 3min., DIrected by Bishop Stevens This film unravels the haunting true story of the first African American serial killer, Derrick Todd Lee, whose chilling reign of terror spanned from 1993 to 2003 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The film exposes a dark chapter in history where racial bias shields a cunning predator, challenging investigators and the community.
OMG! THE CAPTAIN IS HERE. Part 2, 1min. Directed by Anaëlle Morf, Cristina Müller A TikToker explores a haunted boat. Part 2. anaelle.morf@gmail.com
THE END OF DAYS, 1min., DIrected by Jonathan Christopher Martin-Ives In this mock trailer, a British teenager, gifted with clairvoyancy seeks to warn anyone who will listen to her about an impending alien attack. She falls on deaf ears.
BLACK HOLE, 3min., Directed by Jim Territo A Space Probe reflects on all it’s learned and lost as it drifts into oblivion; a “Space Cowboy Ballad”. Michael-Leon Wooley, vocals. Proof-of concept for a full-length animated feature.
WAIT, 1min., Directed by Jared Jacobsen, Lorena Diaz A man and a woman suddenly find themselves alone in a vacant lot and neither can remember how they got there.
KUINERRAQ, 4min., Directed by Magnus Shipe A young seventh grader explores the heritage of his maternal grandma through this glance at a Yu’pik village and his Native Alaskan roots.
IF HUMANS WERE PLASTIC BOTTLES, 2min., Directed by Muhammad Wafri Zaidani Telling the feelings of a plastic bottle if it was a human.The film becomes a powerful allegory for environmental sustainability, urging viewers to reflect on their own habits and consider the long-term consequences of a throwaway culture. “If humans were plastic bottles” delivers a poignant message about the importance of individual responsibility, collective action, and the need for a more sustainable way of living.
SICK TWISTED FAIRIES, 3min., Directed by Marisa L. Williams Original music from the motion picture “Demons Among Us” by Thorisaz, Joshua Brian Knight, and Ras Shomari; featuring Flying Veda and Morgan as dark fairies.
THE MEMORY OF MY HEART, 2min,. Directed by Marc Martinez In a quest for healing, a bereaved child psychologist uncovers a sinister secret buried within her patient’s new heart, leading to a dramatic crusade for justice amidst a backdrop of unspoken tensions.
GONE WITH THE WINDSHIELD, 2min., Directed by Lawrence Riggins Crash Test Dummies bust out of their car factory to rescue one of their own. From the Award Winning Screenplay.
CANEPA´S ROAD BRIDE, 2min., Directed by Victor LANGUASCO There is a popular legend “The bride of Canepa’s Road” which was spread among the northern towns in Argentina a long time ago, similar to a Latin American legend called “The Moaning”.
Músika, 4min., Directed by Alberto Herrera A delightfully harmonic tale of the origin of music
ROBOT ASTEROID, 1min., Directed by Paul May A trailer for my sci/fi horror screenplay.
DELUSIONAL STATE, 3min., Directed by Trelanda Lowe Following a near-fatal accident at a party, Ryan McDillon must resolve his issues within thirty days according to Angel and Mr. Grim over a work-related bet the two have together. Ryan must make amends among the people in his life. He must maneuver through his dysfunctional family, a pregnant girlfriend, hiding his boyfriend from his girlfriend, dealing with his long-time best “friend” who only wants to keep Ryan in the party world for selfish reasons, navigating painful PTSD memories from his childhood pastor, and battling sobriety.
DREAM BIG FOR WHAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN, 3min., Directed by Peter Vordenberg The trailer for Dream Big, a documentary about listening rather than talking in order to make progress in our fight against climate change.
ABHORRENT, 1min. Directed by Anthony Buziak A smalltown deputy must discover the source of a recent slew of animal attacks
A showcase of the best new movies and their respective trailers from around the world today.
AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS:
MOVIE TRAILER of the MONTH: Don’t Die in Dubai EDITED TRAILER: Limited Slip MOCK TRAILER: The End of Days SCI-FI TRAILER: Staycation HORROR TRAILER: Appointment with the Plague Doctor, Lester Haywood COMEDY TRAILER: Naughty in Az CRIME/MYSTERY TRAILER: 27 LGBTQ+ TRAILER: Martinez, Margaritas and Murder! KIDS TRAILER: Robbie & Mollie ENVIRONMENTAL TRAILER: Water Star Medicine MYSTERY TRAILER: Wait DOCUMENTARY TRAILER: Anatolia Ancient Nature
See the Full Lineup of Films:
ANATOLIA ANCIENT NATURE, 2min. Turkey Directed by Burak Dogansoysal The Anatolian Ancient Nature documentary is a project that aims to create a visual inventory of the Anatolian geography, which contains species that are extremely important for the natural history heritage of our world. Our primary goal is to document little-known, iconic, endemic and endangered species in high quality and pass them on to future generations.
WAIT Trailer, 1min., Directed by Jared Jacobsen, Lorena Diaz A man and a woman suddenly find themselves alone in a vacant lot and neither can remember how they got there.
THE AMERICAN RIVIERA DETECTIVE AGENCY, 2min., Directed by Sidney Bailey Mike Durant, a private investigator working in Santa Barbara, specializes in high end divorce cases among the rich denizens of California’s American Riviera. Stepping outside his usual purview, Durant agrees to help a grieving widow, who suspects her husband’s death in a motorcycle accident is directly connected to the contents of a camera she discovered after his death which contains surveillance pictures and video clips of numerous people, associated with his place of work – Bristol Scott Engineering (BSE) – a developer of drone software for the US military. Durant’s investigation leads him into a minefield of corruption, betrayal and murder that very nearly ends with his own death at the hands of
SUNDOWN, 1min. Directed by Bob Brill Trailer for the short film “Sundown”
WATER STAR MEDICINE, 2min., Directed by Ilysa Spencer a PSA about water
ROBBIE & MOLLIE, 1min., Directed by KIDS ‘N TRICKS Robbie the seal and Mollie the seagull are living the good life by the sea. But dangers have been lurking on the beach and in the water for some time now. It’s not natural enemies that they now have to fear, it’s mainly plastic rubbish from humans that collects in the sea and threatens their habitat.
UNTO THE LEAST OF THESE, 3min., Directed by Kandis Heckler When a group of diverse and eclectic social workers with more dysfunction than the Homeless they serve, line up for services at a faith based agency they unwillingly work through their own prejudice, privilege and guilt.
MARTINEZ, MARGARITAS AND MURDER! Directed by James Helsing, Kirk Demorest As Freddy Martinez’s friends are murdered one by one, he is recruited by a private investigator to help set a trap for the killer responsible: The Bedroom Butcher.
27 trailer, 1min., Directed by Nino Pace Film trailer for the heist drama 27. The stresses of everyday life are causing too much anxiety for Max, he wants an easy way out. for his family. Would you do wrong to makes things right?
NAUGHTY IN AZ, 3min. Written by Christopher Harmon A shy divorcee reluctantly enters the world of nude dancing in mid 90’s Phoenix, as a fish out of water – but after numerous raucous and over the top … often dangerous, adventures — she achieves inner peace and transforms into a star.
LIMITED SLIP, 1min., Directed by Clint Calvert, Caleb Johnson Trailer for the short film Limited Slip
ECHO RHYME, 3min. Directed by Caleb Johnson, Jeff Johnson Trailer: for the feature film Echo Rhyme
APPOINTMENT WITH THE PLAGUE DOCTOR, LESTER HAYWOOD, 8min,. Directed by L.S. Strange
DELUSIONAL STATE, 3min., Directed by Trelanda Lowe
DOUBLE OR NUTIN’, 2min. Directed by Stewart Brodian A local actor tries to start a comedy variety show on public access TV using celebrity impersonators.
HUMAN GAME 2 – The Culling Of A King trailer, 1min. Directed by Nathan Waire Trailer for the sequel.
STAYCATION, 1min., Directed by Russell Emanuel Lead virologist Edward Bellows plays tête-a-tête with hard-hitting journalist Grace Baxter as the world collapses under the weight of a global pandemic. She holds nothing back as she fires question after question, seeking answers from the beleaguered professor. Meanwhile, Britt and Marnie, college roommates being forced to live together, must deal with their newfound realities of this global pandemic. And, a couple Matt and Cathy, stuck in lockdown and separated between continents, spend some belated quality time via webcam toasting to foreign brandy and reminiscing on the past.
THE END OF DAYS, 1min. Directed by Jonathan Christopher Martin-Ives In this mock trailer, a British teenager, gifted with clairvoyancy seeks to warn anyone who will listen to her about an imbedding alien attack. She falls on deaf ears.
MY SISTERS’ CUP, 3min. Directed by Cortez Mack An inspirational story about four sisters learning the value of sisterhood through the teachings and wisdom of their mother
DON’T DIE IN DUBAI, 4min., Written by Christopher Harmon A bad boy living, cannabis loving, Rap star is terrified about turning 50 and dying like his peers, so he travels to Dubai to find ‘magic bud’ that stops aging … while there to judge a Belly-Dancing contest — but underworld villains threaten his life and ruin his high. He struggles to survive long enough to appreciate his life, his friends and to blaze for another day.
A surreal experimental animated allegory of the cyclical rise, fall and evolution of social order.
Review by Parker Jesse Chase:
Epicycle, an experimental animated short film, takes audiences on a surreal journey through the cyclical nature of social order, using a mesmerizing blend of animation and allegory. This unique creation is an exploration of the rise, fall, and evolution of societal structures.
The film opens with gears in motion, accompanied by the rhythmic sounds of ticking of a clock, creating a sensation of time itself slowing down. The close-up of interconnected gears gradually pulls back to reveal an entity on a hoverboard, adorned with a face reminiscent of a plague mask. This character traverses in what appears to be a museum or gallery, emphasizing the cyclical nature of human existence. The gears continue to persist as the film transitions to pawns on a chessboard, symbolizing an almost robotic cycle of life. The entities within the animation seem to be going through the motions, akin to the routine viewing of art in a gallery.
The ticking gears merge with the same tempo of a heartbeat, immersing the viewer to a reflective state of mind.
The film’s color palette adds onto the surreal and bilateral element, enhancing the overall immersive experience. The gears, noise, and surroundings create an allegorical ambiance, mirroring the way one can become absorbed in a museum. A quick zoom behind the eye offers a glimpse into the soul, shifting the gallery’s perspective and connecting the audience with the essence of human nature.
Epicycle is a visually captivating and thought-provoking journey through the cycles of social order. Its experimental nature, combined with allegorical storytelling and vibrant animation, makes it a unique and engaging viewing experience. The film successfully prompts reflection on the interconnectedness of humanity and the art that reflects our shared experiences.
LIGHTS OUT (USA 2016) **
Directed by David F. Sandberg
Starring: Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman, Maria Bello
Review by Gilbert Seah
LIGHTS OUT is a new low budget horror produced by HOSTEL’s James Wan and directed by David F. Sandberg based on his short story.
LIGHTS OUT is based on several potentially scary premises. There is the mother with mental health problems, the imaginary friend who could be a figment of mother’s imagination (or not), a boy scared of the dark and a monster that disappears and burns in light, surviving only in the dark. But one second thoughts, none of those are original concepts. The last one, though seemingly new is the same premise used in all vampire films.
But the movie plays confidently as a film that scares from things that go bump in the night. A large part of the film obviously takes place at night. The majority of the scares come from the ghoul called Diana who can appear out of nowhere, but only in the dark. As the lights go out in the house, a large mansion of course, the survivors have to arm themselves with torches or flashlights, batteries that soon run out of juice. This ‘novelty’ runs out very fast. After half an hour, the film really gets monotonous, with Diana appearing and disappearing. A bit of distraction is also provided in the script in which Diana might be imaginary and in the head of the mother, Sophie (Maria Bello), who was previously a mental patient.
Sandberg knows how to incite fear from small and dark enclosed spaces. But it takes much more to make a complete horror film.
The story goes like this. When the film opens, a creature kills a man who had promised to return home to his son who had complained of his mother being mental. The boy, Martin (Gabriel Bateman) is still afraid years later with the mother still having problems now manifested in Diana, who she has befriended in the mental hospital. Now Diana is able to appear as a creature but only in the darkness. Diana is breaking her promise that she will not hurt the mother’s children. Enter (out of nowhere), Rebecca (Teresa Palmer), Martin’s older sister and her sexy boyfriend, Bret (Alexander DiPersia) to rescue Martin from crazy mom and monster Diana.
The film makes the rules of the monster as it goes along – how it exists and so forth. The actors all do their screaming convincingly with Bret being the beau in distress. This is more of a female film where the women are heroes with the male and female roles reversed. No complaint here, as it is good to see things going the other way for a change.
But LIGHTS OUT would have succeeded as a 30-minute short film. It is stretched out too long, even at only 80 minutes. Boring, over manipulative and predictable, the film is a good idea that unfortunately does not play out as a full length feature. But it should make its money owing to its low budget. It would be interesting to see what writer/director Sandberg comes out with next.
Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca
BODY (USA 2014) ***
Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen
Starring: Helen Rogers, Alexandra Turshen, Lauren Molina
Review by Gilbert Seah
A low budget horror/thriller that starts off pretty well.
As the opening credits roll, the film screen is all black and a voice, barely decipherable, is calling 911 for help.
When the film opens, three girls, Mel (Lauren Molina), Holly (Helen Rogers) and Cali (Alexandra Turshen) party it up at Mel’s house. They start off with Scrabble arguing about certain words used before Mel’s dad interrupts bringing in food. The three exit the house to smoke weed with Mel’s younger brother Josh only to be caught by Mel’s mother. These kind of goings-on are nothing special but can happen all the time when everyone was a teen or later on when becoming one. Thus, everyone can relate to the incidents and this is the reason the film is so engaging at first. Directors Beck and Olsen do more than the normal slasher movie in investing their time on the three characters and the character development. They party hard, and it is entertaining to see them just do nothing but film themselves on their cell phones, for example dancing around.
But things take a turn when the trio decide to party into the night and visit Cali’s uncle’s mansion. But Cali is lying and it turns out that she used to babysit for the Asian family that lives in the house. Things turn sour when the groundskeeper suddenly shows up and is accidentally pushed down the stairs. The film turns into a slasher thriller.
Though not an exceptional film, BODY does possess certain unique traits not found in other films of this genre. First and most noticeable is the amount of effort put into the development of the character of each girl. Cali is the nasty one, Holly the decent rational one while Mel is the in-betweener. The character of Holly also undergoes a transformation that makes her character more complex. Hers is obviously the most interesting of the three. The character development is not there for show but also integral to the film’s plot. The next thing is that BODY is more of a thriller than a horror movie. There is no slasher that never dies or one that keeps appearing after being killed. Thirdly, there is a good transition from humour to thriller. The first half of the film is mostly the girls partying, which brings the film its lighter moments and a few laugh-out loud parts. There are a few psychological moments such as the ones with a girl screaming into the face of another that evokes horror.
The cast of unknowns deliver their performances naturally. They look like genuine teenagers out for a good time with just things getting bad.
But judging from Cali’s bad behaviour and personality one does wonder the reason the other two hang around or keep her as a friend. However, these are little points that usually go unnoticed in a teen thriller.
The film also briefly deals with conscience and consequences but it is not a message
film. BODY ends up a satisfactory time-waster and a good film to watch with a bunch of friends on a night out or at home. The film also opens on VOD Apr 26.
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Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca
THE WITCH (USA 2015) ****
Directed by Roger Eggers
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie
Review by Gilbert Seah
Set in 17th Century New England, writer/director Roger Eggers (whose background is in production design and theatre) has mounted more than a handsome production in his chilling horror debut. Looking like THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT from the frequent flickering lighting (though the comparison does not do THE WITCH, the better film justice) and Shyamalan’s THE VILLAGE from the period setting, the story follows a newly settled New England family from England.
When the film opens, we hear dialogue which informs the audience that the family has just been banished from the village due to witchcraft, details unspecified. They settle on their own on the forest outskirts. The religious family is comprised of William (Ralph Ineson), his wife Katherine (Kate Dickie) and their five children. The film centres on the daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), who is made to look after her infant sibling while the parents toil the land. But the baby suddenly goes missing (never explained how in the film, but assumed to be taken by a wolf), and Thomasin has no explanation either.
William and Kate descend into hysteria. Did the evil in the woods take their unbaptized child? Their twin children, Mercy (Ellie Grainger) and Jonas (Lucas Dawson), blame Thomasin but their own behaviour has become disturbingly suspect. Middle child Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw) takes it upon himself to search for the answer with dire consequences. Thomasin admits to being a witch to scare the twins into silence but it backfires on her.
The film has certain unexplained scenes like an actual witch that appears and kisses Caleb. The other is the possession of the twins.
The film succeeds for two reasons. One is its ambiguity which makes everything all the more mysterious and scary. Is the family descending into religious madness or are there supernatural forces afoot? But the film falls apart when director Eggers shows actual demonic forces in motion. Second is the scary effects created by the light, setting and soundtrack. The characters speak with an old Northern England accent and old English which takes a while to get used to. Sample dialogue: “What’s the matter with thee? Come hither!” The story is supposed to be based on folklore and the dialogue adapted directly from old literature.
But THE WITCH is a very scary film- not scary in the form of the typical B-horror flick but in genuine fear of the unknown. Religion and superstition drive the family part. Trust in God appears to be the answer for the family, but faith is obviously not enough. The desperation of the family is on clear display and examination here. Eggers shows differing points of view, from the daughter to the father, mother and even the brother., while always centring on Thomasin. Eggers knows how to create a sense of evil from almost any prop, from the goat, to the evil stare of the rabbit, to the woods to the omnipresent darkness. THE WITCH also contains very disturbing images, made even scarier because often, it is hard to make out exactly what is depicted, and much is left to the imagination. The scariest image is the crow picking at the mother’s breast. Evil, indeed takes many forms.
Altogether a very impressive film debut by Eggers and definitely a most chilling one.
Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca
JERUZALEM (Israel 2015) ***
Directed by the Paz Brothers
Review by Gilbert Seah
Touted as the first Israeli zombie horror film, JERUZALEM (the Z in the word referring to ‘zombie’) takes many lessons from the found footage low budget horror flicks from the U.S. In fact, the main two characters are American girls travelling to the old city of Jerusalem. They were supposed to go to Tel Aviv when they get side-tracked by a cutie fellow-traveller to go visit Jerusalem, a decision that they will soon regret.
Sarah Pullman (Danielle Jadelyn) and her best friend, Rachel (Yael Grobglas) are partying it up. They dance, meet boys, drink, do drugs (not the hard ones) and have sex. So when they meet cutie, Kevin (Yon Turmarkin), they are easily convinced to go to Jerusalem. They meet a tour guide, an Arab, Omar (Tom Graziani).
The politics of the film are present but the conflict between the Palestinians and Jews are kept at a minimum. Soldiers are always present but their main enemy switches from the Palestinians to the zombies.
The film begins, seriously enough with a quote from the Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 19 in the Old Testament. The audience is informed from the text that there are 3 gateways to hell – the ocean, the desert and the third, Jerusalem. A woman is resurrected from the dead only to sprout winds, then shot. The first two thirds of the film are free and easy flowing with the zombies and real horror only occurring during the last third.
The first two third sees the two girls touring the city, smoking hashish an having a great time. The two are quite funny and everything is seen from the point of view of an app on Sarah’s cell phone. When they enter an underground cave, the words fatal error, or no connection flashes on the screen, as on a cell phone. This tactic is carried out throughout the film, and is quite funny, despite it being repeatedly used. As such, the Paz Brothers (Yoav and Doron), who also penned the script appear very tech-savvy with the film obviously aimed at the younger crowd who will go everywhere with their iphone, iPad or laptop.
Everyone seems to be having a hilarious time – the directors, crew and actors and this rubs off on the audience.
When the zombies attack, the film wanes a bit, as the film falls back to familiar horror film territory, which audiences are already too familiar with. But the Paz Brothers keep it funny. Rachel gets infected by the zombie virus and is slowly turning into one. When Sarah sees the wound, she tells Rachel, so as not to alarm her: “It is nothing, it is just a scratch!” That is probably the film’s funniest line, used again later on. Another character utters too as they scramble to escape through the underground caves: “Don’t know what’s happening out there, but I hope the good guys are winning!” And Sarah says: “It’s all a fucking video game!”
The film also offers the audience a good touristy look at Jerusalem, for what is – the old buildings, the market bazaars and the temples.
Despite a few flaws, the Paz Brothers keep their film stylish, hilarious and scary while being smart and entertaining at the same time.
Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html
Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca
LIGHTS OUT (USA 2016) **
BODY (USA 2014) ***
THE WITCH (USA 2015) ****
JERUZALEM (Israel 2015) ***
Festival Reviews 