You scratch, you die in our exclusive trailer for Itch!, which draws inspiration from Dawn of the Dead, The Mist, and 28 Days Later.
The indie horror film will be released on Digital in the US on April 21 and in the UK on April 20 via Trinity Content Partners and Seven Tales.
A horrific outbreak known as “the itch” spreads like wildfire, turning its victims into frenzied, self-destructive shells of their former selves. Grieving widower Jay seeks refuge in a seemingly safe department store alongside his estranged young daughter, Olivia. The sanctuary they believed would protect them becomes a nightmarish trap, revealing that the true danger lurks among them.
With the infection closing in and paranoia escalating within the group, Jay and Olivia are forced into a harrowing battle — not just against the outbreak outside, but against the darkness within human hearts when faced with survival. With every decision bearing the weight of life and death, they must confront their fractured bond and make brutal choices to stay alive.
Writer-director Bari Kang stars alongside his real-life daughter, Olivia Kang, as well as Patrick Michael Valley, Ximena Uribe, Mia Ventura Lucas, and Douglas Stirling.
“Itch! was inspired by a bizarre real-life incident I witnessed at my family’s discount store,” Kang tells Bloody Disgusting. “What stayed with me was how strange and unsettling it felt, especially because it happened in such an ordinary place. I wanted to build a horror film around a very primal sensation we all know: the urge to scratch, and how terrifying it becomes when it won’t stop.”
He adds, “As a father, the story also became personal for me, because at its core it’s about the fear of not being able to protect the people you love when everything starts to fall apart.”
Itch! premiered at Dances With Films: New York in 2024 and went on to play at Grimmfest, Chattanooga Film Festival, Popcorn Frights, Another Hole in the Head, and Days of the Dead, among others.
