Exclusives
[Trailer] ‘An Unknown Compelling Force’ Explores the True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident
9 dead hikers. 60 years of secrets.
1091 Pictures has set a release for the feature documentary film An Unknown Compelling Force, which examines the controversial true story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident, known as Russia’s greatest unsolved mystery, an unexplained event that led to the gruesome death of nine student hikers in Russia’s unforgiving Ural Mountains in 1959.
“For more than 60 years the story has been shrouded in mystery and conspiracy theories, suggesting everything from UFOs, murder to a Soviet Government cover-up.
“On a journey to separate fact from fiction, adventure filmmaker Liam Le Guillou, travels under the radar to the very location of the incident to attempt to uncover the true story, interviewing Russian investigators, journalists, and friends of the hikers, among others. The most recent investigation was closed in February 2021 (The New York Times). Studied to this day, The New Yorker ran a story on the incident in their most recent issue.”
“Having been obsessed with this story for years I found that most of the information online was either inaccurate or contradictory,” said Le Guillou. “I couldn’t believe there wasn’t a detailed investigation on film, and that’s what set me off to find the truth for myself. I’ll admit I was expecting to find mundane answers pointing to natural events, but the reality is much more shocking.”
The press release breaks down the events:
“In 1959 a group of student hikers were attempting a difficult winter expedition in the remote Ural Mountains of Russia when an unknown event led to the mysterious deaths of all nine. When the team failed to report back, search parties led by the Soviet Government and fellow students uncovered the grizzly remains of the hikers. Found a mile from their shredded tent, they seemingly fled into the freezing temperatures without their winter clothes or boots. Adding to the mystery, many of the bodies had suffered brutal and inexplicable injuries, and some even showed traces of radiation. The case was closed by investigators at the time, stating that the hikers died from “An Unknown Compelling Force.”
An Unknown Compelling Force will be available to purchase or rent on June 15, 2021.
Check out an exclusive look at the film’s poster and trailer.
Exclusives
Katharine Isabelle Battles Cosmic Horror in Exclusive ‘Junction Row’ Teaser Trailer [Fantasia 2026]
Among Fantasia 2026‘s massive final wave of programming this morning is Raven Banner’s Lovecraftian creature feature Junction Row, starring Canadian horror icon Katharine Isabelle, and we’re exclusively unveiling the teaser trailer.
Junction Row will celebrate its World Premiere at Fantasia on July 28.
Watch a housing compound fall under siege from Lovecraftian creatures more dangerous than drug dealers in the trailer below.
Junction Row follows “Juno, a recovering addict who leaves a fringe housing compound for a better life, leaving her beloved Ruby behind. When she learns that Ruby has gone missing, Juno returns, only to find Junction Row has become a hotbed of criminal activity, but she encounters much more than menacing drug dealers on her mission to find Ruby.”
Isabelle stars as Juno, with Natalie Brown (FX’s The Strain) as Ruby.
The creature feature marks the feature debut by director Ashlea Wessel, who has directed festival-favorite shorts like 2018’s “Tick” and 2020’s “Weirdo”.
Wessel co-writes Junction Row with Clown in a Cornfield author Adam Cesare and Matt Serafini.
Katharine Isabelle is coming off a brief appearance in Kane Parsons’ Backrooms, and more recently appeared in holiday horror It’s a Wonderful Knife. The horror icon is arguably best known for her turn as the eponymous werewolf in Ginger Snaps and for her roles in American Mary and Freddy vs Jason.
Fantasia teases that Junction Row tells “a story where the fear of the unknown isn’t confined to what lies above, but what waits beneath.”
Stay tuned for more from Fantasia as the festival gets underway later this month.
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