Exclusives
Jessica Rothe Loses Her Grip on Reality and Memory in ‘Affection’ Teaser [Exclusive]
Happy Death Day star Jessica Rothe loses her grip on reality and her memory in our exclusive new teaser for sci-fi horror thriller Affection.
Affection made its world premiere at ScreamFest last week and heads to Brooklyn Horror Film Festival this weekend, on October 18.
In the new teaser below, Rothe plays a mother whose memory resets with seizures, trapping her in a cyclical nightmare where reality can’t be trusted.
Rothe stars alongside Joseph Cross (Lincoln) and Julianna Layne (Prodigal Son) in Affection, which marks the feature debut of writer/director BT Meza.
In the film, “Ellie Carter has never met the man who calls himself her husband, doesn’t recognize the girl who calls her mother, and can’t remember the life she is told is her own. Afflicted by violent seizures that reset her memory without warning, she is trapped in a cyclical nightmare, struggling to uncover the horrifying truth of her existence—before she forgets it all over again.”
“This story comes from a deeply personal place, drawn from my emotions, memories, and fears, and I wanted to use sci-fi horror as the lens to explore them,” director BT Meza said.
Producers include Bay Dariz, BT Meza, Austin Walk, and JP Ouellette. Christian Henderson and Christy Walker executive produce.
Rothe most recently starred in gonzo actioner Boy Kills World and has confirmed that a third Happy Death Day may be moving forward, finally. At the very least, it’s clear that Rothe is the reigning champ of time loop and cyclical horror.
Affection looks to be an emotionally driven thriller with personal stakes and origins.
Stay tuned for more on Affection, including release info, as it arrives.
Exclusives
‘The Haunting of Pennhurst’ Exclusive Clip Trains Scare Actors For Historic Haunt in Tribeca Doc
The past and present collide in haunting, poignant ways in the genre documentary The Haunting of Pennhurst, which sees a Halloween haunt serve as a reclamation of true historic horrors.
Ahead of its world premiere at the 25th Tribeca Film Festival, we have an exclusive clip that sees scare actors in training for the Halloween season. The catch? This haunt is opening at the historic Pennhurst State School & Hospital site, a facility that caused immense harm to its disabled patients over decades of its operation.
In the documentary, “For over seventy years, Pennhurst State School & Hospital was called a place of care. What happened inside killed over half its population. It closed in 1987, leaving behind unmarked graves and an unresolved history. Today, on those same grounds, disabled performers – many living with the same conditions that once sent people to Pennhurst – put on their makeup, pull on their costumes, and prepare to scare people for a living.
“Through grit, compassion, and buckets of blood, the eclectic performers of the Pennhurst Asylum haunted attraction are wrestling with a space that is at once a lucrative business and a gravesite.”
The upcoming documentary hails from directing trio Nathan Stenberg, Mike Attie, and Katarina Poljak, who explore their socially-relevant subject through archival footage, first-hand accounts, and an immersive verité.
“Pennhurst has haunted us since we first passed through its dragon-tooth gates; the horrors of the institution echo through the site today. We are so grateful to bring this film to the Tribeca Festival, particularly the Escape from Tribeca section, which feels right for a story where past and present bleed together. We hope audiences leave unnerved and asking the same uncomfortable questions we did,” Attie, Stenberg, and Poljak said in a statement.
Watch the clip below that sees disabled and neurodivergent scare actors learning the ropes of a Halloween haunt, reclaiming the site’s grim history in the process.
Tribeca Screenings:
- Public 1 (Premiere) Screening – Friday, June 5 at 9:15PM at Village East by Angelika
- Public 2 Screening – Sunday, June 7 at 3:15PM at Village East by Angelika
- Public 3 Screening – Tuesday, June 9 at 6:15PM at Village East by Angelika