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First Look at Daytime Horror ‘Bloom,’ Now in Production [Exclusive]
From The Wicker Man and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre to The Devil’s Rejects and Midsommar, the harsh light of day can be just as scary as the dark.
Bloody Disgusting has exclusive details and a first look at Bloom, a new entry in the daytime horror canon.
Currently in production from Jackrabbit Studios, the sun-baked psychological horror thriller is written and directed by Stefan Colson (Lookout).
It centers on Lily, a young woman who inherits her great aunt’s struggling desert nursery and devotes herself to bringing it back to life. As her garden flourishes, her need to sustain it becomes something she can no longer control.
Meghan Carrasquillo (Lookout), Robert Craighead (“Future Man”), Jadon Cal Fitzpatrick (Stream), and Cara Leoni (Lookout) star.
Filming is taking place in and around Buckeye, Arizona, where Jackrabbit is based. The production is utilizing practical locations, including a working desert nursery and the Verrado Farmers Market.
Colson produces alongside Jack Campbell (Influencer), with whom he conceived the story, as well as Rebecca Campbell, Corey Brown, and cinematographer Sam Wilkerson.
“At its heart, Bloom is a visually rich story about the irresistible pull and unseen cost of power and control, forces outside of us that can awaken hidden demons within, and the defining choices we make that are possessed by the inescapable specter of our past,” Colson commented.
“When my wife and I came across Jackrabbit Nursery, I immediately saw the potential to build an eerie, atmospheric horror film around a real working desert nursery,” said Jack Campbell. “After about eight months of developing the story, I brought in Stefan Colson and we locked in the concept together. He then took on the screenwriting duties, and from there things began to take shape very quickly.”
“Shooting in our own community, with people who were genuinely excited to be part of it, made a huge difference for this film,” added Rebecca Campbell. “It’s been incredibly rewarding to see it all come together.”
Jackrabbit Media is handling worldwide sales for Bloom, with first footage slated to be presented at the Cannes Market in May.
A hospital stay grows more nerve-frazzling when memory loss distorts reality in our exclusive clip from This Tempting Madness, inspired by a true story.
The mind-bending psychological thriller will be released in select theaters and on demand on June 12 via Vertical.
Simone Ashley (“Bridgerton”) stars as Mia, who awakens from a coma, grievously injured, her memory fractured. As she puts the pieces of her past together, she starts to question her own actions and her perception of reality.
In This Tempting Madness, “Mia awakens from a coma grievously injured, her memory fractured. As she puts the pieces of her past together, she starts to question her own actions, and her perception of reality.”
Jennifer E. Montgomery makes her feature directorial debut from a script she co-wrote with director of photography Andrew Davis, inspired by Montgomery’s first-hand experience with tragedy involving her best friend.
“Months before the incident, there were signals that her world was unraveling,” says Montgomery. “I could feel the pressure building, though I didn’t know what form it would take. I never could have known what violence would come, and I certainly never imagined making a film about it.”
Austin Stowell (“NCIS: Origins”), Suraj Sharma (Happy Death Day 2U), Mojean Aria (Reminiscence), Amol Shah (“For All Mankind”), and Zenobia Shroff (“Ms. Marvel”) round out the cast.
Smoke Jumper Films and Mango Monster Productions produce in association with Catchlight Studios (Heretic, The Blackening).
This Tempting Madness is rated R for “language, violence/bloody images, and brief sexuality.”