Bad Things is a horror-thriller film written and directed by Stewart Thorndike. The Shudder movie follows the story of a group of friends, who go to a secluded hotel for a weekend but things take a turn for the worse when they find out that women do bad things there. Bad Things stars Gayle Rankin in the lead role of Ruthie Nodd, with Hari Nef, Molly Ringwald, and Annabelle Dexter-Jones playing supporting roles. So, if you loved Bad Things here are some similar movies you could watch next.
The Shining (Showtime & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Warner Bros.
Synopsis: A married couple with a small son are employed to look after a resort hotel high in the Colorado mountains. As a result, they are the sole occupants during the long winter. The hotel manager warns them not to accept the job because of a tragedy that occurred during the winter of...
The Shining (Showtime & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Warner Bros.
Synopsis: A married couple with a small son are employed to look after a resort hotel high in the Colorado mountains. As a result, they are the sole occupants during the long winter. The hotel manager warns them not to accept the job because of a tragedy that occurred during the winter of...
- 8/25/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
I had a great time talking to Stewart Thorndike about her new horror film “Bad Things.” It is the second of her motherhood trilogy with the first being 2014’s “Lyle.” Check out our interview where she revealed the third film of the trilogy, crafting the movie, working with Gayle Rankin, and why she thinks horror
The post “Bad Things” Director Stewart Thorndike on Making the Horror Film appeared first on Manny the Movie Guy.
The post “Bad Things” Director Stewart Thorndike on Making the Horror Film appeared first on Manny the Movie Guy.
- 8/23/2023
- by manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Stewart Thorndike made a strong debut with her first, feature-length film, “Lyle,” starring Gaby Hoffman. In her follow-up, released nearly a decade later, “Bad Things” continues on with the themes of motherhood and trauma, in a film being described as a queer retelling of “The Shining,” a comparison Thorndike owns, though calls it more of a “repurposing.”
Read More: 14 Movies To See In August: ‘Passages,’ ‘Blue Beetle,’ ‘Bottoms’ & More
Drawing on inspiration from films such as “Alien” to “On the Waterfront,” “Bad Things” follows a group of friends as they go to a hotel for a weekend.
Continue reading ‘Bad Things’: Director Stewart Thorndike Talks Shooting Horror In Daylight, Finding The Right Scary Hotel & More [Interview] at The Playlist.
Read More: 14 Movies To See In August: ‘Passages,’ ‘Blue Beetle,’ ‘Bottoms’ & More
Drawing on inspiration from films such as “Alien” to “On the Waterfront,” “Bad Things” follows a group of friends as they go to a hotel for a weekend.
Continue reading ‘Bad Things’: Director Stewart Thorndike Talks Shooting Horror In Daylight, Finding The Right Scary Hotel & More [Interview] at The Playlist.
- 8/21/2023
- by Ally Johnson
- The Playlist
If you are a cinema enthusiast who gets antsy when you hear someone say “remake”, then Bad Things, the new Shudder horror-thriller, might just change that. I myself am not particularly a fan of movies that already exist being redone, but a lot of times, it actually works out really well. And some other times, like when Christopher Nolan gave his own spin to the Norwegian original Insomnia or when James Mangold revitalized the iconic 3:10 To Yuma, remakes become kind of a necessity. Bad Things is obviously director Stewart Thorndike’s homage to Kubrick’s The Shining. Thorndike, who was, in fact, a part of the legendary director’s final film Eyes Wide Shut, has given a very interesting queer makeover to The Shining in her Bad Things. Let’s dig a little deeper.
Spoiler Ahead
What Happens In The Movie?
As a child, Ruthie was heavily neglected by her mother,...
Spoiler Ahead
What Happens In The Movie?
As a child, Ruthie was heavily neglected by her mother,...
- 8/20/2023
- by Rohitavra Majumdar
- Film Fugitives
Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef and Rad Pereira in Bad Things Photo: courtesy of Shudder. A Shudder Release
Nine years ago, Stewart Thorndike burst onto the scene with her début feature Lyle, the story of a young woman recovering from a tragedy who becomes convinced that somebody is trying to harm the child she’s carrying. It was intended as part of a trilogy, and it has taken a long time for her to be able to bring the second part, Bad Things, to the screen, but it’s here at last. It follows four friends who travel to a remote hotel which one of their number, Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) has inherited, and where, unfortunately for them, what was intended to be a fun couple of days before the place is sold turns into a fight for survival.
When we meet, Stewart is delighted to learn that I live in Paisley,...
Nine years ago, Stewart Thorndike burst onto the scene with her début feature Lyle, the story of a young woman recovering from a tragedy who becomes convinced that somebody is trying to harm the child she’s carrying. It was intended as part of a trilogy, and it has taken a long time for her to be able to bring the second part, Bad Things, to the screen, but it’s here at last. It follows four friends who travel to a remote hotel which one of their number, Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) has inherited, and where, unfortunately for them, what was intended to be a fun couple of days before the place is sold turns into a fight for survival.
When we meet, Stewart is delighted to learn that I live in Paisley,...
- 8/17/2023
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Bad Thingsa Film By Stewart Thorndike Starring Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef,Annabelle Dexter-jones, Rad Pereira,Jared Abrahamson And Molly Ringwald Perfectly eerie and driven by feminine rage. Rankin is exceptional.” – Coleman Spilde, The Daily Beast “A refreshing twist on slashers. Thorndike’s queer take on ‘The Shining’ is a great amount of fun…with a killer cast.” -Samantha Bergeson, Indiewire “Wonderful …
The post Bad Things, Stewart Thorndike’s Chilling Queer Thriller starring Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef, Rad Pereira & Molly Ringwald | Coming to Shudder 8/18 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
The post Bad Things, Stewart Thorndike’s Chilling Queer Thriller starring Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef, Rad Pereira & Molly Ringwald | Coming to Shudder 8/18 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
- 8/17/2023
- by Janel Spiegel
- Horror News
It’s the first time that Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) has been back to the hotel for a long time, though it will be a while before we find out why. She’s just inherited it from her grandmother, and her three friends think they’re there for an enjoyable weekend of hanging out and drinking and enjoying the facilities before she sells it. For her, the visit seems more like an intentional effort to get over the traumatic incident which she experienced there in the past, and to reconcile some of her difficult feelings about her mother. Over the two days which follow, the different ways in which each member of the group relates to the building and the wider situation will threaten to pry them apart, and the consequences of that will ultimately be fatal.
Although many critics have jumped immediately to comparisons with The Shining, and director Stewart Thorndike does reference.
Although many critics have jumped immediately to comparisons with The Shining, and director Stewart Thorndike does reference.
- 8/16/2023
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
This week is a bit of a “calm before the storm” situation, as the new horror releases are about to pick up big time on the road to Halloween. You can expect both September and October will be Packed with new horror, including to-be-announced titles that aren’t even on our radar at this time. But first we’ve still got a few more weeks left of the summer movie season.
Here’s all the new horror releasing August 15– August 20, 2023!
And don’t forget: the biggest new release of the week isn’t a movie but rather a video game. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Game (read our review) is available this Friday!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
Set on Halloween 1938, the new movie from Dracula Untold director Gary Shore is titled Haunting of the Queen Mary, and the horror movie officially sets sail on Friday,...
Here’s all the new horror releasing August 15– August 20, 2023!
And don’t forget: the biggest new release of the week isn’t a movie but rather a video game. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Game (read our review) is available this Friday!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
Set on Halloween 1938, the new movie from Dracula Untold director Gary Shore is titled Haunting of the Queen Mary, and the horror movie officially sets sail on Friday,...
- 8/15/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Paranormal events spring on internal emotional conflicts in Stewart Thorndike’s study of psychic disturbance
American director Stewart Thorndike’s horror film is a gender-flipped and queered remix of The Shining, complete with a pair of creepy spectres (joggers this time) and an ominous fixation on a particular hotel room. Ruthie (Glow’s Gayle Rankin) turns up for a weekend break at her mother’s snowbound resort, which she is in line to inherit, with three friends. She, girlfriend Cal and pal Maddie just want to loll around the pool and have fun. But antsy Fran (Annabelle Dexter-Jones), who mistakenly believed she had cancer, won’t settle down and seems to have designs on Ruthie.
Thorndike couches proceedings in an aura of generalised hipsterdom – Cal is never seen without her Hole T-shirt, while the fluorescent-green title design is purloined from Twin Peaks – that is suffocating for the film’s first 15 minutes.
American director Stewart Thorndike’s horror film is a gender-flipped and queered remix of The Shining, complete with a pair of creepy spectres (joggers this time) and an ominous fixation on a particular hotel room. Ruthie (Glow’s Gayle Rankin) turns up for a weekend break at her mother’s snowbound resort, which she is in line to inherit, with three friends. She, girlfriend Cal and pal Maddie just want to loll around the pool and have fun. But antsy Fran (Annabelle Dexter-Jones), who mistakenly believed she had cancer, won’t settle down and seems to have designs on Ruthie.
Thorndike couches proceedings in an aura of generalised hipsterdom – Cal is never seen without her Hole T-shirt, while the fluorescent-green title design is purloined from Twin Peaks – that is suffocating for the film’s first 15 minutes.
- 8/15/2023
- by Phil Hoad
- The Guardian - Film News
If there was one thing that I took away from being at a film festival last week it was it is good to watch movies with your friends and/or like-minded folk who are there for the same reason, to have a good time. Shudder clearly understands the value of community watching and they're doing their part, launching a new monthly series at the IFC Center in New York called Shudder Showcase at IFC Center. Catchy. The series kicks off one week from next Monday, on August 15th at 7pm. The first screening of the series will be Stewart Thorndike's Tribeca title, Bad Things. Shudder subscribers get free popcorn and Thorndike will be in attendance for a Q&a after the screening. Event and...
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- 8/4/2023
- Screen Anarchy
Where has time gone? August is officially here, bringing with it a slew of new titles arriving on streaming. This month also edges us even closer to the Halloween season, which means you can expect the horror programming to start ramping up in earnest.
August offers brand new streaming exclusives and recent releases that’ll give you a chance to catch up on 2022 and 2023 horror.
Here are ten noteworthy horror titles available for streaming in August 2023 on some of the most popular streaming services, along with when/where you can watch them.
Ghastly Brothers – Screambox
It’s Ghostbusters meets Beetlejuice in this gateway horror comedy. In the Screambox exclusive, “Lilith is sent to boarding school where she meets the Ghastly brothers, a pair of strange ghost hunters. Together, they need to rid the school of the demons who have made it their home!”
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead...
August offers brand new streaming exclusives and recent releases that’ll give you a chance to catch up on 2022 and 2023 horror.
Here are ten noteworthy horror titles available for streaming in August 2023 on some of the most popular streaming services, along with when/where you can watch them.
Ghastly Brothers – Screambox
It’s Ghostbusters meets Beetlejuice in this gateway horror comedy. In the Screambox exclusive, “Lilith is sent to boarding school where she meets the Ghastly brothers, a pair of strange ghost hunters. Together, they need to rid the school of the demons who have made it their home!”
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead...
- 8/2/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
"Bad Things answers the call for female Jack Torrance types to air their rage." Shudder has revealed the official trailer for indie horror film called Bad Things, the second feature made by queer American indie filmmaker Stewart Thorndike. After first premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier in the summer, the film is now set to debut on Shudder streaming in August if anyone is curious. A group of female friends end up at an old hotel for a weekend getaway and soon discover that "women do bad things here." This hotel trip for a weekend getaway might not turn out as this group of friends thought it would... The film is described in reviews as a "queer take on The Shining" and "a refreshing twist on slashers." This chilling psychological thriller stars Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Rad Pereira, and Molly Ringwald. This certainly looks like a low budget indie,...
- 7/31/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Writer/director Stewart Thorndike made her feature debut with the 2014 psychological horror film Lyle, which showed what happened when “a mother’s grief over the death of her toddler leads to horror.” It was said that Thorndike was “developing two more female-driven psychological horror films” that would stand alongside Lyle to form a trilogy “about the power of motherhood”. Now the second chapter in that trilogy is making its way out into the world. Thorndike’s new film Bad Things will be released through the Shudder and AMC+ streaming services on August 18th, and a trailer can be seen in the embed above!
Bad Things has the following synopsis: When a group of friends escape the city to spend the weekend in an abandoned hotel, a pervading eerie energy begins to illuminate the cracks in their little family unit. Ruthie Nodd inherits the hotel from her grandmother and with bad...
Bad Things has the following synopsis: When a group of friends escape the city to spend the weekend in an abandoned hotel, a pervading eerie energy begins to illuminate the cracks in their little family unit. Ruthie Nodd inherits the hotel from her grandmother and with bad...
- 7/31/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Stewart Thorndike's Tribecas midnighter, Bad Things, is coming to Shudder and AMC+ on August 18th. That means, it's trailer time! Check it out, in all its weirdness below. Shudder is proud to share the official trailer for Bad Things, the chilling, psychological thriller by director Stewart Thorndike, starring Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Rad Pereira and Molly Ringwald. See the film on Shudder and AMC+ August 18th! When a group of friends escape the city to spend the weekend in an abandoned hotel, a pervading eerie energy begins to illuminate the cracks in their little family unit. Ruthie Nodd (Gayle Rankin) inherits the hotel from her grandmother and with bad childhood memories threatening to burst to the surface, Ruthie wants...
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- 7/31/2023
- Screen Anarchy
Writer/Director Stewart Thorndike’s 2014 film Lyle introduced a contemporary riff on Rosemary’s Baby. Thorndike’s latest, Bad Things, continues the filmmaker’s horror explorations of motherhood, this time through Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. A brand new trailer teases lead Gayle Rankin‘s channeling of Jack Torrance in the upcoming psychological thriller.
A snowy hotel weekend getaway with friends devolves in a psychological tailspin and ends in a bloody nightmare. Check out the new trailer below.
Bad Things is coming to Shudder and AMC+ on Friday, August 18th, 2023.
In the film, “When a group of friends escape the city to spend the weekend in an abandoned hotel, a pervading eerie energy begins to illuminate the cracks in their little family unit. Ruthie Nodd (Gayle Rankin) inherits the hotel from her grandmother and with bad childhood memories threatening to burst to the surface, Ruthie wants to sell the hotel and never return.
A snowy hotel weekend getaway with friends devolves in a psychological tailspin and ends in a bloody nightmare. Check out the new trailer below.
Bad Things is coming to Shudder and AMC+ on Friday, August 18th, 2023.
In the film, “When a group of friends escape the city to spend the weekend in an abandoned hotel, a pervading eerie energy begins to illuminate the cracks in their little family unit. Ruthie Nodd (Gayle Rankin) inherits the hotel from her grandmother and with bad childhood memories threatening to burst to the surface, Ruthie wants to sell the hotel and never return.
- 7/31/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
After world premiering at the Tribeca Festival in June, a trailer officially arrives for Bad Things, writer-director Stewart Thorndike’s follow-up to her 2014 debut Lyle. While her first film was a lesbian riff on Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby, Bad Things is overtly influenced by Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel The Shining. In my interview with Thorndike out of Tribeca, I detail the film’s plot in an introductory paragraph: Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) is debating whether or not to sell the now-derelict hotel her mother used to run years prior. With a decisive real estate meeting only days away, Ruthie […]
The post Trailer Watch: Stewart Thorndike’s Bad Things first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Trailer Watch: Stewart Thorndike’s Bad Things first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 7/31/2023
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
After world premiering at the Tribeca Festival in June, a trailer officially arrives for Bad Things, writer-director Stewart Thorndike’s follow-up to her 2014 debut Lyle. While her first film was a lesbian riff on Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby, Bad Things is overtly influenced by Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel The Shining. In my interview with Thorndike out of Tribeca, I detail the film’s plot in an introductory paragraph: Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) is debating whether or not to sell the now-derelict hotel her mother used to run years prior. With a decisive real estate meeting only days away, Ruthie […]
The post Trailer Watch: Stewart Thorndike’s Bad Things first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Trailer Watch: Stewart Thorndike’s Bad Things first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 7/31/2023
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
It’s a lot of bad things that one traumatized motel owner (Gayle Rankin) is wishing on her friends.
Stewart Thorndike’s slasher “Bad Things” upends the tropes created by Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” and gives an angsty queer twist to the horrors of staying in a deserted motel with those dearest to you.
Rankin stars as Ruthie who inherits a hotel ridden with bad childhood memories from her late grandmother. Ruthie’s partner Cal (Nef) encourages her to fix up the hotel and run the business, but Ruthie’s obsession with an Internet business guru (Molly Ringwald) inspires her to sell the company…and potentially kill anyone in her path. Oh, and did we mention the hotel just might be haunted?
Rad Pereira and “Succession” breakout Annabelle Dexter-Jones also star in the seductive lo-fi thriller.
“Bad Things” is written and directed by Thorndike, whose 2014 debut feature “Lyle” is...
Stewart Thorndike’s slasher “Bad Things” upends the tropes created by Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” and gives an angsty queer twist to the horrors of staying in a deserted motel with those dearest to you.
Rankin stars as Ruthie who inherits a hotel ridden with bad childhood memories from her late grandmother. Ruthie’s partner Cal (Nef) encourages her to fix up the hotel and run the business, but Ruthie’s obsession with an Internet business guru (Molly Ringwald) inspires her to sell the company…and potentially kill anyone in her path. Oh, and did we mention the hotel just might be haunted?
Rad Pereira and “Succession” breakout Annabelle Dexter-Jones also star in the seductive lo-fi thriller.
“Bad Things” is written and directed by Thorndike, whose 2014 debut feature “Lyle” is...
- 7/31/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Stewart Thorndike’s horror-psychodrama starts with the main character carrying a chainsaw, ominously trudging across an empty, snowy parking lot outside an abandoned building. The scene is like a giant sign reading: Horror Tropes Ahead.
And Thorndike knowingly piles them on. The chainsaw-wielding Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) has arrived with three other people at the isolated hotel she has inherited from her grandmother for a last weekend before she sells it. The film never reclaims the droll touch at the start, which reveals that Ruthie uses the saw to cut a log lodged under the tires of the Uber that brought them there. Instead, Bad Things is smoothly competent and uninspired — or, more accurately, inspired by The Shining, from the hotel setting to the tracking shots along a narrow corridor and a set of ghostly twins.
Thorndike’s major twist is that the four main characters are queer — three of them women,...
And Thorndike knowingly piles them on. The chainsaw-wielding Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) has arrived with three other people at the isolated hotel she has inherited from her grandmother for a last weekend before she sells it. The film never reclaims the droll touch at the start, which reveals that Ruthie uses the saw to cut a log lodged under the tires of the Uber that brought them there. Instead, Bad Things is smoothly competent and uninspired — or, more accurately, inspired by The Shining, from the hotel setting to the tracking shots along a narrow corridor and a set of ghostly twins.
Thorndike’s major twist is that the four main characters are queer — three of them women,...
- 6/15/2023
- by Caryn James
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The haunted halls of a defunct Catskills hotel wreak psychological violence on a group of young, queer city slickers in Bad Things, the long-awaited sophomore feature from writer-director Stewart Thorndike. Arriving nearly a decade after Lyle, Thorndike’s sapphic take on Rosemary’s Baby starring Gabby Hoffmann, Bad Things similarly tackles plot points and thematic fixations of another scary movie staple—Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining—through a thoroughly queer and feminist perspective. Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) is debating whether or not to sell the now-derelict hotel her mother used to run years prior. With a decisive real estate meeting only days away, Ruthie assembles a […]
The post Let Me Be Your Shelley Duvall: Stewart Thorndike on Bad Things first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Let Me Be Your Shelley Duvall: Stewart Thorndike on Bad Things first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 6/14/2023
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The haunted halls of a defunct Catskills hotel wreak psychological violence on a group of young, queer city slickers in Bad Things, the long-awaited sophomore feature from writer-director Stewart Thorndike. Arriving nearly a decade after Lyle, Thorndike’s sapphic take on Rosemary’s Baby starring Gabby Hoffmann, Bad Things similarly tackles plot points and thematic fixations of another scary movie staple—Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining—through a thoroughly queer and feminist perspective. Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) is debating whether or not to sell the now-derelict hotel her mother used to run years prior. With a decisive real estate meeting only days away, Ruthie assembles a […]
The post Let Me Be Your Shelley Duvall: Stewart Thorndike on Bad Things first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Let Me Be Your Shelley Duvall: Stewart Thorndike on Bad Things first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 6/14/2023
- by Natalia Keogan
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
On paper, there’s a lot to like about “Bad Things.” The premise is intriguing and creepy. The cast is full of quality actors. The filmmaker, Stewart Thorndike, has already earned acclaim for her previous feature, “Lyle.” And the film is filled with LGBTQ characters, which is refreshing for any film, let alone a horror feature. But even with these promising elements, “Bad Things” is not only bland, poorly written, and visually drab, but it breaks the cardinal rule of horror films—it’s just not scary.
Read More: Tribeca 2023 Festival: 20 Films To Watch
In “Bad Things,” Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) finds herself as the new owner of a hotel that has seen better days.
Continue reading ‘Bad Things’ Review: Stewart Thorndike’s Thriller Is A Terrible Disappointment [Tribeca] at The Playlist.
Read More: Tribeca 2023 Festival: 20 Films To Watch
In “Bad Things,” Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) finds herself as the new owner of a hotel that has seen better days.
Continue reading ‘Bad Things’ Review: Stewart Thorndike’s Thriller Is A Terrible Disappointment [Tribeca] at The Playlist.
- 6/14/2023
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Writer/Director Stewart Thorndike’s 2014 film Lyle introduced a contemporary riff on Rosemary’s Baby. Thorndike’s latest, Bad Things, continues the filmmaker’s horror explorations of motherhood, this time through Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. A psychological horror film set at an isolated, wintry hotel becomes ground zero for deeply flawed characters to explore their ghosts to mixed success.
Much like Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance, Bad Things introduces the lead character Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) as someone already a bit unstable from the outset. The idea is to spend a weekend with friends at the hotel Ruthie inherited, albeit an isolated hotel trapped in yesterday with outdated décor and a lack of guests. While Ruthie’s less enthused about staying at a place that holds traumatic memories, she’s distracted by her messy relationships with supportive girlfriend Cal (Hari Nef), Cal’s fiercely loyal pal Maddie (Rad Pereira), and...
Much like Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance, Bad Things introduces the lead character Ruthie (Gayle Rankin) as someone already a bit unstable from the outset. The idea is to spend a weekend with friends at the hotel Ruthie inherited, albeit an isolated hotel trapped in yesterday with outdated décor and a lack of guests. While Ruthie’s less enthused about staying at a place that holds traumatic memories, she’s distracted by her messy relationships with supportive girlfriend Cal (Hari Nef), Cal’s fiercely loyal pal Maddie (Rad Pereira), and...
- 6/13/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
“Bad Things” is a great amount of fun as a lo-fi slasher with a killer cast. Writer-director Stewart Thorndike’s sophomore feature, following the 2014 breakout film “Lyle,” is a queer take on “The Shining,” centered on a deserted motel in a sleepy snow-filled suburb. Gayle Rankin (“Glow”) leads the film as Ruthie, the heir to the Comley Suites, who also has a traumatic tie to the hotel itself.
Ruthie and her three pals, including girlfriend Cal (Hari Nef), hole up for a weekend getaway at the campy motel, which has been in disrepair ever since Ruthie’s grandmother died. Ruthie’s mother is somewhere roaming the property, but she keeps dodging both Ruthie’s texts and her hook-up handyman, Brian (Jared Abrahamson). Tensions mount as Brian lingers around and Cal waits for Ruthie to propose, despite her being unfaithful with Fran (a delicious Annabelle Dexter-Jones), who is Maddie’s (Rad Pereira) friend with benefits.
Ruthie and her three pals, including girlfriend Cal (Hari Nef), hole up for a weekend getaway at the campy motel, which has been in disrepair ever since Ruthie’s grandmother died. Ruthie’s mother is somewhere roaming the property, but she keeps dodging both Ruthie’s texts and her hook-up handyman, Brian (Jared Abrahamson). Tensions mount as Brian lingers around and Cal waits for Ruthie to propose, despite her being unfaithful with Fran (a delicious Annabelle Dexter-Jones), who is Maddie’s (Rad Pereira) friend with benefits.
- 6/10/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
For a group of friends in the Northeast, a weekend getaway at a snowy resort sounds like just what the doctor ordered. An opportunity to reconnect, relax, and recuperate among serene, snow-capped mountains and trees. But peace doesn’t last long as the ghosts of guests past and relationships long buried come to light. Soon enough, their trip transforms into a psychological tailspin and bloody nightmare, as both long-deceased guests and the space itself come to life, and the group turn on each other in a race to stay alive. A fresh new still from Stewart Thorndike's upcoming queer thriller Bad Things has arrived. Bad Things will have its world premiere at Tribeca this Friday, June 9th! Written and directed by Thorndike, their film stars Gayle...
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- 6/7/2023
- Screen Anarchy
The Tribeca Festival is nearly here, taking place June 7 to June 18, and it brings a packed slate of screenings and premieres.
The festival’s 22nd edition offers a hybrid experience of virtual and in-person, with notable genre programming dedicated to repertory screenings that include Re-Animator to upcoming premieres. In other words, Tribeca’s bringing the horror this year.
Here are five titles we can’t wait to see at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.
Bad Things (United States) – World Premiere
In this haunting thriller, a new variation of psychological horror invites audiences to question the limitations of our contemporary relationships with people and spaces, and the implications of undealt trauma.
Written/Directed by Stewart Thorndike. Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, and Rad Pereira star.
Why we’re excited: Haunted hotels and fragile minds pair well together in horror, as The Shining classically demonstrated.
Perpetrator – North American Premiere
Teenager...
The festival’s 22nd edition offers a hybrid experience of virtual and in-person, with notable genre programming dedicated to repertory screenings that include Re-Animator to upcoming premieres. In other words, Tribeca’s bringing the horror this year.
Here are five titles we can’t wait to see at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.
Bad Things (United States) – World Premiere
In this haunting thriller, a new variation of psychological horror invites audiences to question the limitations of our contemporary relationships with people and spaces, and the implications of undealt trauma.
Written/Directed by Stewart Thorndike. Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, and Rad Pereira star.
Why we’re excited: Haunted hotels and fragile minds pair well together in horror, as The Shining classically demonstrated.
Perpetrator – North American Premiere
Teenager...
- 6/6/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
With Cannes done and dusted and the heavy-hitting autumn quartet of Venice, Telluride, TIFF, and NYFF still a few months off, what’s a film festival fan to do during the dog days of summer? With New York City’s own Tribeca Festival now firmly ensconced in the summer months after moving off its traditional spring dates in 2021, movie lovers both in the city and beyond can enjoy the annual event’s prodigious programming, thanks to a combination of in-person and virtual programming.
The 2023 edition will kick off June 7 with the North American premiere of “Kiss the Future,” a documentary following the story of a community of underground musicians and creatives throughout the nearly four-year-long siege of Sarajevo, as well as the 1997 U2 concert celebrating the liberation of the Bosnian capital.
A special 30th-anniversary screening of “A Bronx Tale” will close the fest on June 17. After the movie, the film...
The 2023 edition will kick off June 7 with the North American premiere of “Kiss the Future,” a documentary following the story of a community of underground musicians and creatives throughout the nearly four-year-long siege of Sarajevo, as well as the 1997 U2 concert celebrating the liberation of the Bosnian capital.
A special 30th-anniversary screening of “A Bronx Tale” will close the fest on June 17. After the movie, the film...
- 6/1/2023
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Stewart Thorndike wrote and directed.
Shudder has picked up North America, UK & Ireland and Australia & New Zealand to the upcoming Tribeca world premiere Bad Things featuring Molly Ringwald.
Stewart Thorndike wrote and directed the film, which will get a streaming release on Shudder on August 25 in the US, UK & Ireland, and Australia & New Zealand, and will also stream on sister platform AMC+ in the US, Canada, and Australia & New Zealand.
Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Rad Pereira, Jared Abrahamson and Ringwald star in the story about friends who gather at a weekend getaway hotel where they discover women do bad things.
Shudder has picked up North America, UK & Ireland and Australia & New Zealand to the upcoming Tribeca world premiere Bad Things featuring Molly Ringwald.
Stewart Thorndike wrote and directed the film, which will get a streaming release on Shudder on August 25 in the US, UK & Ireland, and Australia & New Zealand, and will also stream on sister platform AMC+ in the US, Canada, and Australia & New Zealand.
Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Rad Pereira, Jared Abrahamson and Ringwald star in the story about friends who gather at a weekend getaway hotel where they discover women do bad things.
- 4/20/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Hot on the heels of Tribeca's announcement of this year's festival lineup comes news that one of their midnighters, Bad Things, has already found a home at Shudder. A group of friends go to a hotel for a weekend getaway and soon discover that women do bad things here. The AMC Network streaming service for all things horror and fantastic have acquired Stewart Thorndike's sophomore feature film. They will premiere the horror flick this Summer, on August 25th. The complete announcement follows. Shudder Announces Streaming Debut Of Stewart Thorndike’S Highly Anticipated Sophomore Feature “Bad Things” Following The Film’S World Premiere At 2023 Tribeca Film Festival Film Stars Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef, Annabelle Dexter-jones, Rad Pereira, Jared Abrahamson And Molly Ringwald,...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 4/20/2023
- Screen Anarchy
Ahead of the film’s premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, Variety reports today that Shudder has acquired Stewart Thorndike’s horror movie Bad Things for 2023 release.
Bad Things premieres on Shudder on August 25, 2023.
Bad Things (first look above) tells the story of a group of friends whose trip to a snowy resort for a weekend getaway devolves in a psychological tailspin and ends in a bloody nightmare.
“With ‘Bad Things,’ I wanted to create a world of women and non-binary people who shake off polite conditionings and finally roar,” Thorndike said in a statement. “Where are all the female Travis Bickles and Jack Torrances? ‘Bad Things’ answers that.”
“At the heart of ‘Bad Things’ is a dark celebration of motherhood and all its splendid viscera. Shudder was the perfect partner for this tale of female rage,” Thorndike also said.
Bad Things stars Gayle Rankin (“Glow”), Hari Nef (“Barbie”), Annabelle Dexter-Jones...
Bad Things premieres on Shudder on August 25, 2023.
Bad Things (first look above) tells the story of a group of friends whose trip to a snowy resort for a weekend getaway devolves in a psychological tailspin and ends in a bloody nightmare.
“With ‘Bad Things,’ I wanted to create a world of women and non-binary people who shake off polite conditionings and finally roar,” Thorndike said in a statement. “Where are all the female Travis Bickles and Jack Torrances? ‘Bad Things’ answers that.”
“At the heart of ‘Bad Things’ is a dark celebration of motherhood and all its splendid viscera. Shudder was the perfect partner for this tale of female rage,” Thorndike also said.
Bad Things stars Gayle Rankin (“Glow”), Hari Nef (“Barbie”), Annabelle Dexter-Jones...
- 4/20/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Shudder has acquired “Bad Things” ahead of the thriller’s debut at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. The film is written and directed by Stewart Thorndike, best known for “Lyle,” and tells the story of a group of friends whose trip to a snowy resort for a weekend getaway devolves in a psychological tailspin and ends in a bloody nightmare.
“With ‘Bad Things,’ I wanted to create a world of women and non-binary people who shake off polite conditionings and finally roar,” Thorndike said in a statement. “Where are all the female Travis Bickles and Jack Torrances? ‘Bad Things’ answers that.” She went on to say that “at the heart of ‘Bad Things’ is a dark celebration of motherhood and all its splendid viscera. Shudder was the perfect partner for this tale of female rage.”
Sam Zimmerman, vice president of programming at Shudder added, “We’ve wanted to see...
“With ‘Bad Things,’ I wanted to create a world of women and non-binary people who shake off polite conditionings and finally roar,” Thorndike said in a statement. “Where are all the female Travis Bickles and Jack Torrances? ‘Bad Things’ answers that.” She went on to say that “at the heart of ‘Bad Things’ is a dark celebration of motherhood and all its splendid viscera. Shudder was the perfect partner for this tale of female rage.”
Sam Zimmerman, vice president of programming at Shudder added, “We’ve wanted to see...
- 4/20/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Tribeca Festival has announced the lineup of its 2023 festival, which includes new films from actors Chelsea Peretti and David Duchovny and documentaries about Rock Hudson and news anchor Dan Rather.
This year’s event, which takes place from June 7-18, will feature 109 feature films from 127 filmmakers across 36 countries. There will be 93 world premieres, one international premiere, eight North American premieres, one U.S. premiere and six New York premieres.
Among the lineup, there are offerings from 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. For the first time, more than half of feature films in competition (68%) are directed by women, while 41% (45) of all feature films are directed by women. Additionally, 36% (39) of feature films are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two indigenous filmmakers.
This year’s festival also spotlights a number of films directed by actors, such as “First Time Female Director” by Peretti; “Maggie Moore(s)” by...
This year’s event, which takes place from June 7-18, will feature 109 feature films from 127 filmmakers across 36 countries. There will be 93 world premieres, one international premiere, eight North American premieres, one U.S. premiere and six New York premieres.
Among the lineup, there are offerings from 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. For the first time, more than half of feature films in competition (68%) are directed by women, while 41% (45) of all feature films are directed by women. Additionally, 36% (39) of feature films are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two indigenous filmmakers.
This year’s festival also spotlights a number of films directed by actors, such as “First Time Female Director” by Peretti; “Maggie Moore(s)” by...
- 4/18/2023
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The 22nd edition of NYC’s Tribeca Film Festival appears to have star power to spare, with Michael Shannon, John Slattery, Chelsea Peretti, David Duchovny, Jennifer Esposito, Randall Park, real-life couple Hamish Linklater and Lily Rabe and Steve Buscemi among those with new films premiering among the 100-plus features screening this year from June 7 through June 18.
A few interesting stats: There are 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. 41% of all feature films are directed by women and, for the first time, more than half of competition feature films are directed by women. And 39 of the feature films represented are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two indigenous filmmakers.
For the third year, the Tribeca Fest will include the “Expressions of Black Freedom” program, including a celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, which will highight the world premiere of “All Up in the Biz,” a documentary about hip-hop legend Biz Markie,...
A few interesting stats: There are 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. 41% of all feature films are directed by women and, for the first time, more than half of competition feature films are directed by women. And 39 of the feature films represented are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two indigenous filmmakers.
For the third year, the Tribeca Fest will include the “Expressions of Black Freedom” program, including a celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, which will highight the world premiere of “All Up in the Biz,” a documentary about hip-hop legend Biz Markie,...
- 4/18/2023
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
The 22nd edition of the Tribeca Festival unveiled a 2023 lineup with a record number of female helmers and heavy on films directed by actors like Chelsea Peretti’s First Time Female Director, John Slattery thriller Maggie Moore(s) with Tina Fey and Jon Hamm, David Duchovny’s Bucky F*cking Dent and Steve Buscemi’s The Listener.
Marvel also screens its first original documentary, Stan Lee by David Gelb, as the fest unspools June 7-18 in New York City. Also making an appearance: Downtown Owl by Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater, and Eric Larue by Michael Shannon.
In all, 109 feature, narrative, documentary and animated films from 127 directors across 36 countries will showcase emerging and household names.
Tribeca is expanding its Midnight offering this year, and will also present its second annual Human/Nature award for environmental storytelling to world-premiering Common Ground by Rebecca and Josh Tickell.
Related music and live events...
Marvel also screens its first original documentary, Stan Lee by David Gelb, as the fest unspools June 7-18 in New York City. Also making an appearance: Downtown Owl by Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater, and Eric Larue by Michael Shannon.
In all, 109 feature, narrative, documentary and animated films from 127 directors across 36 countries will showcase emerging and household names.
Tribeca is expanding its Midnight offering this year, and will also present its second annual Human/Nature award for environmental storytelling to world-premiering Common Ground by Rebecca and Josh Tickell.
Related music and live events...
- 4/18/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Looking to heat up your summer from the air-conditioned confines of your own home? Shudder has you covered this June with an eclectic set of horror films both old and new, including the Mark Patton documentary Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street, Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses, the horror anthology Scare Package, and much more!
Below, you can check out the full list of titles coming to Shudder in the Us this June, and be sure to visit Shudder's website to learn more about the streaming service and their scary good lineup!
"Scream, Queen! My Nightmare On Elm Street
Some have called it the 'gayest horror movie ever made,' but for Mark Patton, the star of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, it was anything but a dream come true. 30 years after its initial release, Patton sets the record straight about the controversial sequel...
Below, you can check out the full list of titles coming to Shudder in the Us this June, and be sure to visit Shudder's website to learn more about the streaming service and their scary good lineup!
"Scream, Queen! My Nightmare On Elm Street
Some have called it the 'gayest horror movie ever made,' but for Mark Patton, the star of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, it was anything but a dream come true. 30 years after its initial release, Patton sets the record straight about the controversial sequel...
- 5/26/2020
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
The second wave of programming for this year’s Fantastic Fest is rolling in and it is bringing a flood of impressive titles including the fest’s closing night film, Rian Johnson’s whodunnit Knives Out featuring the all-star cast of Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana De Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford and Jaeden Martel. Johnson is slated to be in attendance at the fest which kicks off in Austin September 19 and continues through September 26.
In addition, the highly anticipated Parasite will screen at Fantastic Fest with director Bong Joon-ho in attendance. The film, which won the Cannes Palme d’Or is a darkly comic tale of two very different families who find their lives inexplicably intertwined.
On top of that, Fantastic Fest will celebrate Mexican genre film with a trio of rarely seen repertory titles, programmed in association with Mexico City’s Mórbido Film Fest.
In addition, the highly anticipated Parasite will screen at Fantastic Fest with director Bong Joon-ho in attendance. The film, which won the Cannes Palme d’Or is a darkly comic tale of two very different families who find their lives inexplicably intertwined.
On top of that, Fantastic Fest will celebrate Mexican genre film with a trio of rarely seen repertory titles, programmed in association with Mexico City’s Mórbido Film Fest.
- 8/20/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Following the first wave of programming's unveiling earlier this summer, Fantastic Fest was already a must-see experience for movie lovers, but its second wave of programming has put it at an even higher level of anticipation, with new additions to the lineup including Bong Joon-ho's Parasite, Richard Stanley's Color Out of Space, Joe Begos' Vfw, the documentary Phil Tippett - Mad Dreams and Monsters, and perhaps the most anticipated of all: the closing night movie, Rian Johnson’s Knives Out.
We have the full second wave of programming in the official press release below, and visit Fantastic Fest's website for more information.
Press Release: Austin, TX — August 20, 2019 —Fantastic Fest is proud to announce its second wave of programming, led by a closing night screening of writer-director Rian Johnson’s hotly anticipated new Lionsgate and Mrc mystery Knives Out. A tribute to the work of Agatha Christie, Knives Out...
We have the full second wave of programming in the official press release below, and visit Fantastic Fest's website for more information.
Press Release: Austin, TX — August 20, 2019 —Fantastic Fest is proud to announce its second wave of programming, led by a closing night screening of writer-director Rian Johnson’s hotly anticipated new Lionsgate and Mrc mystery Knives Out. A tribute to the work of Agatha Christie, Knives Out...
- 8/20/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Exclusive: Drew Houpt, Lucas Joaquin and Alex Scharfman are teaming to launch Secret Engine, a New York-based indie production company. Beach Rats, the Eliza Hittman pic that bows later today in the U.S Dramatic Competition lineup at the Sundance Film Festival, will be the first film under the collaboration. Other upcoming projects under the new banner include Russell Harbaugh's Love After Love starring Andie MacDowell and Chris O'Dowd and now in post; Stewart Thorndike’s…...
- 1/23/2017
- Deadline
Founded in 2013 by "I Believe in Unicorns" director Leah Meyerhoff, Film Fatales is a bicoastal collective of women filmmakers who mentor and collaborate in an indie space that's far removed from the sexist world of Hollywood—and therefore all the more likely to make impact. “At a time when audiences are hungry for a diversity of stories on screen, we’ve compiled a list of recent films directed by women that everyone should see, as well as a selection of older titles which continue to inspire us,” said Film Fatales founder Leah Meyerhoff, who shared the following list with Bitch Media. Film Fatales in NY and La include Meyerhoff, Eliza Hittman, Ry Russo Young, Stewart Thorndike, Marielle Heller, Leslye Headland, Sasha Gordon, Jess Weixler and Josephine Decker. Here are their picks for the best films made by women, including "Appropriate Behavior," "Diary of a Teenage Girl," "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night,...
- 7/9/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
Read More: Here's How to Watch An Award-Winning Film (Starring Gaby Hoffman!) For Free Writer-director Stewart Thorndike's female-driven horror film, "Lyle," will receive a traditional VOD and DVD release through Breaking Glass Pictures later this fall. "Lyle" tells the story of Leah (Gaby Hoffmann) and June (Ingrid Jungerman), an expectant lesbian couple grappling with the tragic and bizarre death of their toddler Lyle. As Leah prepares for the home birth of another child, she quickly spirals into paranoia and delusion, fearful for her unborn baby. Check out the exclusive new trailer at the top of this page, which does an excellent job of terrifying us with images of peeling wallpaper and the threat of baby-snatching. Breaking Glass Pictures will release "Lyle" on VOD and DVD on September 29. Read More: Here's Why Indie Filmmakers Need to Think Like Entrepreneurs...
- 6/25/2015
- by Sarah Choi
- Indiewire
Stewart Thorndike’s psychological is styled as a modern-day lesbian ode to Rosemary’s Baby and stars Gaby Hoffmann.
Lyle premiere at Outfest 2014 where Hoffmann won the grand jury prize for best actress for her role as a grieving expectant mother who suspects her neighbours may be involved in satanism.
Breaking Glass Pictures will release Lyle on VOD and DVD on September 29.
Lyle premiere at Outfest 2014 where Hoffmann won the grand jury prize for best actress for her role as a grieving expectant mother who suspects her neighbours may be involved in satanism.
Breaking Glass Pictures will release Lyle on VOD and DVD on September 29.
- 6/10/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The San Francisco Film Society has announced the inaugural recipients of its Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowships, a brand new suite of services designed to support female writer/directors working on their second or third narrative feature through a combination of financial backing, innovative programs and events, mentorship services, industry connections and a growing community of fellow filmmakers. Supported by the Kenneth Rainin Foundation and facilitated by Filmmaker360, the Film Society's filmmaker services department, these fellowships provide direct assistance to an under-served group of storytellers and help to build sustainable careers for women filmmakers all over the world.
Participants in the Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowship must be working on a second or third English-language narrative feature screenplay. They must have had a previous film premiere at a major international festival and priority is given to women working in the genres of science fiction, comedy, action, thriller and horror, which are traditionally under-represented for women filmmakers.
"We're thrilled to be kicking off this new initiative with such talented individuals, and to help bridge the support gap we have seen for many women in finding the resources they need, especially on their second or third feature film projects," said Michele Turnure-Salleo, director of Filmmaker360. "It's also very satisfying to support kick-ass women making edgy sci-fi, horror and comedies, and we hope this initiative contributes to leveling the playing field in those areas. Like our Sffs Producers Initiative, this program focuses on backing people rather than individual projects, and we are committed to helping these amazing folks realize their creative visions."
In 2013 and 2014, academic institutions such as the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California and the Center for Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State produced substantive reports on the state of women in the film industry, revealing startling statistics that point to drastic gender inequality. The latter group, for example, reports that in 2013, women accounted for just 6% of directors, 10% of writers, 15% of executive producers, 17% of editors and 3% of cinematographers. Additionally, women were found more likely to be working on romantic comedies, dramas or documentaries than the top-grossing genres of animation, sci-fi, action and horror.
"We all benefit from a more accurate and diverse portrayal of society on film," said Jennifer Rainin, CEO of the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. "As more than 50% of the population, it's imperative that women have opportunities to share their stories on screen and that we see female characters valued as much as males, yet there's a lack of progress on these issues and little funding for female filmmakers working in narrative. Recognizing this gap, we've created the Women Filmmaker Fellowships as a way to build a critical mass of female filmmakers enjoying sustainable and thriving careers. I hope it inspires other film organizations and philanthropists to join us in building out this initiative, and to replicate this model."
Designed to grow organically over time to include additional programs and events, the Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowship is currently seeking additional funding partners. For more information, visit sffs.org/filmmaker360
2015 Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellows
Nikole Beckwith
Nikole Beckwith is from Newburyport, Massachusetts. Her plays have been developed and performed with the Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Clubbed Thumb, Here Arts Center, Colt Coeur, Lesser America, 3Ld and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater among others. Her newest play Untitled Matriarch Play (or Seven Sisters) was written at the National Theatre of London's Studio and premiered in rep at the Royal Court under the direction of Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone. Also a pen and ink artist, Beckwith's comics have been featured on NPR, Wnyc, the Huffington Post and the Hairpin, among others. Her first film "Stockholm, Pennsylvania" (2012 Nicholl Fellowship, 2012 Black List, 2013 Sundance Screenwriters Lab), which was adapted from her stage play of the same name, premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in the Us Dramatic Competition. She lives in Brooklyn.
Jennifer Phang
Jennifer Phang's sophomore feature "Advantageous" won the Us Dramatic Competition Special Jury Prize in Collaborative Vision at Sundance 2015. The film will play at the San Francisco International Film Festival and Bam Cinemafest, and is expected to see a release in June. Her award-winning debut feature "Half-Life" premiered in 2008 at the Tokyo International and Sundance film festivals. It screened at SXSW and was distributed by Sundance Channel. She was invited to Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab and was awarded a Sffs FilmHouse Residency and Sundance Institute Feature Film Grants in support of "Advantageous." Phang was originally commissioned to create "Advantageous" as a short film for the Itvs Futurestates Program. A Berkeley-born daughter of a Chinese-Malaysian father and Vietnamese mother, Phang graduated from the Mfa directing program at the American Film Institute.
Stewart Thorndike
Stewart Thorndike is a writer/director from Tacoma, Washington. She makes female-driven genre films and her first film, "Lyle," was hailed as a "lesbian Rosemary's Baby " after its premiere at Outfest, where star Gaby Hoffmann won the Grand Jury Award for Best Actress. Thorndike attended Nyu's graduate film program and her thesis short film, "Tess and Nana," premiered at SXSW. Stewart's next film, "The Stay," is about a group of women at a hotel who are told to do bad things by a haunted Ted Talk, with Chloe Sevigny attached to star in the 2015 production. She is currently developing her second horror feature, "Daughter," about a love triangle between a single mother, her troubled teenage daughter and the witch who moves in next door. Thorndike plans to shoot "Daughter" in 2016.
Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowships will take place from April to October each year, overlapping with the Film Society's previously announced Producers Fellowship programs and the San Francisco International Film Festival (April 23 - May 7). Program support includes:
* A $25,000 - $40,000 cash grant, which must be used for living expenses. Individual amounts depend on place of residence and estimated travel costs to participate in Bay Area fellowship components.
* Placement in FilmHouse Residency program and access to all FilmHouse programs and activities.
* One-on-one consultation with film industry experts from the Bay Area and beyond regarding casting, financing, budgeting, legal issues, distribution and other relevant topics.
* Weekly one-on-one consultation services provided by Filmmaker360 staff, with feedback on screenplays, verbal pitch strategies and written materials such as synopsis and treatment.
* Presentations and networking opportunities with Bay Area narrative filmmakers.
* Expenses covered for one 3-day networking trip with a Filmmaker360 staff member from San Francisco to Los Angeles, for meetings with established industry professionals.
Filmmaker360 has a strong track record for supporting innovative work by female writer/directors. Four out of six of the projects that received funding in the most recent round of Sffs / Kenneth Rainin Foundation Filmmaking Grants-the Film Society's flagship grant program which has disbursed more than $2.8 million since its inception-were written and directed by women. Additionally, four films supported by Sffs grants, residencies and fiscal sponsorship had their world premieres at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival:
-Jennifer Phang's "Advantageous"
-Jenni Olson's "The Royal Road"
-Chloé Zhao's "Songs My Brothers Taught Me"
-Kris Swanberg's "Unexpected."
For information about all Filmmaker360 support services, visit sffs.org/filmmaker360 .
Participants in the Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowship must be working on a second or third English-language narrative feature screenplay. They must have had a previous film premiere at a major international festival and priority is given to women working in the genres of science fiction, comedy, action, thriller and horror, which are traditionally under-represented for women filmmakers.
"We're thrilled to be kicking off this new initiative with such talented individuals, and to help bridge the support gap we have seen for many women in finding the resources they need, especially on their second or third feature film projects," said Michele Turnure-Salleo, director of Filmmaker360. "It's also very satisfying to support kick-ass women making edgy sci-fi, horror and comedies, and we hope this initiative contributes to leveling the playing field in those areas. Like our Sffs Producers Initiative, this program focuses on backing people rather than individual projects, and we are committed to helping these amazing folks realize their creative visions."
In 2013 and 2014, academic institutions such as the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California and the Center for Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State produced substantive reports on the state of women in the film industry, revealing startling statistics that point to drastic gender inequality. The latter group, for example, reports that in 2013, women accounted for just 6% of directors, 10% of writers, 15% of executive producers, 17% of editors and 3% of cinematographers. Additionally, women were found more likely to be working on romantic comedies, dramas or documentaries than the top-grossing genres of animation, sci-fi, action and horror.
"We all benefit from a more accurate and diverse portrayal of society on film," said Jennifer Rainin, CEO of the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. "As more than 50% of the population, it's imperative that women have opportunities to share their stories on screen and that we see female characters valued as much as males, yet there's a lack of progress on these issues and little funding for female filmmakers working in narrative. Recognizing this gap, we've created the Women Filmmaker Fellowships as a way to build a critical mass of female filmmakers enjoying sustainable and thriving careers. I hope it inspires other film organizations and philanthropists to join us in building out this initiative, and to replicate this model."
Designed to grow organically over time to include additional programs and events, the Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowship is currently seeking additional funding partners. For more information, visit sffs.org/filmmaker360
2015 Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellows
Nikole Beckwith
Nikole Beckwith is from Newburyport, Massachusetts. Her plays have been developed and performed with the Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Clubbed Thumb, Here Arts Center, Colt Coeur, Lesser America, 3Ld and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater among others. Her newest play Untitled Matriarch Play (or Seven Sisters) was written at the National Theatre of London's Studio and premiered in rep at the Royal Court under the direction of Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone. Also a pen and ink artist, Beckwith's comics have been featured on NPR, Wnyc, the Huffington Post and the Hairpin, among others. Her first film "Stockholm, Pennsylvania" (2012 Nicholl Fellowship, 2012 Black List, 2013 Sundance Screenwriters Lab), which was adapted from her stage play of the same name, premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in the Us Dramatic Competition. She lives in Brooklyn.
Jennifer Phang
Jennifer Phang's sophomore feature "Advantageous" won the Us Dramatic Competition Special Jury Prize in Collaborative Vision at Sundance 2015. The film will play at the San Francisco International Film Festival and Bam Cinemafest, and is expected to see a release in June. Her award-winning debut feature "Half-Life" premiered in 2008 at the Tokyo International and Sundance film festivals. It screened at SXSW and was distributed by Sundance Channel. She was invited to Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab and was awarded a Sffs FilmHouse Residency and Sundance Institute Feature Film Grants in support of "Advantageous." Phang was originally commissioned to create "Advantageous" as a short film for the Itvs Futurestates Program. A Berkeley-born daughter of a Chinese-Malaysian father and Vietnamese mother, Phang graduated from the Mfa directing program at the American Film Institute.
Stewart Thorndike
Stewart Thorndike is a writer/director from Tacoma, Washington. She makes female-driven genre films and her first film, "Lyle," was hailed as a "lesbian Rosemary's Baby " after its premiere at Outfest, where star Gaby Hoffmann won the Grand Jury Award for Best Actress. Thorndike attended Nyu's graduate film program and her thesis short film, "Tess and Nana," premiered at SXSW. Stewart's next film, "The Stay," is about a group of women at a hotel who are told to do bad things by a haunted Ted Talk, with Chloe Sevigny attached to star in the 2015 production. She is currently developing her second horror feature, "Daughter," about a love triangle between a single mother, her troubled teenage daughter and the witch who moves in next door. Thorndike plans to shoot "Daughter" in 2016.
Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowships will take place from April to October each year, overlapping with the Film Society's previously announced Producers Fellowship programs and the San Francisco International Film Festival (April 23 - May 7). Program support includes:
* A $25,000 - $40,000 cash grant, which must be used for living expenses. Individual amounts depend on place of residence and estimated travel costs to participate in Bay Area fellowship components.
* Placement in FilmHouse Residency program and access to all FilmHouse programs and activities.
* One-on-one consultation with film industry experts from the Bay Area and beyond regarding casting, financing, budgeting, legal issues, distribution and other relevant topics.
* Weekly one-on-one consultation services provided by Filmmaker360 staff, with feedback on screenplays, verbal pitch strategies and written materials such as synopsis and treatment.
* Presentations and networking opportunities with Bay Area narrative filmmakers.
* Expenses covered for one 3-day networking trip with a Filmmaker360 staff member from San Francisco to Los Angeles, for meetings with established industry professionals.
Filmmaker360 has a strong track record for supporting innovative work by female writer/directors. Four out of six of the projects that received funding in the most recent round of Sffs / Kenneth Rainin Foundation Filmmaking Grants-the Film Society's flagship grant program which has disbursed more than $2.8 million since its inception-were written and directed by women. Additionally, four films supported by Sffs grants, residencies and fiscal sponsorship had their world premieres at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival:
-Jennifer Phang's "Advantageous"
-Jenni Olson's "The Royal Road"
-Chloé Zhao's "Songs My Brothers Taught Me"
-Kris Swanberg's "Unexpected."
For information about all Filmmaker360 support services, visit sffs.org/filmmaker360 .
- 4/23/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Director Stewart Thorndike is on the path to creating a female led horror trilogy but Thorndike isn't interested in the visceral, blood filled horror movies but more the quiet, psychological approach. Her first entry into the trilogy, Lyle, is a perfect example of Thorndike's approach. Starring the great Gaby Hoffman, the movie is the story of one woman's descent into chaos. Aside from the mood and excellent performance from Hoffman, what I appreciated most about Lyle is its brevity. The movie is just as long as it takes to tell the story with all of the fat trimmed away and the resulting movie is far more successful because of it.
Thorndike is now preparing her follow-up entry into the trilogy. Putney follows a group of four estranged women who go on a weekend hik [Continued ...]...
Thorndike is now preparing her follow-up entry into the trilogy. Putney follows a group of four estranged women who go on a weekend hik [Continued ...]...
- 8/15/2014
- QuietEarth.us
Keep an eye out for some very interesting decisions made by writerdirector Stewart Thorndike. Youll notice atypical technical decisions in motion like holding the cam rather tripoding the rig for certain (not necessarily all) stationary shots. The decision to hold shots and drag them out as long as possible building the tension a la prime John Carpenter. The stark color contrast that ultimately toys with the mind in a unique and almost undetectable manner. The haunting but noticeably thin score.
- 8/13/2014
- Best-Horror-Movies.com
The slow, rhythmic creaking of a rocking chair can be soothing… or disconcerting. In the case of our clip from Stewart Thorndike’s Lyle, it’s definitely the former. A psychological horror film that played at the Outfest Film Festival, Lyle is now available to watch in its entirety for free, and we have a clip featuring the lead actress wielding scissors for protection.
In an effort to address the lack of horror films directed by women, female Director/Writer Stewart Thorndike is in the process of making three female-centric horror movies. Lyle is the first of the three, and Putney, currently raising funds via a Kickstarter campaign, is the planned second entry. There are 44 days left of the Putney Kickstarter campaign, and Stewart recently announced that fans can watch Lyle for free on the movie’s website for the rest of the Putney Kickstarter campaign.
To watch Lyle, whose...
In an effort to address the lack of horror films directed by women, female Director/Writer Stewart Thorndike is in the process of making three female-centric horror movies. Lyle is the first of the three, and Putney, currently raising funds via a Kickstarter campaign, is the planned second entry. There are 44 days left of the Putney Kickstarter campaign, and Stewart recently announced that fans can watch Lyle for free on the movie’s website for the rest of the Putney Kickstarter campaign.
To watch Lyle, whose...
- 8/5/2014
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Gaby Hoffmann has transitioned well as the child star of Now and Then and Field of Dreams, embracing adulthood and a career resurgence with nuanced performances for last year.s festival hit Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus and her recurring role on HBO.s Girls. Hoffmann's next project is something else entirely, as she.s starring in the Rosemary.s Baby-ish horror Lyle, the first feature from writer/director Stewart Thorndike. Perhaps as interesting as the film itself, Thorndike and producer Alex Scharfman are distributing the film via online streaming.for free. On Monday, August 4, anyone can head to the Lyle website to stream the film in its entirety at no charge. Now, it.s not completely unheard of for indie movies to hit the net first, but it usually involves something that no one would want to spend money on in the first place. (Humble opinion.) Lyle looks and...
- 7/30/2014
- cinemablend.com
On tap for you cats right now is the official trailer for director Stewart Thorndike's new film Lyle, which is said to be cut from the same umbilical chord as Rosemary's Baby. Gotta say... it's lookin' pretty damned creepy. Check it out!
In the film Gabby Hoffman plays a mother's whose grief over the death of her toddler leads to horror. Ingrid Jungermann, Rebecca Street, Kim Allen, Michael Che, and Ashlie Atkinson also star.
Lyle was written and directed by Stewart Thorndike, produced by Alex Scharfman, and is said to be the first of three upcoming female-focused horror films Thorndike has in the works.
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In the film Gabby Hoffman plays a mother's whose grief over the death of her toddler leads to horror. Ingrid Jungermann, Rebecca Street, Kim Allen, Michael Che, and Ashlie Atkinson also star.
Lyle was written and directed by Stewart Thorndike, produced by Alex Scharfman, and is said to be the first of three upcoming female-focused horror films Thorndike has in the works.
Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!
Got news? Click here to submit it!
Subscribe to the Dread Central YouTube Channel!
Come out in the comments section below!
- 7/29/2014
- by Steve Barton
- DreadCentral.com
Eschewing more traditional distribution models, director Stewart Thorndike and producer Alex Scharfman have elected to stream "Lyle," the first of three female-focused horror films, for free. Streaming starts August 4 on the film's website, while Thorndike and Scharfman begin a Kickstarter campaign for their next film "Putney." This little domestic horror film a la "Rosemary's Baby" and "Repulsion," the effervescent Gaby Hoffmann ("Crystal Fairy," "Obvious Child" and HBO's "Girls") sheds her comedy routine for darker meat, here as a pregnant lesbian who becomes increasingly terrified by the world around her, questioning the motives of her lover and her friends and neighbors. Hoffmann won the Grand Jury Best Actress Award at Outfest, where the film world-premiered. "Lyle" is a well-shot and moody slice of terror, and perfect for streaming at home -- a place where, for Hoffmann's character, the...
- 7/28/2014
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
If you still have an affinity for books, there can be few more choice summer reads than Edmund White's 2005 autobiography, My Lives. Divided into nonlinear sections devoted to his relationships with his parents, his hustlers, and his female entanglements, there's also a chapter entitled "My Europe." Herein White notes how while in the Paris of the 1980s, he became aware that petite green beans are tastier than their larger cousins. He also recounts how the social theorist Michel Foucault, a pal of his, noted that while "'gay philosophy' and 'gay paintings' were meaningless notions...writing gay fiction was legitimate since it enabled us to imagine how gay men should live together."
Foucault apparently "felt that relationships between gay men were tenuous, undefined, still to be invented, and that gay fiction was the place where a vision of association could be worked out in concrete detail."
The same could be said of Lgbt cinema,...
Foucault apparently "felt that relationships between gay men were tenuous, undefined, still to be invented, and that gay fiction was the place where a vision of association could be worked out in concrete detail."
The same could be said of Lgbt cinema,...
- 7/26/2014
- by Brandon Judell
- www.culturecatch.com
Devil’s Due: Satan is an Equal Opportunity Baby Snatcher in Thorndike’s Debut
Credited as a ‘sinister ode to Rosemary’s Baby’ (though, there probably is no other kind of ode to extend to the material), Stewart Thorndike’s directorial debut, Lyle arrives with surprising straight faced self-seriousness (pun intended) as it contends to enlighten us with another dose of the dark one’s endless fascination with collecting human babies. It’s been a grand year for a resurgence in odes and homages to Levin’s horror classic, originally adapted in 1968 and starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes. We’ve just experienced an American television miniseries remake directed by Agnieszka Holland, and then there was that found footage garbage, Devil’s Due, a film that only serves to highlight the difference between homage and blatant rip-off. But Thorndike goes for something a little different, removing the terror from the...
Credited as a ‘sinister ode to Rosemary’s Baby’ (though, there probably is no other kind of ode to extend to the material), Stewart Thorndike’s directorial debut, Lyle arrives with surprising straight faced self-seriousness (pun intended) as it contends to enlighten us with another dose of the dark one’s endless fascination with collecting human babies. It’s been a grand year for a resurgence in odes and homages to Levin’s horror classic, originally adapted in 1968 and starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes. We’ve just experienced an American television miniseries remake directed by Agnieszka Holland, and then there was that found footage garbage, Devil’s Due, a film that only serves to highlight the difference between homage and blatant rip-off. But Thorndike goes for something a little different, removing the terror from the...
- 7/14/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
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