Prior to its world premiere at Friday’s Berlin International Film Festival, Shudder have released the first teaser and poster for upcoming horror-noir Perpetrator from director Jennifer Reeder (Knives and Skin, V/H/S/94).
Perpetrator – which Reeder describes as a a ‘grrrl power take on modern horror’ – stars Alicia Silverstone (Clueless, The Requin), Kiah McKirnan (Mare of Easttown), Christopher Lowell (My Best Friend’s Exorcism), Melanie Liburd (The Idol), and Ireon Roach (2021’s Candyman). The film follows:
Jonny (McKirnan), a reckless teen sent to live with her estranged Aunt Hildie (Silverstone). On her 18th birthday, she experiences a radical metamorphosis: a family spell that redefines her called Forevering. When several teen girls go missing at her new school, a mythically feral Jonny goes after the Perpetrator.
The ‘nuanced noir’ horror marks Reeder’s third collaboration with Shudder, following Night’s End and the aforementioned V/H/S/94, in which Reeder helmed the terrifying frame narrative Holy Hell. After Reeder’s critically-acclaimed psychological thriller Knives and Skin was released in 2019, Bong Joon-ho named her as one of twenty up-and-coming filmmakers that he believes will shape the future of cinema over the next decade. High praise indeed from the Oscar-winning Parasite legend.
Needless to say, Reeder has been one to watch for a while, and this teaser for Perpetrator only proves this further, as the agonisingly tense clip promises psychological headfuckery from a commanding Silverstone. The gorgeous poster (see below) from Creepy Duck Designs definitely makes good on Reeder’s ‘dark but feminine’ promise.
While we wait to hear more about Perpetrator and its Shudder release date following the BIFF premiere, check out the teaser below – and whatever you do, don’t let Aunt Hildie near your stuff.
