Ahead of its world premiere at the upcoming Popcorn Frights Festival, we’re pleased to share some exclusive stills from Australian found-footage horror Puzzle Box from director Jack Dignan (After She Died).
Starrring Kaitlyn Boyé, Laneikka Denne, Cassandre Girard & Janelle McMenami, Puzzle Box has been described as “uniquely terrifying and menacingly creepy” and “an unsettling found-footage nightmare that will settle in the pit of your stomach like a stone.”
Here’s the official plot rundown:
The story follows Kait, a desperate addict who seeks refuge in a remote house in the woods to self-rehabilitate, where she is joined by her younger sister Olivia to document the process. Little do they know, the house harbors a dark secret, its very walls shifting and twisting like a nightmarish labyrinth, ensnaring them in an unfathomable puzzle. As they claw for answers with each twist and turn, they awaken an unspeakable evil lurking within, far more terrifying than their own demons. As they race against time to unlock the mystery and break free, fear takes on new dimensions, where every step could lead to their terrifying demise.
Director Dignan (who’s been described by The Australian as “the new [James] Wan“) shares his inspiration behind going for a found-footage format, as well as his excitement for the upcoming premiere:
“Puzzle Box isn’t a film I ever thought I would make. After my first film (After She Died) came out, I didn’t expect this to be what I worked on next. I wasn’t planning on doing a small little self-contained found footage horror movie ever in my life, let alone right at this moment. But once the idea came to me, I knew I had to make it. There was something special about it; something scary and exciting and fresh, and the process of making it thrilled me. I had to do it. And it was an experience I hold dear to my heart. This is a very special movie to me, for a number of reasons, and a special movie like this needs the right festival to premiere at, which is why I was thrilled to hear that Popcorn Frights wanted to host our world premiere. This is a festival I’ve admired from afar for quite some time. They embrace the weird, the wonderful and the frightening, and having gotten a sneak peak at what’s in store at this year’s festival, I’m honoured to be included amongst such wonderful movies.”
If you’re lucky enough to be attending Popcorn Frights (August 12-20), don’t miss Puzzle Box, playing virtually as part of the “Australian Invasion” with Psychosis, as well as Alice Maio Mackay’s T Blockers. While you wait, check out our exclusive stills, plus poster and trailer, below!
