FOLLOWING A DEVASTATING SOLAR EXPLOSION, THREE
YOUNG GIRLS AND THEIR FATHER ATTEMPT TO SURVIVE
BOTH THE ELEMENTS AND EACH OTHER IN THIS TAUT,
POST-APOCALYPTIC, COMING-OF-AGE THRILLER
THE TALLINN BLACK NIGHTS BEST FIRST FEATURE NOMINEE MAKES ITS EXCLUSIVE U.S. PREMIERE ON FILM MOVEMENT PLUS ON JULY 28, 2023 “Inventive, tense and beautifully constructed, [this] feminist horror film announces Italian filmmaker Emanuela Rossi as a force to reckon with.” -- Morbidly Beautiful “A ferocious debut…compellingly acted and impeccably rendered, Darkness is a must-see” -- Tracy Palmer, Signal Horizons |
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SYNOPSIS
First time director Emanuela Rossi, working from a script she co-wrote with Claudio Corbucci, crafts a bleak but beautiful coming-of-age drama that’s part post-apocalyptic horror, part mystery thriller, part psychological drama, and part feminist fable. Stella, 17-year-old, and her younger sisters, Luce and Aria, are locked inside their house with bars on the windows. Outside is the Apocalypse: two thirds of humanity have expired since a solar explosion that left sunlight too strong; only men can go outside, women can’t tolerate it. The girls entertain themselves by dressing up, playing games and doing what they can to remain sane, acting out memories from when they were younger, when their mother was still with them. Their angry father discourages such behavior, telling them that clinging to a long gone past is a waste of time. Things break down for good, however, when Luce starts asking about the outside… Following its world premiere at Tallinn Black Nights IFF in 2019 where it was nominated for Best First Feature, the film was met with critical acclaim. Emily Von Seele of Daily Dead penned, “Darkness is an incredible examination of a cycle of abuse, wrapped in a beautiful and compelling story. It’s hard to tear yourself away from these characters, and the places their journey takes them will not soon be forgotten” and Tom Moore of In Their Own League called it “a chilling display of domestic abuse spurred by monstrous paranoia in a post-apocalyptic setting” and “[Darkness] harnesses enough elements of a horrifying display of domestic abuse and a rise from the ashes story with a game-changing twist to be a great watch.” FESTIVALS/AWARDS - TALLINN BLACK NIGHTS IFF 2019 - FIRST FEATURES COMPETITION
- ALICE NELLA CITTÀ 2019 - PANORAMA ITALIA
- TRANSILVANIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2020 - EDUCATIFF
- FESTIVAL DU CINEMA UNIVERCINÉ ITALIEN DE NANTES 2020 - PRIX DES LYCÉENS
- MOTELX 2020 - OFFICIAL SELECTION - COMPETITION
- BROOKLYN HORROR FILM FESTIVAL 2020 - OFFICIAL SELECTION
- BOSTON UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL 2020 - OFFICIAL SELECTION
- NORTH BEND FILM FEST 2020 - OFFICIAL SELECTION
- POPCORN FRIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL 2020 - OFFICIAL SELECTION
- THE OVERLOOK FILM FESTIVAL 2020 - OFFICIAL SELECTION
- SYDNEY SCIENCE FICTION FILM FESTIVAL 2020 - BEST ACTRESS AWARD
- AFI EUROPEAN UNION FILM SHOWCASE 2020 - OFFICIAL SELECTION
DARKNESS (2019) Directed by: Emanuela Rossi Written by: Claudio Corbucci, Emanuela Rossi Cast: Denise Tantucci, Valerio Binasco, Gaia Bocci, Olimpia Tosatto, Elettra Mallaby, Francesco Genovese Produced by: Claudio Corbucci, Daniele Segre Cinematography by: Marco Graziaplena Genre: World Cinema/Horror/Thriller RT: 98 minutes Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 Sound: 5.1 Surround Sound/2.0 Stereo Language: Italian with English Subtitles
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