As scary as a cabin in the woods can be, one of the most disturbing backdrops for a film can be the college campus culture, where horrors all too real take place all too often. Such is the case in Natalie Leite’s M.F.A., which made its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival (read Heather's review here) and is now teased in a new trailer from Dark Sky Films ahead of its release this October:
Press Release: Dark Sky Films proudly announces the release date of M.F.A., a critically acclaimed powerful thriller starring Francesca Eastwood in a stand out role. The film, from female director and female screenwriter, takes on the searing current issue of sexual violence on campus. M.F.A. will be released on October 13th.
M.F.A., which was nominated for the Grand Jury Award at the 2017 SXSW festival, tells a gripping story of a young woman forced to take action to protect herself in "perhaps the bravest, rawest rape-revenge thriller yet" (No Film School). Noelle (Francesca Eastwood, Final Girl, Outlaws and Angels), an art student struggling to find her voice, is sexually assaulted by a fellow classmate. Attempting to cope with her trauma, she impulsively confronts her attacker, leading to a violent altercation that culminates in his accidental death. Noelle tries to return to normalcy, but when she discovers she is only one of many silenced sexual assault survivors on campus, she takes justice into her own hands. A vigilante is born - retribution is the inspiration she's been waiting for.
M.F.A. was directed by Natalia Leite (Bare) from a debut screenplay by actress Leah McKendrick (Bad Moms). McKendrick also co-stars in the film along with Clifton Collins Jr. (Westworld, Knight of Cups).
The film received glowing reviews upon its world premiere at SXSW. Variety's Andrew Barker said, "An unapologetically feminist, female-centric take on the oft-problematic (and oft-male-gaze-dominated) rape-revenge thriller genre ... Leite directs with a bracing, assertive style." Brad Miska of Bloody-Disgusting called it "intensely engaging, thought-provoking, and also mesmerizing." "Spectacular, risky and wonderfully realized by Natalia Leite," said We Live Entertainment's Nick Casaletto.
M.F.A.
Directed by: Natalia Leite (Bare)
Written by: Leah McKendrick (Bad Moms)
Produced by: Shintaro Shimosawa (Misconduct, The Grudge), Mike C. Manning (Disney's Cloud 9, Folk Hero & Funny Guy)
Cast: Francesca Eastwood (Final Girl, Outlaws and Angels), Clifton Collins Jr. (HBO's Westworld, Triple 9, Weightless), Peter Vack (Mozart in the Jungle, I Just Wants My Pants Back)
Language: English
Genre: Thriller / HorrorTHEATER LISTINGS: Opening October 13th
New York, NY - Cinema Village
Los Angeles, CA - Laemmle Music Hall
Columbus, OH - Gateway Film Center
Kansas City, MO - Screenland Armour Theater
Seattle, WA - Grand Illusion Cinema
Denver, CO - Alamo Drafthouse Sloans Lake
Tampa, FL - Tampa Theater
Philadelphia, PA - PhilaMOCA
Portland, OR - Clinton St. Theater
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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