Acclaimed genre filmmaker and Fantasia alumna Alice Maio Mackay returns to the Fantasia International Film Festival with the Canadian premiere of her sixth feature, The Serpent’s Skin, screening July 23 and 25, 2025. Produced and set for 2026 distribution by Dark Star Pictures, the film extends Mackay’s ongoing collaboration with the company following Satranic Panic, T Blockers, Bad Girl Boogey, and Carnage for Christmas.
Described as a supernatural romance threaded with visceral horror and a deeply personal core, The Serpent’s Skin channels the spirit of millennial teen occult favorites—think The Craft, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Charmed—and reframes that energy for Gen-Z audiences navigating identity, community, and survival through a trans lens.
The story centers on Anna, who has fled her small, transphobic hometown. She forges a new life and a romantic bond with Gen, a goth tattoo artist. Their fresh start takes a dangerous turn when they inadvertently unleash a demon that begins feeding on their friends. To stop it, Anna and Gen must confront their own insecurities as much as the supernatural threat.
The cast includes Alexandra McVicker (Vice Principals), Scott Major (Heartbreak High), Charlotte Chimes (Neighbours), and Jordan Dulieu (Before Dawn). Fantasia alumni Avalon Fast (Honeycomb), Joe Lynch (Suitable Flesh), and Betsey Brown (Assholes) appear in cameo roles. Emmy-nominated filmmaker Vera Drew returns to edit after collaborating with Mackay on Carnage for Christmas, with Louise Weard (Castration Movie) joining the producing team.
Following its world premiere at this year’s Frameline, The Serpent’s Skin continues its festival journey with Fantasia in July and a stop at FrightFest in August before Dark Star Pictures’ planned 2026 release.
