Independent horror continues to deliver new character-driven stories this summer with The Dead Place, the feature debut from writer/director Michael Pickle. The supernatural thriller will make its red carpet theatrical premiere on June 10 at Lumiere Cinema in Beverly Hills, with cast and crew expected to attend the event.
The Dead Place follows troubled high school senior Isaac, played by Idris Veliu, a teenager tormented by visions of the dead. His unsettling experiences create tension at home and isolate him socially, leaving his only ally in Katharine, portrayed by Lexi Graves, a friend with a strong interest in the paranormal.
As Isaac struggles with the increasingly disturbing forces around him, the arrival of a mysterious new student, played by David Howard Thornton, begins to shift the story in a darker direction. Bill Oberst Jr. appears as the demonic force attempting to take hold of Isaac, creating a conflict that places Katharine in the position of trying to stop his descent.
The film marks Michael Pickle’s first feature as a director, centering its horror around trauma, isolation, and supernatural influence. The combination of coming-of-age tension and possession-driven horror gives The Dead Place a framework built around personal struggle as much as external threat.
Audiences interested in seeing the film early can attend the June 10 red carpet premiere in Beverly Hills. For those watching at home, The Dead Place arrives on BloodStreamTV beginning June 1, followed by a wider TVOD release on August 5.
