Shudder has announced The Holy Boy, a new Italian folk horror film, will premiere on the platform on November 27, 2026.

The film centers on Sergio, a teacher with a troubled past who is reassigned to Remis — a remote village that bills itself as the happiest town in Italy. The source of that happiness, the locals believe, is Matteo: an introverted fifteen-year-old whose embrace is said to free anyone of their pain and sorrow. But as Sergio digs beneath the surface, he discovers that the village’s devotion to Matteo is anything but benevolent. When he attempts to rescue the boy the community calls the Angel of Remis, the town’s collective, vengeful nature is unleashed against him.

Directed by Paolo Strippoli (A Classic Horror Story, Piove) from a screenplay by Jacopo Del Giudice, Strippoli, and Milo Tissone, the film stars Michele Riondino, Paolo Pierobon, Romana Maggiora Vergano, Sergio Romano, Anna Bellato, Sandra Toffolatti, and Roberto Citran.

The film had its world premiere at Venice 2025 before winning both the Next Wave Best Director Award and the Audience Award at Fantastic Fest, a rare double that signals the film has real crossover appeal beyond the festival circuit’s genre faithful.

The Holy Boy premieres on Shudder November 27, 2026.