‘Sleepwalk children, into the valley of death’
Cult Girls is a 2019 Australian horror film about
Dalia and her two young sisters who grow up in a pagan apocalyptic cult. On the night of an important cult ritual, a police raid rescues Dalia as cult members flee with her two sisters.
Years later, as the guilt eats away at her, Dalia finds a potential link to the cult through a prominent and despised black metal artist sequestered in the woods. Dalia journeys to find her sisters but her quest for the truth becomes a descent into Hell…
Written and directed by Mark Bakaitis, with additional by writing by Justin King and Mia Kate Russell, the All Edge Entertainment production stars Saara Lamberg, Jane Badler, Dean Kirkright, Brendan Bacon and Albert Goikhman.
Reviews:
“Pros: Nice scenery and aerial shots, the chants sound great, few locations are recognisable, nudity, costume design and theme. Cons: It’s a mess. You could cut it up into 20-minute sections and rearrange them in any order to produce a similar outcome.” Aeongale
“By constantly preventing us from developing empathically connections and reminding us of the nature of the medium we watch, the film puts us into a position where we have either to accept or refuse to follow what is happening on the screen. This has an interesting outcome relating to its subject: we are allowed only to stay an observer of the story, distanced from its nightmarish happenings.” Berlin Revolution Film Festival
“Mark Bakaitis is a unique artisan with an unmistakable mind for imagery, and where his new film struggles to form a comprehensive narrative, it compensates with style and expression. It may or may not resonate with people right now, but perhaps it will – to its advantage – garner a niche and loyal following in the years to come.” Fake Shemp
Release:
Cult Girls premiered at the Monster Fest in Melbourne on 11th October 2019. ITN distribution is now releasing the movie worldwide.
Main cast and characters:
Saara Lamberg … Dalia
Jane Badler … Ragana
Dean Kirkright … Samoth
Brendan Bacon … Johnny
Albert Goikhman … Moloch
Filming locations:
Australia, Germany and Lithuania
