The Moogai is a 2024 Australian horror film written and directed by Jon Bell, based on the 2020 short film of the same name. The film stars Shari Sebbens, Meyne Wyatt, Tessa Rose, Clarence Ryan, Toby Leonard Moore and Bella Heathcote.
| The Moogai | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Jon Bell |
| Written by | Jon Bell |
| Produced by | Kristina Ceyton Samantha Jennings Mitchell Stanley |
| Starring | Shari Sebbens Meyne Wyatt Tessa Rose Clarence Ryan Toby Leonard Moore Bella Heathcote |
| Cinematography | Sean Ryan |
| Edited by | Simon Njoo |
| Music by | Steve Francis |
Production companies | Causeway Films No Coincidence Media |
| Distributed by | Maslow Entertainment Umbrella Entertainment Ahi Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 86 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
The film had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival on 21 January 2024, and will be released in Australia on 31 October 2024.
Synopsis
editThe story is about a young Aboriginal mother who believes that her child is possessed, and includes Indigenous Australian themes related to the Stolen Generations (a government policy of forced removal of Aboriginal children from their parents) and The Dreaming.[1] Moogai is the Bundjalung word for "ghost".[2]
Cast
edit- Shari Sebbens as Sarah
- Meyne Wyatt as Fergus
- Tessa Rose as Ruth
- Clarence Ryan as Ray Boy
- Toby Leonard Moore as Dr. Barnes
- Bella Heathcote as Becky
- Christian Byers as Constable Flatley
- Alexandra Jensen as Miss Miller
Production
editBell's short film of the same name won the Midnight Shorts Grand Jury Award at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, as well as Best Director at the 2021 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival.[3] The short film is available in Australia on free streaming service SBS on Demand.[4]
The film was co-produced by Kristina Ceyton and Samantha Jennings, of Causeway Films. South Australian special effects company KOJO Studios was responsible for the visual effects. Marty Pepper of KOJO, who served as, executive director, post-production, created a replica of the set at his own property in Willunga to create effects during post-production.[1]
Release
editThe film premiered in the Midnights section of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival on 21 January.[3][5] It later had its Australian premiere at the 2024 Sydney Film Festival on 8 June.
The film will be released in Australia by Maslow Entertainment, Umbrella Entertainment and Ahi Films on 31 October 2024.[6]
Reception
editUpon its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, the film received mixed reviews.[7][8] In his review for RogerEbert.com, Brian Tallerico suggested that "tightening the effects" would help the film, and hoping that it would be further refined before its theatrical release.[9]
The film was more positively received by Australian reviewers and audiences upon its Australian premiere at the 2024 Sydney Film Festival, as it won the Audience Award for Best Australian Feature.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b Keen, Suzie (2 February 2024). "Made in SA: films and TV shows to watch out for in 2024". InReview. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "The Moogai (2020)". Letterboxd. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ a b "Program Guide". 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Watch The Moogai". SBS On Demand. 18 September 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Toth, Julianna (6 December 2023). "THE MOOGAI is headed to Sundance! – Umbrella Entertainment". Umbrella Entertainment. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Umbrella Entertainment [@UmbrellaEnt] (2 September 2024). "The official art and release date for THE MOOGAI has arrived. Based on his SFF-winning short of the same name, writer-director Jon Bell's striking feature debut arrives direct from Sundance, SXSW and Melbourne International Film Festival. A young mother becomes increasingly unstable when she is terrorised by a malevolent spirit she believes is trying to take her children. In cinemas October 31" (Tweet). Retrieved 4 September 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ Bradley, Laura (25 January 2024). ""The Moogai": The Terrifying Horror Movie That Could Be the Next 'Babadook'". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "[Sundance 2024] THE MOOGAI -- Australian Horror May Be Fizzling Out". disappointment media. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Tallerico, Brian (25 January 2024). "Sundance 2024: In a Violent Nature, The Moogai, Krazy House". rogerebert.com/. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "The winners of the 71st Sydney Film Festival". Sydney Film Festival. 16 June 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
External links
edit- The Moogai at IMDb
- The Moogai at Rotten Tomatoes
- The Moogai at Causeway Films