3 Movies to Watch for from the Slamdance 2023 Festival

Five movies from the Slamdance 2023 Film Festival especially caught my eye. I didn’t watch them all, but I did watch three: The Girl Who Was Cursed, The Underbug, and Where is the Lie?. 

How were they? I’ll get into each specifically.

But generally, I’ll say that they were all worth watching, and are ones to keep an eye out for. Each embodied some form of mystery and two incorporated supernatural concepts in new refreshing ways. All were well-written, well-acted, and had compelling plots that left me feeling both enriched and contemplative afterward.

Let’s unpack what each is about. Then I’ll share a short review, doing my best to avoid spoilers in the process.

The Underbug

(India) World Premiere

Director: Shujaat Saudagar; Screenwriters: Shujaat Saudagar, Abas Dalal, Hussain Dalal; Producers: Vikesh Bhutani, Shujaat Saudagar, Aman Mann

Storyline

As India is ravaged by sectarian violence on the eve of its Independence Day, two rioters take refuge in an abandoned house. An eerie presence in the house, however, haunts the men to the edge of sanity.

Review

Of the three Slamdance 2013 movies, The Underbug started off the slowest. Yet, at the same time, the cinematography was beautiful. Artful, atmospheric, and ominous.

I wondered from the opening montage if it wasn’t also going to have a little bit of a The Last of Us component. Far from it. No toxic mutant zombie-inducing plant compounds here.

But in a way, it was a commentary on a toxic component —mankind’s obsession with self-segregation based on whatever parameters, or combination thereof, that we decide to invoke, like gender, skin color, age, weight, height, sexual orientation, religion, etc.

In this case, it was predominantly faith that came to the forefront.

It starts with a battered man running through the jungle and coming across a house. Where were its people? There were signs maybe something bad had happened, which created an interesting juxtaposition with the upbeat host on the radio celebrating the nation’s Independence Day.

The radio never acknowledges the conflict that’s actually happening in the streets. The viewer never sees it either but is privy to it when a second man shows up at the house, which is giving off some seriously strange vibes. For instance, maybe the first man isn’t truly alone in the house. Who —or what— is under the sheet that suddenly rises up behind him at one point unbeknownst to him? And did that even happen? It was so subtle I had to rewind to make sure that, yes, that’s what happened.

That’s just one of many glimpses into the house’s haunted nature we get.

Then comes the second man and we get a glimpse into the haunting nature of man.

“Who are you hiding from?” he asks the first man. “Hindus or Muslims?”

Which is a similar question the first man asked when the second man barges through the door. He didn’t answer then though. So it was curious to hear him basically repeat the question a few minutes later.

But the first man answers by saying as long as they don’t tell each other, they’re safe. And for a while, they are safe from each, but not from the house or the dark parts dwelling within themselves.

Rating

The Underbug employs a few familiar tropes we’ve come to expect from haunted house movies, like a dark and stormy night setting. But it also offered several chilling visuals that were fresh to the genre, like loose teeth they find under the bed and scratch marks on an armoire. Pair that with other scary visuals, like hints of apparitions materializing in the background and a super cute, but mysterious, little girl who suddenly turns up, and it ramps up the terror even more.

But mostly it’s the commentary on how instead of seeking to find similarities that unite us, we too often look for differences —and excuses— to divide ourselves, which is the most terrifying thing of all.

The Underbug falls somewhere between 3 1/2 skulls to 4 skulls. I’ll go with 4 because, for all of the “heaviness” this movie conveys, there were also a couple of chuckling-inducing tension breakers.

Like when Man 2 says, “It’s hell out there.” To which Man 1 replies, “As though this haunted house is paradise! It feels like the waiting room to Hell.”

The Girl Who Was Cursed

(The Netherlands) North American Premiere

Director: Zara Dwinger; Screenwriter: Zara Dwinger; Producers: Layla Meijman & Maarten van der Ven

Storyline

Stoner girl Gizem spends most of her day smoking weed on the couch while spying on her neighbors through binoculars. When the quirky boy across the street disappears, she has to get out of her comfortable cloud of smoke to find out where he is. She gets caught up in a strange quest.

Review

It was the title of this Slamdance 2023 movie that caught my attention. Specifically, the “curse” part. What was that all about?

As I quickly found out, maybe Gizem’s mom was right. Maybe she was cursed. Especially when a mirror in her mom’s shop suddenly falls off the wall and shatters after Gizem expresses how she doesn’t believe in the protection evil eye totems bring. But to her mom, who is clearly a believer, that’s just more confirmation Gizem is cursed.

But it was more a matter that she was her own worst enemy. Gizem is the personification of a hot mess! To the point it was almost painful to watch. She’s sloppy, disconnected, and smokes way too much…both cigarettes and pot, specifically “Amnesia”  pot.

Which is why when Samuel Myer, the boy across the street she watches from her window, disappears, I found myself questioning whether or not he ever even existed or if Gizem had hallucinated him.

But his cat Gucci seemed real enough. And so did his red boots. And that’s all I’ll say because to say any more would give away too many spoilers. This movie is best enjoyed with as open and as unsuspecting a mind as you can bring to the viewing experience.

Rating

I was not expecting anything really from this movie, much less to like it so much. Easily a 4 1/2 out of 5 skull movie.

Where is the Lie?

(Philippines) World Premiere

Director: Quark Henares; Screenwriters: Quark Henares, John Bedia; Producers: Armi Rae Cacanindin, Pauline Zamora, Bianca Balbuena-Liew, Ian Monsod

Storyline

Hopeless romantic Janzen Torres finds another chance at love when she matches with the handsome and seemingly perfect Theo Balmaceda on a dating app. Unfortunately, on the day of their meet-up, Theo ghosts her, leading Janzen into an intricate web of deceit, lies, and catfishing led by sociopathic mastermind Beanie Landridos.

Review

This line from Where is the Lie? captures its essence best: “Fate has its own way of connecting our lives together.”

Of the three of these Slamdance 2023 movies, this one surprised me the most.

The first surprising thing was the warning, which was that some scenes may trigger gender dysphoria for trans men and women. I hadn’t realized it was an LGBTQIA movie. (Which maybe isn’t fair to categorize it like that. While it does deal with issues that community faces, at its core it’s about love. How we all just want to be loved for who we are.)

Then came the “inspired by true events” disclaimer. I’m always a sucker for based on true story movies because, as they say, life really is stranger than fiction.

Let’s start with the true story. Where is the Lie? wasn’t about the case of Joseph Scott Pemberton, a U.S. Marine Lance Corporal, who murdered Jennifer Laude, a Filipina trans woman, in 2014. But it was brought up, as were other instances of crimes and punishments against trans men and women.

While that’s both a deep, complicated and divisive topic, Where is the Lie? handled it with heartwarming humor.

Say what? How is that even possible? I don’t know because there was a raw, exposed, heartbreaking component to the movie too. And it’s not that it was glossed over by any means, but it was brought to life as much of life’s dilemmas are: they’re usually a lot more gray than black or white.

Something meanie Beanie, as I came to think of her during the movie, discovered in her quest to torment Janzen. Beanie ultimately was torn between her revulsion and disdain for trans people and the real feelings of friendship she developed towards the very likable Janzen.

Speaking of, Maris Rascal as Beanie Landridos and EJ Jallorina as Janzen Torres delivered fire performances. FIRE! And Royce Cabrera as Theo Balmaceda was smoking up the screen as a heartthrob hottie.

Rating

It’s not a horror movie. It’s described as a “dark comedy,”  though. It reminded me of a twisted take on a catfishing Cyrano de Bergerac plotline. Blended with a killer script, compelling characters, and a thumping soundtrack. Where is the Lie? was a showstopper. 5 out of 5 skulls.

For More Info

I’m not sure if movies from the Slamdance 2023 Film Festival will air on the Slamdance Channel or elsewhere. But I’d keep an eye on their site, as well as other streamers if you’re interested in checking out The Underbug, The Girl Who Was Cursed, and Where is the Lie?.

To watch the Slamdance Channel, visit https://slamdancechannel.com.

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