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Hey reddit, I'm filmmaker Curry Barker, and my new film, OBSESSION, is heading to TIFF this week! You might know my directorial feature debut, MILK & SERIAL (2024). OBSESSION will have its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this Friday, September 5, as part of the Midnight Madness program. The film stars Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, and Megan Lawless. Ask me anything! Synopsis: Obsession plunges into a fever dream of longing, delusion, and the chilling cost of getting exactly what you desire. Bear, a hopeless romantic, gets pulled into a spiral where passion and terror become inseparable. From Curry Barker (Milk & Serial), this visceral, atmospheric thriller fuses psychological horror with a haunting supernatural edge. Starring Inde Navarrette (Superman & Lois), Michael Johnston (Teen Wolf), Cooper Tomlinson (Milk & Serial), and Megan Lawless (The Death That Awaits), Obsession is a twistedlove story that dares to ask: How far would you go to be loved back? —————————————————————————————– TIFF's write-up of the film: Woe is Bear (Michael Johnston), who has long carried a torch for his childhood friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette). When another attempted profession of love fizzles, Bear wistfully wishes for romantic reciprocation, unfortunately doing so while in possession of a trinket with supernatural properties of The Monkey’s Paw variety. Suddenly, Nikki is all over Bear, and he is quick to indulge in this long-desired turnabout while ignoring the ramifications of her intensifying fixation. Before long, Bear’s fantasy turns to nightmare as Nikki’s personality begins to twitch with a disturbing dysphoria that sinisterly suggests her autonomy has been usurped by a malignant entity that wants them both, body and soul. “Be careful what you wish for” may be a staple in the horror genre, but writer-director Curry Barker enlivens this well-worn premise by lacing its inherent irony with a wickedly wry tone and an anxious tension that’ll plummet the stomach of even hardened Midnighters. Having honed high-concept absurdism and creeping dread from his online productions, Barker deftly demonstrates a savvy command of tone and terror reminiscent of fellow sketch comedian Zach Cregger’s Barbarian. As with that auspicious debut, Barker’s first feature preserves an uncomfortable relatability in its hyperbolic scenario. Though literally featuring a customer service call from (and possibly to) Hell, Obsession cuts to the quick as it lays bare the innate violence in romantic objectification with an unforgiving candidness. That's made all the more disarming, thanks to exceptionally nuanced performances, particularly from Navarrette whose “Freaky Nikki” oscillates between doe-eyed desire and devastating torment that will chill you to the bone. —————————————————————————————————- My bio: Curry Barker is a writer-director with a bold, visceral style. His work blends raw emotion with psychological horror and dark comedy. He co-created That’s a Bad Idea, his sketch comedy channel, and directed Milk and Serial, both known for their brutal honesty and striking, cinematic visuals. Ask me anything! Back at 5 PM ET today (Tuesday 9/2) to answer any questions. submitted by /u/ObsessionAMA |
