B&W modern Gothic drama inspired by silent monster movies
Edmonton, AB - Ultra low-budget indie feature "I Fall Down" hit iTunes in North America and Ireland on March 1st.
The Prairie Gothic drama was shot over two and a half years around Edmonton, Alberta. Writer/Director Christopher White harkens back to the tragic silent monster movies from cinema's golden age, like "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."
"In those films, the 'monsters' are nothing more than mistreated, unloved freaks," he explains. "It's not just the imagery that I borrowed, its their humanity and the audience's empathy for these outcasts". He credits the black-and-white reversal film for defining the tone and mood of the picture. "There's a grit to the image, it pops, fizzles and it isn't perfect. You get changing shades of grey which mirror the characters' conflicts and relationships."
Starring Emma Houghton and Tom Antoni, "I Fall Down" tells the story of Annessa (Houghton), a lonely teenage girl with a troubled past, hoping to leave her life behind. After a failed suicide attempt she meets Charlie (Antoni), a disfigured, child-like man who lives alone in a woodland shack. Although their mutual loneliness draws them together, their lives begin spiralling out of control when confronted by an intolerant world and Charlie's own violent, primal nature.
The film debuted at the 2015 Macabre Faire Film Festival (Hauppauge, NY) followed by the inaugural Censured in Canada Film Festival (Toronto, ON). Critics have hailed it as a "modern Gothic story" and "an adult fairy tale", praising Houghton for her captivating performance. She earned a Best Actress nomination at the 2014 Rosie Awards Gala alongside five other nominations for the picture, including Best Cinematography (David Baron) and Best Dramatic Production.
"I Fall Down" is available now across North America and Ireland for rental $4.99/5.99 (SD/HD) and to own $9.99/$12.99 (SD/HD) on iTunes.
Be sure to follow the film on Twitter as well as its director Christopher White and visit the official website for "I Fall Down."