Welcome Villain Films, the genre studio behind last year’s “Malum”, has announced their new acquisition: the supernatural “screenlife” horror film “Mind Body Spirit.” The movie, directed by Alex Henes and Matthew Merenda, will be shown at the Unnamed Footage Festival on Sunday, March 31. It will be available on digital platforms on May 7.
As per the official summary, the movie tracks “Anya (Sarah J. Bartholomew), an aspiring yoga influencer, as she starts a ritual practice passed down by her estranged grandmother. What begins as a spiritual self-help guide turns into something more sinister. As Anya becomes fixated on the mysterious power of the practice, she unknowingly releases a supernatural force that starts to dominate her life — and her videos. Now Anya must hurry to uncover the truth, before her slide into madness threatens to engulf her mind, body and spirit.” Ultimately, the chilling reality of overdoing yoga.
The film first showed at the Telluride Horror Show. Since then, it has appeared at multiple festivals around the country, leading audiences to become more agile and flexible – in fear!
“’Mind Body Spirit’ is such a unique fusion of wellness and horror, and feels truly innovative and thrilling for the genre, making it a great fit for the Welcome Villain family,” stated Luke LaBeau, head of development at Welcome Villain Films, in an official comment. “We’re excited to collaborate with Alex, Matt and the team.”
“It has been an incredible honor to bring our first feature film to life. ‘Mind Body Spirit’ is the kind of late-night film we grew up watching and adoring. It’s eerie, it’s amusing and it will definitely shake you up,” stated co-directors Alex Henes and Matthew Merenda in an official announcement.
“Screenlife” is a subgenre in which events are primarily displayed on a computer, tablet or smartphone. It should never extend beyond the screen, with the camera movements only simulating what is possible on that device. Films that follow this format include “Unfriended,” “Searching,” “Dashcam” and “Open Windows.”
“Mind Body Spirit” was directed by Henes and Merenda; they also co-wrote the film with Topher Hendricks. It was produced by Dan Asma and Jesse McClung. Bartholomew appears alongside Madi Bready, Kristi Noory, KJ Flahive and Anna Knigge.
