Seldom do independent films in Manitoba go straight to multiplex theatres, but local production company Zell-Koj Studio is confident in the audience of horror buffs it hopes to attract this August with its debut feature film, Dark Forest.
The locally produced film will premiere at Towne 8 Cinema and will run from Aug. 14 – Aug. 20, 2015.
A presentation of Winnipeg’s Zell-Koj Studio, Dark Forest is a throwback to slasher films of the late 70s and 80s.
The story focuses on young Emily who is in a abusive relationship with her boyfriend Peter. Her best friends, Michelle, Jolene, and Francine, plan a camping trip and she sneaks off with them for the weekend. Boyfriend Peter is furious and searches the woods for his girlfriend, killing anyone who stands in his way.
Dark Forest was shot in and around the Winnipeg area, and has an all local cast and crew.
Zell-Koj Studio is self distributing the film, with a DVD and Blu-Ray release already in the works. The production company is comprised of local filmmakers David Zellis, Roger Boyer, Craig Guiboche, and Shelly Anthis.
Recently, Boyer and Guiboche were nominated for the RBC On The Rise Award at the 9th Annual Winnipeg Arts Council Awards. The RBC On The Rise Award recognizes the demonstrated promise of an emerging professional artist in any discipline.
Boyer and Guiboche are fixtures of the Winnipeg Aboriginal film community, organizing and supporting talent and producing their own films in a grassroots, community-oriented way.
Zell-Koj Studio Team can be contacted at https://twitter.com/zellkojstudio and at http://www.zellkojstudio.com/