Family Demons
Encyclopedia
Family Demons is a 2009 Australia
n psychological thriller
film, written and directed by Ursula Dabrowsky and starring Cassandra Kane, Kerry Reid and Alex Rafalowicz.
As such, Billie’s bizarre upbringing has resulted in her becoming a virtual prisoner in her own home. No friends, no outside contacts, just her drunken mother.
During one of mum’s three day drinking binges, a starving Billie sneaks out of the house in search of food as there are no groceries. Billie finds her way to the local store and buys food, but on her way back home she is attacked by a gang of thugs.
Seeing Billie outnumbered and in trouble, Sean (next door neighbor) tries to protect her while she makes her escape and Billie runs home. Unfortunately, her mother catches her coming in the house and she is chained to the laundry sink as punishment.
Hearing Billie’s cries for help, Sean breaks into the house and frees her. The two of them plan to run away but her mother uncovers the plan and refuses to let Billie go. A violent struggle ensues and during this, Billie’s repressed anger is unleashed and in her fury she kills her mother.
Burying the body in the backyard, Billie hides all traces of the crime. As she waits for Sean to arrive, it soon becomes clear that her mother’s evil, vengeful spirit remains and still does not wish for her to leave. Even in death, the mother is hell bent on denying Billie her freedom.
, South Australia
in 30 years.
In November 2009, IFM World Releasing acquired distribution rights. Family Demons is similar in tone to The Sixth Sense
and The Others
with thematic and visual references harking back to Brian De Palma
’s horror classic, Carrie and contemporary Asian ghost stories, such as The Grudge
and A Tale of Two Sisters
.
The movie won at Fright Night Film Festival two Awards "Best Foreign Feature" and Cassandra Kane as "Best Actress".
s at international Film festival
s, including Best Australia
n Director at the 2009 Night of Horror Film Festival in Sydney
and was nominated as a finalist in the 2009 DigiSPAA awards. The Making of the movie runs 60 minutes.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n psychological thriller
Psychological thriller
Psychological thriller is a specific sub-genre of the broad ranged thriller with heavy focus on characters. However, it often incorporates elements from the mystery and drama genre, along with the typical traits of the thriller genre...
film, written and directed by Ursula Dabrowsky and starring Cassandra Kane, Kerry Reid and Alex Rafalowicz.
Plot
Billie, a teenage girl, endures a miserable existence with her alcoholic mother. She is cruelly punished every day, both physically and emotionally just for being born. She has never been to school, she is not allowed to get a job, and she is not permitted to leave the house… ever.As such, Billie’s bizarre upbringing has resulted in her becoming a virtual prisoner in her own home. No friends, no outside contacts, just her drunken mother.
During one of mum’s three day drinking binges, a starving Billie sneaks out of the house in search of food as there are no groceries. Billie finds her way to the local store and buys food, but on her way back home she is attacked by a gang of thugs.
Seeing Billie outnumbered and in trouble, Sean (next door neighbor) tries to protect her while she makes her escape and Billie runs home. Unfortunately, her mother catches her coming in the house and she is chained to the laundry sink as punishment.
Hearing Billie’s cries for help, Sean breaks into the house and frees her. The two of them plan to run away but her mother uncovers the plan and refuses to let Billie go. A violent struggle ensues and during this, Billie’s repressed anger is unleashed and in her fury she kills her mother.
Burying the body in the backyard, Billie hides all traces of the crime. As she waits for Sean to arrive, it soon becomes clear that her mother’s evil, vengeful spirit remains and still does not wish for her to leave. Even in death, the mother is hell bent on denying Billie her freedom.
Cast
- Cassandra Kane as The Daughter
- Kerry Reid as The Mother
- Alex Rafalowicz as The Boyfriend
- Tommy Darwin as The Mother's Boyfriend
Production
The film was shot for two weeks in January 2006 on a minuscule budget of $6,500 in one of the worst heat waves to hit AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
in 30 years.
In November 2009, IFM World Releasing acquired distribution rights. Family Demons is similar in tone to The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Sense is a 1999 American psychological thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The film tells the story of Cole Sear , a troubled, isolated boy who is able to see and talk to the dead, and an equally troubled child psychologist who tries to help him...
and The Others
The Others (2001 film)
The Others is a 2001 psychological horror film by the Spanish-Chilean director Alejandro Amenábar, starring Nicole Kidman. It is inspired partly by the novella The Turn of the Screw....
with thematic and visual references harking back to Brian De Palma
Brian De Palma
Brian Russell De Palma is an American film director and writer. In a career spanning over 40 years, he is probably best known for his suspense and crime thriller films, including such box office successes as the horror film Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables, and Mission:...
’s horror classic, Carrie and contemporary Asian ghost stories, such as The Grudge
The Grudge
The Grudge is the 2004 American remake of the Japanese film Ju-on: The Grudge, and the first horror film in the Ju-on series, Ju-on 1. The film is the first installment in the American horror film series The Grudge...
and A Tale of Two Sisters
A Tale of Two Sisters
A Tale of Two Sisters is a 2003 South Korean psychological horror film written and directed by Kim Ji-woon...
.
The movie won at Fright Night Film Festival two Awards "Best Foreign Feature" and Cassandra Kane as "Best Actress".
Release
Despite the constraints, this 'Downbeat Wonder' has garnered several AwardAward
An award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognize excellence in a certain field; a certificate of excellence. Awards are often signifiedby trophies, titles, certificates, commemorative plaques, medals, badges, pins, or ribbons...
s at international Film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
s, including Best Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Director at the 2009 Night of Horror Film Festival in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and was nominated as a finalist in the 2009 DigiSPAA awards. The Making of the movie runs 60 minutes.