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Found-footage films have become a phenomenon in horror movie genres in the past few decades. From The Blair Witch Project to the Paranormal Activities franchise, the concept of a scary movie shown through the perspective of the protagonist(s) still strikes a nerve with some viewers. However, Skinamarink is a completely different beast compared to the rest. Written and directed by Kyle Edward Ball in his feature film directorial debut, this film is far from traditional. Skinamarink had its premiere at the 2022 Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal and has been disturbing viewers ever since. An illegally pirated copy of the movie leaked online and has been making waves in horror communities across the internet, but some believe that this may have been an intentional move by Ball to generate interest and hype before the official US release. Executive produced by Ava Karvonen (Keeping Canada Alive), Jonathan Barkan (My Cherry Pie), and Edmon Rotea, Skinamarink also had a screening at the Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival on November 24, 2022.

Since its Fantasia International Film Festival premiere on July 25, 2022, this Canadian film has been compared to David Amito and Michael Laicini’s 2019 “cursed” film, Antrum. Known as “the deadliest film ever made,” Antrum starts off as a faux documentary, with the first 20 minutes or so warning viewers of the carnage that the film has left in its wake after premieres and theatrical releases. The movie does everything within its power to discourage viewers from continuing to watch the recently discovered copy of the movie 20 years after it was made. It claims to be responsible for the deaths of over 60 people, including an incident involving a theater fire. If only the video from The Ring came with a warning like that.

Skinamarink gives its audiences no such warning, and perhaps it should have. Cinematographer Jamie McRae captivates (and traps) viewers in what feels like an intimate childhood nightmare. Filmed in Kyle Edward Ball’s actual childhood home in Alberta, Canada, The jarring compositions and camera angles remind audiences of how distorted the world appeared to them when they were young and bring forth the root of all childhood nightmares: darkness. Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Best described by horror aficionados as “100 minutes of dread,” Skinamarink defies traditional horror movie tropes. It does not rely on gore, jump scares, or villainous dialogue. If you’re willing to introduce Skinamarink into your life… read on to find out everything we know about this unsettling new horror film.

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Image via Shudder

Related:10 Best Paranormal Movies That Will Haunt You In Your Sleep

What Is Skinamarink About?

Before smart TVs, streaming apps, and video-on-demand, the television broadcast system had dead zones during late-night hours when there were no programs or commercials at all. If you’re above a certain age, you might recall falling asleep on the couch only to wake up to static on the television screen illuminating an otherwise dark room. In those brief moments, you might forget where you are, when you are, and how you came to be there. If you are familiar with this kind of unsettling scenario, Skinamarink is the movie for you.

Like any dream (or nightmare), Skinamarink has a very abstract feel to it. Similar to how you can’t exactly describe the exact details and context of a dream. Not unlike the found-footage scenes from Sinister, the imagery causes viewers to have second thoughts about if they want to continue watching or not. Set in 1995, the film begins with two young children, Kevin and Kaylee, aged 4 and 6 years old, respectively. The siblings wake up in the middle of the night, only to realize that they cannot find their father.

Seen through the eyes of children, the darkness of night transforms their once-familiar home into a labyrinth of dark corridors and gaping doorways. The only light source at times seems to come from a TV that plays creepy and outdated children’s cartoons. The windows and doors to the outside world appear and disappear within a blink, trapping the children inside their living nightmare.

Watch the Skinamarink Trailer

Even at under 2 minutes long, the trailer manages to encapsulate the dread-filled energy of the film. Watch the trailer above to see if you have what it takes to watch the full movie when it debuts in the United States.

Related:The Best Killer Kid Movies, From 'Orphan' to 'The Omen'

Who’s In the Skinamarink Cast?

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Image via Shudder

The cast for this film is very tight, consisting of just four people. 4-year-old Kevin is played by Lucas Paul and his sister, 6-year-old Kaylee, is played by Dali Rose Tetreault. This is the feature film debut for both young actors. Their father, played by Lucas Paul’s actual father, Ross Paul, has been in the 2011 television series Moby Dick and directed/produced a 2017 music video called Ashley’s Rejekts: Shameless. The mother, played by Jaime Hill, is another relatively new actress with credited appearances in Give and Take, Hot Box, and I’m Haunted.

Although the house does not have an IMDb page, it should be mentioned that the house itself could be considered a character of its own. As mentioned earlier, the movie was filmed in writer/director Kyle Edward Ball’s childhood home in Canada. Thanks to the creative (and anxiety-inducing) cinematography by Jamie McRae, the perspective switches between what the children are experiencing to what the house observes, almost like an omnipotent entity.

When Does Skinamarink Debut In US Theaters?

As of December 5, 2022, Skinamarink has been picked up by Shudder and will have its US theatrical release beginning January 13, 2023, from IFC Midnight. Following the theatrical release, the movie will be available to stream on Shudder sometime in 2023. This film has already created a ton of buzz in online horror communities, but if you find yourself itching to watch something similar while you wait for it to be released, you might want to check out Antrum first. If you’re feeling brave, Antrum is available to watch on Amazon Freevee, Tubi, Redbox, Vudu, and other streaming platforms. Be warned, Antrum walked first so that Skinamarink could run.

Both films have broken through the limitations of “traditional horror movie tropes,” in unsettling and jarring ways. They are not slashers, but they have their own way of transporting the viewers into an ethereal world of nightmarish images. These two films might just be a doorway into an entirely new sub-genre of horror… if you’re willing to take that first step.

In support of the creative minds and efforts behind this film, we do not condone the illegal pirating and distribution of Skinamarink in any form. Check your local theaters to find tickets to see Skinamarink in theaters (which is highly recommended) or stay tuned here for updates on when exactly Skinamarink will be available to stream on Shudder.