Australian supernatural horror "Effigy" has wrapped production and released its first look images. The film stars South Australian actor Chris Gun, known for playing Noel Gallagher in Michael Gracey's "Better Man."
Directed by Myles McEwen and Ripley Stevens, the film is set in 1989 England and follows the Marsh family as they experience a violent haunting triggered by the discovery of a mysterious effigy doll. The entity behind the disturbance becomes increasingly focused on the family's daughter, leading two paranormal investigators to investigate what turns into a traumatic case. The film explores psychosexual themes alongside depression, identity and faith.
McEwen said the filmmakers took a different approach with "Effigy" compared to their earlier work. "We poured our hearts and souls into this one. Unlike our previous features, we followed a standard storytelling model and chose to explore a depression that many of us can relate to," he said. "We shot and designed the film to feel straight out of 1989, capturing the magic of cinema from that era."
Gun is joined by Lauren Koopowitz, who plays an exorcist, alongside Adelaide actor David Daradan and New Zealand actress Saya Kraetzer as the parents at the center of the haunting. Koopowitz is known for voice work in "Hollow Knight: Silksong" and for a viral role in Michael and Danny Philippou's YouTube series "Ash Vlogs."
The film is a Black Mandala Films production with Michael Kraetzer and Nicolás Onetti serving as executive producers. McEwen and Stevens previously directed "Nightfall: A Paranormal Investigation," which is scheduled for a worldwide release in the coming months. The filmmakers plan to premiere "Effigy" at a major festival.
