A brand new take on the classic tale of Frankenstein, Sundance horror movie birth/rebirth is on the way from IFC Films and Shudder, arriving exclusively in theaters only on August 18. Ahead of its release, Bloody Disgusting has been provided with an exclusive clip introducing its central characters through an intense confrontation.
In the film, “Rose (Marin Ireland) is a pathologist who prefers working with corpses over social interaction. She also has an obsession — the reanimation of the dead. Celie (Judy Reyes) is a maternity nurse who has built her life around her bouncy, chatterbox six-year-old daughter, Lila (A.J. Lister). When one tragic night, Lila suddenly falls ill and dies, the two women’s worlds crash into each other. They embark on a dark path of no return where they will be forced to confront how far they are willing to go to protect what they hold most dear.”
The below clip introduces the acerbic Rose as she’s questioned on the whereabouts of a missing body from the morgue. Celie refuses to leave without answers, leading to an intense confrontation.
Both stars are having a hell of a year in horror. Ireland previously appeared earlier this year in The Boogeyman, festival film Somewhere Quiet, and upcoming thriller Eileen. After appearing in last year’s Smile, Reyes took a villainous turn in Amazon series “The Horror of Dolores Roach.” In other words, expect tour-de-force performances from both talented actors in birth/rebirth.
The film marks the feature directorial debut for filmmaker Laura Moss.
Moss said in a director’s statement, “When I first read Frankenstein, it kicked open a door in my brain. With birth/rebirth, I tried to harness that electric feeling into something personal and visceral. I am so excited to share this baby with you.”
birth/rebirth has been officially rated “R” by the MPA for: “Disturbing material and gore, some sexual content, language and nudity.” Brendan J. O’Brien co-wrote the script with Moss.
Trace Thurman wrote in his Sundance review for Bloody Disgusting, “birth/rebirth offers a motherly twist on the Frankenstein tale, though Laura Moss and [writer] Brendan J. O’Brien are much more interested in the mad scientists themselves than they are the eponymous creature, making birth/rebirth more of a dramatic character study than an outright horror film.”
Trace adds, “Mothers beware: this is a rough watch.”
Laura Moss is a filmmaker from NYC whose work has screened at Tribeca, Rotterdam, and SXSW. Their short film ‘Fry Day’ is featured on the Criterion Channel. They directed the sci-fi/comedy pilot ‘eureka,’ which won Best Director, Comedy Pilot at Seriesfest. They were a 2020 Sundance Screenwriters/Directors Labs fellow. Their award-winning screenplay, ‘Gordon’, co-written with Brendan J. O’Brien, is in development.
birth/rebirth heads exclusively to theaters tomorrow before arriving on Shudder at a later, yet-to-be-announced date.