Most people spend their first night on a new job worrying about where the coffee machine is. Edward? He’s just trying to make sure his soul stays inside his body.
Director Nicholas Pineda is officially clocking in for his feature debut, Infirmary. It is set to have its World Premiere at Dances With Films in NY on January 16, 2026.
If you think you’ve seen everything the found footage genre has to offer, this claustrophobic nightmare is here to prove you wrong.
Don’t Look in the Basement!
The story follows Edward (Paul Syre), a young security guard who just landed a gig at the Wilshire Infirmary. It’s a crumbling, abandoned mental asylum—basically the “do not enter” sign of real estate.
His only companion is Lester (Mark Anthony Williams), a guard on the verge of retirement who is acting… let’s say, “not great.” Things go south fast when a mysterious intruder breaks in and vanishes into thin air. Soon after, Lester disappears into the bowels of the building, leaving Edward alone with a flashlight, a bodycam, and the realization that the asylum’s dark history isn’t actually history—it’s very much alive.
A Tech-Savvy Nightmare
What makes Infirmary stand out in a crowded genre is its handling of the “camera” aspect. Pineda doesn’t just stick to shaky handheld cameras; he weaves a gritty, character-driven narrative using bodycam footage for that “first-person shooter” level of panic. There are also static security cameras that capture movement in the corners of your eye. The analog textures make the crumbling asylum feel like a living, breathing monster.
It’s an homage to the classics like Grave Encounters, but with a modern, psychological edge that focuses on Edward’s mental unraveling as much as the ghosts in the hallways.
The Premiere Details
Infirmary will screen at the Dances with Film Festival at Regal Union Square in NYC on January 16, 2026. Get ready for a high-tension film with maximum dread. Get your tickets now!
