‘Don’t Look in the Dark’ Premiering at the New Jersey Film Festival

January 8, 2026

Written by Kelli Marchman McNeely

Kelli Marchman McNeely is the owner of HorrorFuel.com. She is an Executive Producer of "13 Slays Till Christmas" which is out on Digital and DVD and now streaming on Tubi. She has several other films in the works. Kelli is an animal lover and a true horror addict since the age of 9 when she saw Friday the 13th. Email: horrorfuelinfo@gmail.com

Director Samuel Freeman is gearing up for his directorial debut, Don’t Look in the Dark, which is set to hit the New Jersey Film Festival this month.

This isn’t your typical “shaky camera in the woods” movie. Freeman is out to prove that the found footage genre still has plenty of ways to make your skin crawl.

When Your Phone Has a Mind of Its Own

The story follows a couple on a routine camping trip whose phones suddenly start recording on their own. (And no, it’s not a software update glitch). The footage they capture reveals that they aren’t alone in the woods. There is something in the shadows—something that wants to be caught on camera, and it’s definitely not looking for a selfie.

Why It’s the “Talk of the Fest”

Fresh off a big win for Best Feature at the Birmingham Horror Film Festival, Freeman is hyping this as a “theatrical experience like no other.”

“Every audience sees something different. Every theater reveals something new… It is meant to unsettle you, confuse you, draw you in, and then leave you wondering if you missed something—because maybe you did.”

It’s an ambitious attempt to redefine the genre, making the act of watching a horror movie in a dark theater feel just as dangerous as being in the film itself.

Catch the Premiere

Want to see if you can spot what’s hiding in the frames? Visit Rutgers for the screening.

  • Voorhees Hall #105, Rutgers University (71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ)
  • January 31, 2026, at 7:00 PM.

 

If you like horror that messes with your head, Don’t Look in the Dark is the one to watch. Get ready for a paranoid, immersive, and definitely creepy film.

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