Add Blood Shine to your 2026 watchlist. Dark Sky Films just snagged the North American rights to this folk-horror gem, and it’s shaping up to be one of the year’s most talked-about indie releases.
Fresh off a successful festival tour, the husband-and-wife filmmaking duo—Emily Bennett and Justin Brooks—are ready to show the world what happens when faith turns feral.
A “God-Tier” Lockdown
The story is set in upstate New York. Emily Bennett stars as Clara, a devout religious extremist who spends her days performing intense, solitary rituals. Filmmaker David Call (Insidious: The Red Door) plays Brighton West, a struggling horror director who heads to the woods to finish a script. (Irony, much?)
Clara becomes convinced that her “sacred” (incredibly sadistic) ceremonies can actually turn Brighton into a literal god. What follows is a hallucinatory descent into faith, flesh, and a whole lot of blood.
A Horror Nerd’s Dream Cast
The ensemble list is basically a “Who’s Who” of indie horror icons. The list includes Larry Fessenden (MaXXXine), Toby Poser (Hellbender), and Brendan Sexton III (Russian Doll).
The Creative Powerhouse
Bennett and Brooks are the team behind the acclaimed Alone with You, and they aren’t pulling any punches here. Justin Brooks handled the cinematography while Brian Spears—the man responsible for the scares in Smile 2—handled the visceral gore effects.
Why You Watch
Dark Sky Films, known for picking up movies that push boundaries, are calling Blood Shine a “daring and visually arresting” film. It’s that rare breed of horror that balances “high-brow” arthouse vibes with “hands-over-your-eyes” brutality, Variety reports.
