If you’ve ever been on a group trip that felt like a slow-motion car crash of passive-aggression and questionable life choices, Find Your Friends is about to make your worst vacation look like a spa day.
Written and directed by rising genre star Izabel Pakzad, this sun-scorched thriller is ditching the glitz of LA for the dusty, hostile isolation of Joshua Tree.
From Coachella Vibes to Combat Boots
The setup is classic: Amber and her four best friends decide they need a “girls’ trip” escape from the city. But the locals in this desert town aren’t exactly rolling out the red carpet. In fact, they’re simmering with a quiet, aggressive hostility that makes the local wildlife look friendly.
As the isolation kicks in, the real danger starts coming from inside the house (or, in this case, the Airbnb). Festering resentments and past wounds begin to surface, turning their reckless escape into a violent struggle for survival. By the time the sun sets, it’s no longer about finding the perfect photo op—it’s a revenge-fueled nightmare where only the strongest (or meanest) survive.
The Cast: An “It Girl” Infantry
Pakzad has assembled a powerhouse lineup of talent ready to tear each other apart. The film stars Bella Thorne (The Babysitter), Chloe Cherry (Euphoria), Helena Howard (The Wilds), Sophia Ali (Uncharted), and Zión Moreno (Gossip Girl). Rounding out the madness are Jake Manley, Israel Broussard, and veteran heavy-hitter Chris Bauer.
Izabel Pakzad
Izabel Pakzad is quickly becoming a name to watch in the independent circuit. After her award-winning short Don’t Worry, It’s Gonna Be OK dominated the festival circuit, and her feature THENA premiered at Taormina last summer, she’s bringing her Iranian-Greek American perspective to the “survival horror” subgenre. She doesn’t just direct; she crafts high-tension environments where character drama is just as sharp as the weapons.
If you love your horror with a side of neon-lit desert dread and a heavy dose of “with friends like these, who needs enemies?”, mark your calendars. Find Your Friends lands on Shudder on June 12th.
