Some people are just overachievers. Take Mark O’Brien—not content with a stellar acting resume that includes dodging killer in-laws in Ready or Not, decoding aliens in Arrival, or navigating the gritty streets of “City on the Hill,” is cementing his status as a formidable force behind the camera. His latest film, Voices of Our Mother, is heading your way this June.
O’Brien’s latest project as writer-director is the indie horror film The Voices of Our Mother. Now, it is officially headed to Shudder this month. I sat down with the triple-threat filmmaker to talk grief, family drama, and the kind of maternal baggage that requires an exorcist rather than a therapist.
Family Reunions Are Hell
The story centers on a woman who has barely finished burying her own mother before a sudden, violent health crisis throws her life into a tailspin. Naturally, her four estranged children come scurrying back to the family nest under the guise of “caring” for her. But as old grudges simmer and the floorboards start to creak, the siblings quickly realize that Mom’s deteriorating condition isn’t something a doctor can cure. There is an awoken evil nesting inside her—and it isn’t looking for hospice care; it’s looking for survival.
The Team Behind the Terror
O’Brien isn’t just pulling the strings behind the scenes; he also pulls double duty by starring in the feature.
The chilling family dynamic is brought to life by a stellar ensemble cast. It includes Sheila McCarthy, Georgina Reilly, Carolina Bartczak, Alex Ozerov-Meyer, and Anna Ferguson. Keeping the production firing on all cylinders from the executive producer chairs are Jesse Ikeman, Nataline Rodrigues, and Bill Marks.
The Voices of Our Mother premieres on Shudder on June 19th. Consider it a reminder that no matter how stressful your family gatherings get, they could always be much, much worse.
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