If classic genre cinema has taught us anything, it’s that a sweltering summer night down under is the perfect backdrop for carnage. Writer-director Mia-Kate Russell is bringing that bloody tradition back with her film, Penny Lane Is Dead.
A Cupcake Game Gone Terribly Wrong
Set on a scorching summer night in 1986 Australia. The film centers on Penny Lane, who joins her best friends Toni and Amy to celebrate her recent college acceptance.
What should have been an innocent night of teenage rebellion takes a sharp, violent left turn. Penny’s deeply troubled cousin, Kat, decides a cruel prank is in order. However, the thoughtless, spiked-cupcake game quickly spirals out of control. What unfolds is a chaotic, blood-soaked night of betrayal, rage, and raw survival. Russell delivers a brutal descent into friendship gone wrong, laced with pitch-black comedy and visceral tension.
Ensemble and Creative Team
Bringing this retro nightmare to life is a talented ensemble cast led by Sophie Wright-Mendelsohn, Tahlee Fereday, and Alexandra Jensen. They are joined by Bailey Spalding, Ben O’Toole, Steve Le Marquand, and Fletcher Humphrys.
With an unapologetic flair for thriller and horror storytelling, Mia-Kate Russell marks her arrival as an original new voice in genre cinema. The filmmaker has already won over 30 awards for short films. So, you know this is going to be good.
Clear your schedule, leave the baked goods alone, and prepare for a heatwave of terror when Penny Lane Is Dead hits Shudder on August 28th.
