Move over, mainstream blockbusters—the underground has a new ruler, and it’s covered in cultist blood.
The hit indie thriller Dark Places just pulled off a devastating coup at the Obscure Obsidian Film Awards, completely sweeping the festival with five major wins. The indie darling walked away with an enviable haul of hardware, including Best Feature, Best Horror Feature, Best Director (Geno McGahee), Best Actor (Jake Tyler), and Best Actress (Lindsey DeLand).
This massive victory lap isn’t a fluke, either. It follows the film’s equally dominant run at the Ideal International Film Festival, where it snatched up top honors for Best Feature Film and Best Director.
Distributed by Cinema Epoch and Cineridge Entertainment, DARK PLACES has been racking up staggering viewership numbers on streaming giants Tubi and Fawesome, fast becoming a certified word-of-mouth phenomenon among hardcore genre fans.
Don’t Go Into the Woods (Or Near the Cults)
Written and directed by Geno McGahee, the film is a deliberate, slick throwback to the gritty, paranoid Satanic Panic slashers of the 1970s.
The story follows troubled college student Natalie Parker (played by the newly minted award winner Lindsey DeLand) and her companion Jason (played by Jake Tyler). What starts as a standard slice of campus life quickly dissolves into absolute madness when the duo accidentally stumbles headfirst into a murderous Satanic cult in the middle of a brutal killing spree. Suddenly, they are trapped in a living nightmare, fighting to survive a wave of pure psychological dread and the cult’s ominous, horned leader, Goat Head.
Behind the Cult’s Curtain
Pulling off a micro-budget indie triumph that resonates with both jaded critics and late-night streamers requires a village—or at least a highly dedicated production team. Geno McGahee, Rick Caride, Eric Michaelian, Gregory Hatanaka, Matt Hebert, Brent Northup, and Lorrie Bacon produce. The assistant produces include. Gabbi Mendelsohn, Danell Reese, Linda Riley, and Cayla Harhausen.
With its festival momentum at an all-time high and streaming platforms keeping it in heavy rotation, Dark Places is proving that you don’t need a hundred-million-dollar Hollywood budget to dominate the horror scene.
Stream it Now
If you’re ready to descend into the madness yourself, Dark Places is available to stream for free on Tubi and Fawesome right now.
