The Berlinale, the Berlin International Film Festival, might not be the keenest festival about horror movies, but this year it is hosting two important premieres. On February 22, 2023, Bradon Cronenberg’s Infinity Pool (2023) is having its European premiere. And today, February 17, 2023, Jennifer Reeder’s Perpetrator (2023) is screening for the first time and it’s also competing for the Panorama Audience Award.
Perpetrator (2023) tells the story of Jonny Baptiste, a reckless teen sent to live with her estranged Aunt Hildie. On the event of her 18th birthday, she experiences a radical metamorphosis: a family spell that redefines her called Forevering. When several teen girls go missing at her new school, a mythically feral Jonny goes after the Perpetrator.
The movie has been written and directed by Jennifer Reeder. She is not a foreigner in the Berlinale environment since her latest film, the mystery thriller Knives and Skin (2019), was nominated for the Crystal Bear for Best Film.
Alicia Silverstone, Melanie Liburd, Kiah McKirnan, Casimere Jollette, Ilirida Memedovski, Ireon Roach, and Sasha Kuznetsov form the main cast of Perpetrator (2023).
On December 16, 2022, it was announced that horror streaming service Shudder acquired the distribution rights for Perpetrator (2023).
The director Jennifer Reeder said about her film: “This is a significant moment for women working in genre films […] Women are very well suited for horror in particular — we have a personal relationship to fear from a very young age, and are able to bleed for days and not die. This film in particular takes on the myth of the out-of-control teen girl — the wild child. In this story, she has agency in her lawlessness and embraces her abject nature. Perpetrator (2023) is dark but feminine, a nuanced noir, a grrrl power take on modern horror”.
The producers and sales representatives WTFilms have compared Perpetrator (2023) with other “powerful female horror references” such as Cat People (1982), Carrie (1976), and Jennifer’s Body (2009).
WTFilms have released an exclusive Perpetrator (2023) clip for the Berlinale festival. Shit gets creepy and tense, we love it.
Related posts:
The European premiere of Brandon Cronenberg’s “Infinity Pool” is held at the Berlinale this month 
“El Prófugo” (aka “The Intruder”) had its worldwide premiere at the Berlinale 2020 
Berlinale 2022: Dario Argento’s return to Giallo “Dark Glasses” will have its world premiere 
Trailer for “Horse Girl”, premiering at Sundance this month