“Machination”: How a global pandemic affected the mind of a young woman, in the key of horror

Machination (2022) is a psychological horror drama inspired by COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on mental health. Claustrophobic, intense, and led by a gripping performance, it is a sharp, spiraling thriller about the consequences of breathing in constant fear.

The movie centers on Maria, a sensitive and anxious woman, who struggles to cope with self-isolation. News of an out-of-control pandemic has gripped the world and mass panic is pushing humanity into an uncertain future. With fear mounting and the demands of the world closing in, Maria is forced to confront her past and the monsters that surround her, both without and within.

This is the new movie by the tandem of directors and producers formed by Sarah Jayne and Ivan Malekin, who have been behind a wide collection of short films and the feature dramas Friends, Foes & Fireworks (2018) and In Corpore (2020). Malekin has also been the writer of the screenplay.

The main role is played by Steffi Thake, who recently starred in the drama Uwijja (2022) and the thriller The Vipers’ Pit (2021). With her, Rambert Attard, Mikhail Basmadjian, Andrew Bonello, Sean James Sutton, Matteo Testa, and Nicole Thake complete the main cast.

This Malta production filmed in English premiered on digital platforms on May 20, 2022, by Nexus Production Group. Watch here the official trailer for Machination (2022).