Four siblings seek refuge in an old home after the death of their mother, only to discover that the house has another, more sinister, inhabitant, in this haunting directorial debut from Sergio G. Sánchez, screenwriter of The Orphanage and The Impossible.
Spanish screenwriter Sergio G. Sánchez, known for films like J.A. Bayona's The Orphanage and The Impossible, crafts a suspenseful tale about familial bonds in his breathtaking feature debut, Marrowbone. Exploring themes of loss, grief, and love, Sánchez (with Bayona as executive producer) melds horror with family drama in this psychological thriller about four siblings in hiding.
Escaping an abusive father and a troubled past in Britain, Rose (Nicola Harrison) and her four children travel to an inherited home in rural America. The voyage is taxing on Rose and she soon dies from an illness. In order to stay together, the children plan to hide their mother's death until the 21st birthday of eldest son Jack (George MacKay). He and 19-year-old Jane (Mia Goth), 18-year-old Billy (Charlie Heaton) and five-year-old Sam (Matthew Stagg) live in impoverished conditions as they keep their secret from the world. When a nosy lawyer comes poking into their lives, the dreadful truth about what is hiding in the old Marrowbone house comes to light. The friendship of their ally, Allie (Anya Taylor-Joy), becomes their only hope.
Within the walls of the old, rickety homestead, Sánchez creates a singular, gripping universe. The only respite from the ghost that haunts the place is a makeshift fort, where the siblings hide together from the terror that surrounds them. Complemented by powerful performances by the ensemble cast, Marrowbone shows us that dreams of escaping one's past can often lead to more frightening nightmares.
DIANA SANCHEZ
Screenings
Scotiabank 13
Scotiabank 11
Ryerson Theatre
Scotiabank 1
Scotiabank 2