Northwest Fear Fest is back at Metro Cinema this week with 21 bone-chilling films – new and old. One of the new releases, Ancestral Beasts, is a Canadian film written and directed by Tim Riedel and produced by Edmonton’s Edmon Rotea, who also produced low-budget box office hit Skinamarink. Ancestral Beasts is a psychological thriller that follows the story of a Métis woman who returns to her ancestral home to repair her mental health, but encounters a lethal presence that attacks her loved ones. “The film was inspired by the filmmaker’s mother, who was a ‘60s Scoop survivor and was later diagnosed with borderline personality disorder,” Rotea told CTV News Edmonton. “We hope that the film inspires a Métis audience, an Indigenous audience, and of course a wider audience to cope and heal from family trauma.” After the success of Skinamarink in 2023, Rotea set his sights on helping other Canadian filmmakers by promoting and producing their films. “Skinamarink is a wonderful success where a grassroots community came together to help make a film possible from a $15,000 production to grossing $2.1 million in box offices across the world,” said Rotea. “I’ve always believed that higher tides lift all ships, and Skinamarink led to the film The Land of Not by Kyle Edward Ball that will be coming out this spring, and that was a multi-million-dollar production.” Rotea and Riedel hit it off after meeting on a shuttle bus in 2024 on the way to the Banff World Media Festival. Rotea has since been helping to promote Ancestral Beasts in different markets and at festivals across Canada. “I met Riedel on a shuttle bus two years ago when I was on my way to the Banff World Media Festival and we really hit it off,” said Rotea. “I’ve been helping him promote the project at different markets and festivals across Canada for the last few years and now we are embarking on the festival circuit.” Ancestral Beasts will close out Northwest Fear Fest on Sunday. The festival will also be showing 20 other films, including new releases and old classics like Big Trouble in Little China, The Prowler and Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. Northwest Fear Fest runs Oct. 15 to 18. Tickets are available online and at Metro Cinema.
