Shifting away from the sibling rivalry at the centre of the modern-set dramedy Scrap, writer/director Vivian Kerr moves into gothic horror territory for her sophomore feature-length project, Séance, a dramatic tale that still admittedly utilises the mentality of rivalry, but does so in a different, more psychological manner.
Grief, obsession, and both the fragile and toxic notions of masculinity are explored across the film’s tight 85 minutes, which bases itself in the 1890s where the isolated, haunted nature of the residence owned by George and Lillian Ford (Jilon VanOver and Kerr, respectively) sets the scene for the majority of the film’s action. Seemingly by chance, though we trust our genre instincts to know better, George and Lillian come across newlyweds Emma and Albert Strand (Scottie Thompson and Connor Paolo, respectively) one afternoon on a beach stroll, where it’s revealed that Emma and George were once married, but, in keeping up appearances, Lillian and Albert show little signs of concern over the fact.
Emma is a successful author, Albert a less prolific painter, and their sexless marriage has pushed Emma to the brink of emotional infidelity, so when George and Lillian – the latter, still psychologically recovering from the death of their young daughter, Hazel, an unceremonious drowning she blames herself for – invites them for dinner, there’s little reluctance from Emma, who’s all too aware that her submissive husband won’t object.
It’s here at the Ford residence that the titular séance takes place, one that Lillian hopes will connect her to Hazel, who she believes has been visiting her. It’s decidedly creepy, and Kerr’s performance is intentionally unreliable in a bid to have us as viewers unsure as to the authenticity of the séance itself, but the horror potential of the film is never quite reached. The séance also doesn’t last long enough to truly earn titular privileges, but the film’s eerie setting and the more phrenic strands of its story and characters keep Séance, as a film, afloat.
The film occasionally flirts with a more camp-like mentality, and there are elements of the story that feel restricted by its obvious budgetary limitations, but Kerr continues to show promise as a filmmaker. Even if this gothic setting doesn’t feel as comfortable to her as the dramatic exploration of Scrap, a female creative showcasing her artistry is worth celebrating, and for every moment of Séance that doesn’t feel quite as sure, there’s another in its wake that proves the contrary, which ultimately feeds the film the nourishment it requires to persist as a worthy genre entrant.
THREE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Séance screened as part of this year’s Newport Beach Film Festival, which ran between October 16th and 23rd, 2024, where it had its World Premiere. The film will continue its festival run across the new year towards distribution and an eventual release. For more information on Séance, follow the progress on its official site here.
