[Check out the link to see the complete photo album provided by Jen Bonin.]
LGBTQ+ horror film Saint Drogo, made its premiere at the Vortex Film Festival and the Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Fest, where it won prizes for Best Horror Feature and Best Special Effects.
The film follows Caleb (Brandon Perras) who is plagued by nightmares of an ex-boyfriend in Provincetown, MA who hasn’t returned his call. He convinces his boyfriend Adrian (Michael J. Ahern) to come with him to Cape Cod to see what’s going on, only to find he’s nowhere to be found and no one will offer them any help. Caleb and Adrian’s relationship crumbles as Caleb’s dreams keep staining his every move, but the more he searches, the more he uncovers the sinister secret the whole town is hiding.
Ahern, who also serves as the director, said the film was meant to delve into the real horrors members of the LGBTQ+ community endure.
“At its center, the story is about the disintegration of a relationship, plagued by the pressures of assimilation into gay culture and co-dependency,” he said. “We, as queer men, often make concessions to our identities to feel a sense of belonging not only within our community, but also within our relationships. Saint Drago is an exploration of that loss of self.”
The film was shot on nights and weekends over three grueling winters in Provincetown, and the company that handled all of the award-winning makeup, Monster Makeup Productions, remained true to their mission of hiring as many LGBTQ+ individuals as possible to see the project through. Funds for the film were also completely crowd-sourced and funded.
The production company also noted that the “graphic content at the film’s bloody climax caused someone to pass out at their cast and crew screening.”
Outside of the festival where the film premiered, you can catch upcoming showings of the film at PVD Horror Presents at The Avon Providence on 11/8, the Horror Film Festival London (virtual and in-person) from 11/26-11/28, and Cinema Stillhouse in Lancaster, PA on 12/1 prior to its full release.