World news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Psychological Horror Feature ‘Ancestral Beasts’ Debuts Trailer Ahead of Fantasia World Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Métis writer-director Tim Riedel has released an exclusive trailer for his psychological horror feature "Ancestral Beasts" ahead of its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival on 22 July. The film follows a young Métis woman, Elyse, who returns to her ancestral home to focus on her mental health and finds herself stalked by a grotesque creature, using the horror genre to explore themes of inherited trauma and generational curses within an Indigenous community.
The project, shot in Manitoba in late 2025 with a nearly all-Indigenous cast and crew, first surfaced as a proof-of-concept at Cannes' Marché du Film in 2025 and became the first acquisition for Cercamon's new genre sales label Vorteks. It stars Morgan Holmstrom ("Outlander") as Elyse and Asivak Koostachin ("Duster") as Cody, with Riedel hosting the Fantasia premiere alongside cast and crew; a rare second screening follows on 28 July, and Mongrel Media has secured Canadian distribution rights, though no release date has been set. Riedel, who spent over a decade documenting global issues for NGOs before turning to his own Métis community, said he wanted to avoid clichéd depictions of Indigenous culture and instead tell an authentic, relatable story.
In short
- "Ancestral Beasts" premieres at Fantasia festival on 22 July 2026.
- Métis horror film explores generational trauma via a stalking creature.
- Mongrel Media acquires Canadian distribution; release date still unset.
Explained simply
"Ancestral Beasts" is a psychological horror film that explores themes of inherited trauma and generational curses within an Indigenous community. The story follows a young Métis woman who returns to her ancestral home to focus on her mental wellbeing but encounters a grotesque creature.
Tim Riedel, a Métis writer-director, created the film with a nearly all-Indigenous cast and crew. He sought to avoid conventional depictions of Indigenous culture, instead creating a story from his own community's perspective.
The film was shot in Manitoba in late 2025 and will premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival. Mongrel Media has secured Canadian distribution rights, though a release date has not yet been announced.
Americas Asia Entertainment Film Health Mental Health World