Sartaj Singh
A24 is joining hands with another young talent! Egor Abramenko is developing ‘Altar’ at the acclaimed indie production company. Principal photography for the horror film will start in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in late July and wrap up by early October this year. The movie is written by Will Soodik and promises a narrative that will haunt us on multiple levels.
The plot follows a 13-year-old boy whose innocence is destroyed over a single summer day by his sister’s abusive ex-boyfriend, as well as by the horrors of his absent parents. As grim as these realities are, the true terror of the day awaits below the serene surface of the local pool, where the eldritch nightmare hides.
Abramenko is a Russian director who made his feature debut with the critically acclaimed 2020 horror film ‘Sputnik.’ Inspired by classics such as ‘Alien,’ the film begins with a Russian astronaut returning from a Cold War-era space mission, seemingly not alone. The suspense picks up as a parasite is detected in his body, and an idealistic investigator is tasked to save his life. The movie’s success paved the way for Abramenko’s US debut with Maria Bakalova-starrer ‘God’s Country.’ The horror movie, expected to be released in October 2024, revolves around a young Salvadoran’s American dream turning into a nightmare as she travels to Kentucky.
The upcoming ‘God’s Country’ is a collaboration between Matt Reeves’ 6th & Idaho and ZQ Entertainment. As a prominent name in the horror genre, Reeves commended Abramenko’s potential. “Egor is an exciting emerging talent,” said Reeves in a statement. Will Soodik, the writer of ‘Altar,’ previously worked with Abramenko on ‘God’s Country.’ Before entering the realm of horror, Soodik wrote for the popular sci-fi mystery series ‘Westworld.’
Since the project is filming in Winnipeg, the production team of ‘Altar’ will be among many others bringing their narratives to life in the city. A sequel to the 2022 Christmas action comedy, ‘Violent Night 2’ will be filming here in late 2024. The shooting of Ke Huy Quan’s ‘With Love’ is underway in Winnipeg and is expected to conclude by the third week of May. Another feature film slated to shoot in the region this month is Nick Cassavetes’ thriller ‘Bruno Penguin and the Staten Island Princess.’ The movie might interest horror fans due to its premise: a group of researchers being trapped within an Antarctica facility in complete darkness, only for them to turn on each other slowly.
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