Helena Howard and Inanna Sarkis will lead Ritesh Gupta’s feature directorial debut! The Cinemaholic can confirm that the actresses have joined the horror film ‘Red Mask.’ The movie’s filming will start in Kentucky on an undisclosed date. Samantha Gurash and Patrick Robert Young wrote the screenplay. Max Neace, Isen Robbins, Aimee Schoof, and Atit Shah are backing the project as producers.
The plot follows the queer couple Allina (Howard) and Deetz (Sarkis), whose relationship is strained because of online trolling. A livid Allina is penning the final installment in her storied horror franchise. They then head to a secluded house in the woods to mend their companionship and playfully re-enact the horror plot. Meanwhile, two uninvited guests show up at the property, turning their game of inspiration into a test of their fragile togetherness and a fight for survival.
Helena made her acting debut with her performance as the titular character in the drama film ‘Madeline’s Madeline,’ directed by Josephine Decker, who spotted her at a teen arts festival in New Jersey. The movie earned her many accolades, including the Special Jury Prize at the Montclair Film Festival. The actress starred in the Amazon Prime Video series ‘The Wilds‘ as Nora Reid. Her other notable credits include the independent comedy film ‘Shoplifters of the World’ and the psychological horror flick ‘I Saw the TV Glow.’
Sarkis is known for playing Molly in ‘After’ and ‘After We Collided.’ She also starred in the supernatural horror film ‘Seance’ as Alice and the Netflix sitcom ‘Brews Brothers‘ as Becky. Her other acting credits include ‘Deported’ and ‘A Killer Walks Amongst Us.’ She has also directed many short films, including ‘Life of a Dollar,’ ‘Waiting for Him,’ and ‘Jailbird.’
‘Red Mask’ marks Gupta’s return to the director’s chair after the documentary series ‘The Cars That Made the World.’ In addition to his work as a filmmaker, he has served as a producer on many projects, including the reality show ‘Tough as Nails’ and ‘Flowers Uncut with Jeff Leatham.’
Kentucky served as a filming location for many popular films such as ‘Rust Creek,’ Ethan Hawke‘s ‘Wildcat,’ and Drew Barrymore’s ‘The Stand In.’