By MICHAEL GINGOLD
Bollywood star Shruti Haasan makes her U.S. film debut as a woman faced with a frightening choice.
Freestyle Digital Media has announced a January 20 North American release date for THE EYE on digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms, as well as DVD. Directed by Daphne Schmon and written by Emily Carlton, it also features Mark Rowley, Anna Savva, Linda Marlowe, Christos Stergioglou, Elpida Stathatou and Aimilios Garipis.
The synopsis: “THE EYE tells the story of a grieving widow, Diana [Haasan], whose return to a remote island leads to a harrowing choice between reality, myth, and murder. After her husband tragically drowns, Diana returns to the island where they once stayed, seeking closure but finding something far more unsettling. The locals speak of a twisted form of the Evil Eye, a curse unique to the island that demands a soul for a soul. Diana is then offered a choice to bring Felix back by ending another life. Grief and isolation cloud her judgment, and she develops a bond with a quiet young boy named Aki [Garipis]. Strange coincidences make Diana question whether the villagers are hiding something or if her own mind is turning against her. Her growing suspicion is intensified by Koraki, a cryptic village elder whose warnings blur the line between superstition and truth. With reality slipping and the island’s secrets tightening around her, Diana must face the most devastating question of all: how far would you go to bring back the one you love?”
“THE EYE is a story of love and grief, in the heady atmosphere of 1980s Greece,” says Schmon. “We wanted to explore that disorienting space where grief blurs into fear, where the mind searches for meaning in shadows. In the end, the film reminds us that the hardest truth is also the most liberating one: peace begins only when we stop looking outward for someone to blame and finally turn inward to heal.”
“The psychological thriller genre always fascinates me,” Haasan says. “To be part of a story that dives deep into human emotions, grief, and the supernatural is incredibly exciting. What makes this project even more special is that it was created under an all-women-led production house, which aligns with my passion for supporting women in the film industry. Furthermore, this film champions a sustainable way of filmmaking—something the world desperately needs. If we want to continue telling our stories, we must be able to tell them in a manner that is conscious of our impact.”
