By MICHAEL GINGOLD
It’s a period fright flick with elements of nunsploitation.
Nathan Shepka will direct THE BABY IN THE BASKET from a screenplay by producer Tom Jolliffe, based on a story they conceived together; the duo previously collaborated on last year’s WHEN DARKNESS FALLS. Co-produced by movie website Flickering Myth, the movie will star Amber Doig-Thorne, Michaela Longden, Elle O’Hara and Chrissie Wunna, and is set to roll in Scotland this fall. The synopsis: “The year is 1942. A baby in a basket is left on the step of an isolated monastery on a remote island off the Scottish coast. The mysterious woman who left the child disappears into the stormy night without a trace, never to be seen again. Discovering the little boy, the nuns take him in and agree to look after him until the storm passes and they can take the child to the mainland. However, after a night in their care, unsettling things begin to happen, and one of the nuns, Sister Agnes, begins to suspect the child is the son of the devil. Locked away by the other nuns, who believe Sister Agnes has been driven mad by the isolation, she is haunted by the presence of the child. Has Sister Agnes fallen victim to the desolation of the remote island setting, or is there weight in her suspicion?”
“We’ve got some great talent attached,” says Shepka, “and I know Amber, Elle and Michaela will all give powerhouse performances. It’ll be a challenge bringing the concept to life, especially with the period setting, but the team are looking forward to getting stuck in and I’m looking forward to creating an eerie, atmospheric horror throwback.”
“This is a project that really harks back to a golden age of Gothic horror from the 1940s to 1970s,” adds Jolliffe. “It’s a passion project that’s been exciting to write and a step away from the creature horrors I’ve done previously. Now, as a co-producer, I’m looking to have more creative control in what I can turn from script to screen.”
“I’m super-excited to be involved in this film,” says Doig-Thorne, seen earlier this year in WINNIE-THE-POOH: BLOOD AND HONEY. “Agnes is a really interesting character. She’s innocent and naive and feels like she’s destined for something greater, but really needs guidance and clarity from God. I think it’s going to be an incredible story which people will really enjoy watching.”
The filmmakers have opened up a Kickstarter campaign to help finance THE BABY IN THE BASKET; you can check it out here.
