By MICHAEL GINGOLD
The upcoming found-footage movie combines the horror and true-crime genres.
Crossroad Pictures has announced the impending production of A SEA OF TREES, writer/director Scott Lyus’ follow-up to his 2022 debut feature WALKING AGAINST THE RAIN (pictured). According to the PR, “Lyus falls down the rabbit hole in A SEA OF TREES, as a documentary crew tries to uncover the mysterious disappearance of a vlogger almost two decades ago. A SEA OF TREES continues Lyus’ exploration of psychologically driven, character-focused horror.”
“With A SEA OF TREES,” Lyus says, “I want to create a film that feels disturbingly real, a story that taps into our collective obsession with missing-person cases and the addictive pull of viral true crime. This film dives headfirst into that phenomenon, exploring the volatile collision of grief, spectacle, and belief, asking what happens when the camera stops observing and starts influencing events.
“Set within the shadowed depths of Epping Forest, a landscape rich with folklore, disappearances, and centuries of whispered history,” he adds, “the film uses its very real atmosphere to anchor an escalating supernatural mystery. By fusing the immediacy of documentary storytelling with creeping paranormal dread, A SEA OF TREES blurs the boundary between fact and myth. This is a story designed to grip true-crime devotees, thrill horror fans, and immerse viewers in an experience that feels less like watching a film and more like uncovering something they were never meant to see.”
Former Dread Central editor-in-chief and BYSTANDERS director Mary Beth McAndrews is producing SEA OF TREES with Chris Nials and Lyus, and the project is currently seeking further investment. We’ll keep you posted on its progress!
