A Feature Film

Blinded
Rage

“Nothing to see here”

SYNOPSIS

Sisters Rachel and Sarah Miller are both ambitious in their chosen careers: Rachel an investigative journalist and Sarah an FBI agent. They were always close, but, after a period of semi-estrangement, Rachel is forced to move in with her sister after her overzealous approach to work causes her to go blind. Losing her job has a profound effect on her self-image, so when Sarah receives a distress call from an unknown caller at the domestic violence hotline she volunteers at, Rachel seizes the opportunity to find a story that could resurrect her career as a journalist. However, given Rachels recent condition, Sarah is hesitant to let her go so openly in harm's way, but Rachels enthusiasm gets the better of Sarah, and the two seek out the caller in a small town in the Cascadian nowhere of Washington, USA: Shillington.

To find the caller, the sisters interview the local citizens. The sisters find clues from the apathetic sheriff; a postal worker with a grudge against the True Acres, a farming community on the outskirts of the town; Jasper, a helpful member of the True Acres; and Trish Kuntz: the two-faced mayor of the town.

As the sisters investigate, Sarah’s overprotective instincts cause a rift between her and Rachel. They argue, and Sarah leaves and finds the caller, Naomi, who turns out to be Jasper’s wife, pregnant with their first child. Though Naomi is terrified of Jasper, she is more frightened to leave than to stay, and through this Sarah reveals her own history of abuse to earn Naomi's trust. It works, but Jasper follows them back to the Airbnb and kills them both, arranging the bodies in wait for Rachel.

On her return, Rachel discovers the macabre display with her own senses and, taking the collected evidence, attempts to escape the town with the help of the sheriff. On the cult’s orders, Jasper kills the mayor, then hunts down Rachel & the sheriff, culminating in a final showdown that injures the sherrif, and leaves Jasper dead by the location where Rachel and Sarah first entered the town. Rachel escapes, and once everything about the cult is uncovered, the True Acres are forced to leave town before they get caught.

Back in Seattle, Rachel records her first episode of a podcast about True Acres, Naomi, and about what happened in Shillington.

Logline

“A blind woman battles against her rage and an unknown presence as she and her sister investigate an unknown caller in a dark town.”

Theme

This story is one of paradigms broken and uprooted. The way disabilities, in this case blindness, uproot our perceived “normal” and the way abuse, both inter-personal and institutional, speak of corruption and disdain born of ignorance: when people look away so as not to let go of the comforting lies of pride and familiarity, when we lose sight of our own individuality and personal voice, when you realize that the world is much stranger, more vast, but perhaps a little less broken than you thought. This is the blindness, literal and figurative, we all carry in our own ways. This is the theme of Blind Rage.

Tone & Style

“Eyes that shouldn’t be watching, and ears that shouldn’t be listening.” - The Storyteller If you’ve seen films like A Quiet Place or Hush, or shows like A Cure for Wellness, then slow-burn dread and claustrophobic isolation are no strangers to you. In this film, we intend to bring a new perspective to that particular library of cinema by weaving a tale of blindness, familial tension, and psychological mass-manipulation that pull from the dark corners of Cascadian and modern US history. Furthermore, the scopophobic streets of Shillington blend with Rachel’s inner darkness to tell a story that leaves more unsettling questions than unbearable answers until the last, pin-dropping moment.

Cast & Crew

Meet the visionary artists and dedicated performers bringing the visceral world of Blinded Rage to life.

Matthew Heath

Producer

The haunted protagonist searching for truth within the shadows of her own mind.

Kirsten Rusko

Lead Writer

She has produced eight short films, two of which she wrote. She also co-wrote and starred 'Out, Damned Spot' at the Edmonton Fringe Festival. Her production company, Mouthy B Productions, also produces two podcasts and a band.

William Acken

Writer

I write fiction, scripts, music, and poetry. I take my inspiration from occult lore, scientific theories; usually with elements of gothic, horror, fantasy and science fiction.

Elizabeth Ababio

Writer

A young, ambitious director/ screenwriter. Her tastes include thrillers, suspense, murder mysteries and dramas. Having self-published her own novel at the age of 16, she studied 2D animation, then switched to Langara College where she found her love for film.

Rakesh

Cinematographer Department

I am a skilled visual artist with over 15 years of independent film work as DoP and camera operator. I have worked with Sony, Red, and Black Magic cameras extensively, as well as with others. My credits include music videos, short films, commercials, and features.

Jakob Rush

Actor

TBA

Jordon Woytas

Director

A passionate filmmaker and graduate of InFocus Film School, with a focus on drama, horror, and thriller storytelling. I specialize in directing, writing, casting, and editing, and I strive to create visually immersive, emotionally grounded narratives. I was honored with the

Award of Distinction for my work and leadership during my time at film school, and I’m now looking to bring my creativity and collaborative energy to new short films or independent productions.

Rachel Miller | The Blind One

Backstory: Rachel grew up quiet until high school when she found she had a talent for journalism and research. Her tenacious ambition and playfully competitive relation to her sister Sarah drove her to push herself in her capabilities, landing her a scholarship and degree from Washington University, moving onwards into work as a reporter in Seattle.

Her sister gradually drifted away due to falling into a toxic relationship with Keith, the head of a tech-startup, and only regained contact with Rachel after Rachel ignored a warning on her migraine medication, which led her into clinical blindness. This caused Rachel to move in with Sarah, who acts now as her partial caretaker.

Want:

To regain her life as a reporter in the wake of her newfound condition.

Needs/Flaws:

Rachel centres her identity around her career, sometimes to a detriment.

Rachel is also afraid of the dark but seldom lets it get in the way of her work.

Arc:

Rachel begins in crippling insecurity after going blind, urging Sarah to take on a mysterious case that could resurrect her career as a journalist.
The two discover cult activity underlying the workings of the town, and are stalked by the main protagonist: Jasper.
Sarah and Rachel fight over whether Rachel is apt to partake in the investigation. Sarah is killed by Jasper before this can be resolved.
Rachel kills Jasper, taking the collected evidence and returning to a successful career as a podcaster.

Character Breakdown

Sarah Miller | The Detective

Backstory: Sarah and Rachel grew up close, both becoming ambitious workaholics. Sarah found herself in an abusive relationship with Keith and largely disappeared from Rachel's life for a year. She has never told her sister why. She's embarrassed and devastated that she, a federal agent trained to recognize danger, couldn't see the signs in her own relationship. She's thrown herself into work and into volunteering at a domestic violence hotline, telling herself it's a form of healing, when in actuality she’s avoiding facing her trauma. Since Rachel's accident, Sarah has become protective to the point of being overbearing, in part because she no longer trusts her own judgment.

Want: To find the caller and save her from her abusive situation.

Needs: To trust her own perception again and to be honest with Rachel instead of protecting her.

Flaw: She finds it difficult to rely on others, especially when she is feeling vulnerable.

The Arc: the film begins with Sarah and Rachel’s relationship at a point of uneasiness that neither sister is acknowledging. Sarah’s recent experience of abuse makes her distrust her instincts. Sarah agrees to investigate the caller in Shillington with Rachel, even though her every instinct is telling her it’s a dangerous idea. The sisters clash over Rachel’s safety and autonomy, which eventually causes a row between them. Sarah leaves in the middle of the fight, and this is the last time the sisters will see each other. Sarah finds the caller, but she is killed along with the caller in the Airbnb.

Resolution: Sarah achieves her goal, finding the caller, but she never gets to be honest with her sister and truly repair their relationship. She dies while the fight is still unresolved; her inability to face what happened with Keith costs her her life.

Jasper | The True Believer

Character Arc:

Jasper didn’t stumble into the cult; he chose it. His father died when he was eleven, his mother was an alcoholic, and the girlfriend he loved more than anyone left him. Rather than see his life as the product of tragedy, he blamed a breakdown of traditional values, and by the time he found the True Acres, he was ready to believe everything they told him. For ten years, he gave the cult everything; he followed orders to the letter and policed others without being asked. The cult arranged his marriage to Naomi, a woman born and raised inside the community.

He kills Naomi and Sarah when he finds them together planning Naomi’s escape. The cult withdraws their support: this is Jasper’s mess, and he has to clean it up alone. He kills the mayor as an offering to prove his value.

Finally, he attacks Rachel and the sheriff. Believing Rachel to be weak, he underestimates her. Rachel kills him.

Motivation:

To protect the community at any cost. To belong. To matter. To have given his life to something real and have that sacrifice seen and honoured. He never acknowledges that want, even to himself.

Conflict:

Externally, Jasper is working against Rachel and Sarah at every turn. He is protecting the cult like he always has. Internally, Jasper fights against the knowledge that he is more loyal to the True Acres than they are to him.

Why Invest?

With a combination of novel visual and audio storytelling techniques, Blind Rage promises to be a high-yield investment that will submerge the audience in suspense and horror. The film relies on practical effects, rather than solely CGI and greenscreen, to manifest a thrilling display the likes of which harken back to killer films like Midsommar, Halloween, and Silence of The Lambs. On top of a colourful display of practical effects and authentic, psychological tension, the writers of Blind Rage have crafted a world inspired by real-world cult activity and criminal cases that delivers a mysterious angle of the Pacific Northwest which features two lead characters that move against the grain of stereotypical female horror leads. Investing in this film means investing in a story about learning to exist with disability, and speaking out about the emotional complexities and struggles that can occur among family and friends, all amidst the mystery of cult-based investigations while still promising a cost-effective and carefully controlled model of production that can connect with a diverse, horror loving audience.

Theme: Detective Investigation
Target Audience: 20-30s
Budget: 5 Million
Runtime: 104 Minutes
Genre: Horror/Thriller

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Blinded Rage is not a first of its kind film, nor is it the second. It’s never claimed to be so. But it is an exploration into the world of the disabled and gives us the opportunity to watch how someone born or given seemingly “unfortunate” circumstances may overcome those obstacles.

With Blinded Rage we see our characters conquer the odds. We see them take on the “big bad” in ways most would think impossible. Through Rachel’s eyes we witness a fresh and unique take on the horror genre, and with Sarah we get the chance to play detective, solve the case and catch the bad guy. The only question is: can the bad guy be caught?

Their combined genius will craft a compelling tale of two sisters battling both the elements, their dis and inabilities, and each other. It is set to be a thrilling watch, and although you may say you’ve “seen this all before”, we promise that this film (and all others it will inspire soon after) will be a game-changing induction into the horror genre.