“Projection”

Raw, weird, and proudly gutsy, co-writers and directors Evan Samaras and George Scoufaras‘s “Projection” is an ultra low budget indie that turns limits into personality. Shot on Super 16mm, it looks and feels exactly right for a story about memory, grief, and the slippery line between imagination and life. That grainy, tactile film stock suits the movie’s mood, where it’s caring and warm one moment and uncanny the next.

Thomas (Nicholas Runfolo), a screenwriter reeling from his father’s (Brad Hamler) death, starts writing a screenplay to cope. After pouring his heart and soul into the script, he becomes surprised when the screenplay starts writing him. The story leans into fractured time, blurred identities, and celluloid confessions, folding an imagined bonding between Thomas and his dad into his everyday reality until the two worlds collide. It’s basically an introspective, male‑centered take on daddy issues, where obsession with a creative project becomes a slow exercise in self‑splintering.

The story’s power is its intimate and personal focus, especially when paired with an experimental visual style. It doesn’t have the polish of bigger (and more well-funded projects), but that’s part of its charm. The creativity on display makes the tiny budget feel intentional, not limiting. If you’re into artsy, mood‑driven psychodramas with old school experimental vibes, this one’s a neat specimen. If you want a conventional horror ride, you’ll likely find it too slow and inward.

“Projection” isn’t for everyone, but its gutsy filmmaking and strong sense of atmosphere make it a memorable, strangely moving piece about grief, filmmaking, and what happens when fantasy consumes reality.

By: Louisa Moore