Cannes Frontières Buzz Title ‘Skin Side Up’ Elevates Drag Queen Horror (EXCLUSIVE)

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Title “Skin Side Up,” directed by Robert Ten Eyck, winner of Season 4 of “Drag Race Down Under,” is venturing into an under-explored subgenre – drag queen horror. This intriguing production has secured a significant theatrical distribution deal for Australia and New Zealand with one of their genre specialists.

The movie titled “Skin Side Up,” directed by Robert Ten Eyck from Drag Race Down Under Season 4, is exploring a rarely seen subgenre – drag horror. It has signed a major deal for theatrical release in Australia and New Zealand with one of their genre experts.

Bertha Woodhouse, a drag queen, finds herself in an eerie setting when she takes on a hen party gig in a remote location. From the get-go, something doesn’t feel right – there are just four attendees and their behavior is unsettling. In the course of a ’round of affirmations’, she receives a secret message: “I don’t recognize these people. Need help.

So begins her night of terror, the synopsis runs. 

As a queer individual and a drag artist, I’ve often found myself navigating unfamiliar environments with uncertainty regarding my safety. I shared this sentiment when speaking to EbMaster, expressing my desire to create a film that captures the fear – the harrowing sensation of being confined within someone else’s definition of who I am. ‘Skin Side Up’ is raw, unsettling, and brutally honest in ways I find captivating, yet it also delves into the heart of humanity, exploring themes of identity, power, and endurance.

On May 17, a preview for “Skin Side Up” will be premiered at the Frontières Platform’s Proof of Concept showcase, an event co-presented by Canada’s Fantasia International Film Festival and Cannes Market.

“Skin Side Up” is produced by Cellophane Studios and Iris Arc Pictures.

As a follower, I’m part of “Skin Side Up,” a studio founded by Annie Thiel that focuses on magnifying underrepresented emotions while delivering a significant entertainment punch. In 2024, we made our grand entrance into the world of entertainment with our first project, a joint production titled “I’m So Sorry For Your Loss” – a web series produced alongside ABC and Screen Australia.

As a passionate cinephile, I was thrilled to witness the release of “Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism,” a masterpiece produced by Iris Arc Pictures under the leadership of Lauren Simpson. This chilling tale won the hearts of viewers and claimed the Audience Choice Award at the 2023 Sitges Festival. XYZ Films, recognizing its potential, secured North America distribution rights for the film, which premiered as a Tubi Original.

The Coven, a distinguished sales agency, handled its distribution, ensuring that it was shown in theaters or streaming platforms across 12 major markets worldwide, including Germany, U.K., Latin America, CIS, Spain, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand, France, Italy, with more territories to be announced soon.

Simpson and Thiel expressed their enthusiasm for creating daring, high-quality genre films that defy conventions. ‘Skin Side Up’ is explosive, rebellious, and incredibly engaging – a movie that reflects our reality while providing an exhilaratingly chilling experience. They described horror as a realm for breaking rules, and this film boldly expands those boundaries in a unique and fearless manner.

The producers have recently obtained a commitment for theatrical distribution in Australia and New Zealand from Umbrella Entertainment, a company based in Victoria. This company is known for handling major Australian genre releases, such as “The Babadook,” “Late Night With The Devil,” and “Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism.

As a dedicated cinephile, I’m thrilled about the early decision we’ve made. This paves the way for us to access Australia’s 40% Producer Offset tax credit, as Simpson mentioned. With this tax credit and extra funding from Screen Australia, Vicscreen, and other governmental bodies, we stand a chance to secure up to 50% of our film’s budget for “Skin Side Up”.

The “anxiety of being confined within someone else’s perception of who I should be” resonates deeply with Ten Eyck’s background as a drag queen. He expresses that horror is most potent when it explores our deepest fears. In his view, this fear hasn’t been portrayed before in the way he experiences it – walking into traditionally heteronormative environments and feeling like you’ve stumbled into a trap. As a drag queen, he often finds himself performing at events associated with weddings, bachelorette parties, and hen parties. This can be an unsettling experience for him, as it places him in the midst of something he’s spent his life trying to avoid. He also mentioned that he will use “vibrant blues and deep blacks” when shooting.

One striking observation from the demonstration was the quick connection formed with Bertha. “Initially, I wondered if we could effectively replace Neve Campbell or Jamie Lee Curtis, renowned scream queens, with a 40-something, seemingly burned out cross-dresser and still keep a mainstream audience sympathetic towards this character. However, assembling the promotional video showed that, indeed, people warm up to her very quickly,” said Ten Eyck.

Given the present situation and all the events unfolding in America, it’s essential to recognize that there are people who may not fully understand those in my community due to the strong prejudice towards them,” he explained further.

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2025-04-09 12:19