Dark Whispers
When Clara discovers her deceased mother’s revered ‘Book of Dark Whispers’, she can’t stop reading the strange stories within its mystical pages. Each tale reveals a new facet of the twisted human psyche… or the not-so-human… as the case may be. From the horror of grief to a share-house living disaster, existential dread to right-swiping vampires, there’s something for all tastes; as long as those tastes are twisted. Created by Megan Riakos and starring Andrea Demetriades, Asher Keddie, Anthony LaPaglia and Bree Desborough, the Dark Whispers horror anthology is brought to you by eleven female directors from across Australia.
Directors:
Megan Riakos (wraparound director)
Angie Black, Briony Kidd, Isabel Peppard, Janine Hewitt, Jub Clerc, Kaitlin Tinker, Katrina Irawati Graham, Lucy Gouldthorpe, Madeleine Purdy, Marion Pilowsky (segment directors)
Writers:
Megan Riakos (wraparound director)
Claire d’Este, Isabel Peppard, Janine Hewitt, Jean-Phillipe Lopez, Joel Perlgut, Jub Clerc, Kaitlin Tinker, Katrina Irawati Graham, Madeleine Purdy, Marion Pilowsky, Michael Harden, Sylvia Clarke, Warwick Burton (segment writers)
Producers:
Produced by Megan Riakos & Leonie Marsh, associate produced by Briony Kidd and executive produced by Enzo Tedeschi.
Segment Producers:
Angie Black, Belinda Kelsall, Briony Kidd, Clare Bajrovic, David Ma, Emma Crethary, Emma Spencer, George Rubanov, Janine Hewitt, Joel Perlgut, Josh Vines, Lucy Gouldthorpe, Rebecca Thomson, Rosie Newall, Yiani Andrikdis, Warwick Burton.
Starring:
Asher Keddie, Anthony LaPaglia, Andrea Demetriades, Bree Desborough
“The vignettes are a mix of quirky, eerie, ironic, sinister, cheeky, melancholy…there’s a cohesiveness across the whole that makes it all hang together nicely. Rather than opt for schlock genre cliches, the films all rely on classic, well-crafted story-telling.”
“This absorbing collection from a group of fascinating voices is well worth seeking out.”
“Grief and loss, reflected in a myriad of forms, emerged as strong yet by no means universal themes therein. Birthday Girl by Angie Black, Kaitlin Tinker’s The Man Who Caught a Mermaid and Marion Pilowsky’s The Ride stood as particular highlights, with Riakos’ own strand tying the diverse narratives together too a stand out.”
“Excellently well-crafted stories that make for a highly enjoyable narrative and proves that there are some dark and sinister tales to be told from some exciting female creatives that deserve praise and recognition.”
“Australian feminist horror anthology: from giggles to shivers in a scream of dark joy…Dark Whispers is more diverse than many horror anthologies… bursting with ideas and energetic visual approaches.”
“A collection of vivid and complex horror shorts directed by women.”
“A shining example of horror anthology film done right. Woven intricately together with the thematic thread of grief, love, and moving on, Dark Whispers asks us to peek behind the curtains of loss and face what we see there, even when it shocks us.”
“A phenomenal example of a horror film done right. This dark anthology filled with ominous tales of warning, went way beyond my expectations. You need to see this exceptional film.”
“An intriguing showcase of Australian female storytelling within the horror genre, a journey through a dark collection of modern-day fairy-tales with some important messages at its core. It doesn’t hold its punches and leaves plenty to think about long after the closing credits, much like the legacy of stories passed down from one generation to the next.”
“The film itself is super accessible, which is such a positive as it allows a wider audience to be able to enjoy a horror experience. The horror genre in the modern age can often focus a lot on blood and gore or ramping up the jump scares, but Dark Whispers Volume 1 focuses on the psychological more than the physical presence of something horrific.”
“These stories are largely of the subtle and psychological variety, searching for a deeper meaning or a timely message and allowing the female directors to explore every type of terror, from body horror to extreme paranoia…You’ll quickly decide on your own favourites and be left wanting more.”
“Dark Whispers Volume 1 is an ideal showcase for the wealth of female directing talent on display here and if there is a Volume 2 on the horizon I’ll be here for it.”
“There’s also Dark Whispers – Volume 1, a horror anthology directed by 11 female filmmakers from Down Under, showing once more how prolific Australia is when it comes to getting under your skin. There’s something for everyone: ghost stories linked to grief, animations about heartbreak, paranoia-soaked morality tales and even a lurid spin on Ron Howard’s Splash.”
DARK WHISPERS FILM REVIEW
Love Horror
5 March 2020
DARK WHISPERS FILM REVIEW
Cinema Crazed
13 February 2020
DARK WHISPERS FILM REVIEW
Cinema Crazed
13 February 2020
DARK WHISPERS IS ANTHOLOGY DONE RIGHT
Killer Horror Critic
9 February 2020
DARK WHISPERS FILM REVIEW
Horror Fuel
12 February 2020
SCREAM QUEENS! TOP TIPS FOR FINAL GIRLS BERLIN FF
Exberliner
31 January 2020
DARK WHISPERS FILM REVIEW
In Their Own League
9 November 2019
DARK WHISPERS, A SPOOKY ANTHOLOGY FROM AUST’S FEMALE HORROR DIRECTORS
Make The Switch
7 November 2019
FILM: DARK WHISPERS FROM THE CREEPY TEN
Screen Hub
1 November 2019
DARK WHISPERS, LOUD VOICES: THE WOMEN SHAPING AUSTRALIAN HORROR
Screenspace
29 October 2019
DARK WHISPERS, VOL 1 REVIEW
CityHub
29 October 2019
MEGAN RIAKOS ON HORROR ANTHOLOGY ‘DARK WHISPERS’
Festevez
28 October 2019
MOVIE REVIEW – DARK WHISPERS – VOL 1
Surgeons of Horror
27 Oct 2019
MEGAN RIAKOS ON CREATING HORROR ANTHOLOGY – DARK WHISPERS
Surgeons of Horror
27 Oct 2019
DARK WHISPERS – FEATURED FEMALE FILMMAKERS PART 25
The Women’s Direction
25 Oct 2019
EXCEPTIONAL FEMALE FILMMAKING TALENT SHOWCASED
Cinema Australia
20 August 2019
MEGAN RIAKOS SHOWCASES FEMALE DIRECTORS IN HORROR ANTHOLOGY
Inside Film
6 June 2019
WOMEN OF OZ HORROR ANTHOLOGY TEASED IN TRAILER
Screenspace
16 August 2019
The Dark Whispers educational module is an ideal learning tool for Libraries, Schools and Universities with Screen Studies, Women Studies and Cultural Studies Departments. Key areas of discussion include history of anthology films, the genesis of Dark Whispers, genre context, themes and influences for each of the segments, filmmaker tips and advice and an overall analysis of female voices in cinema and social commentary hidden in genre from a feminist perspective.