Indie horror film has high profile diverse cast and Latin flare
“A Dark Foe,” produced by Amy Williams, directed and co-written by Maria Gabriela Cardenas, will make its World Premiere at Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival on February 15 at 9:30 p.m. at the Regal Cinema at LA Live.
The film stars Selma Blair, Julie Gonzalez, Graham Greene, Glen Morshower, Monte Markham, Beverly Todd and Trisha Rae Stahl.
“A Dark Foe” tells the story of a guilt-ridden FBI agent (Cardenas), stranded in the painful memory of the abduction of his sister, suffers from a rare condition known as Nyctophobia, an irrational fear of the dark, and will have to face-off with the cunning serial killer who took her away.
The festival has awarded Best Director (Cardenas), Best Supporting Actress (Blair) and Best Dramatic Feature Film.
Williams, a veteran indie film producer, brought together an incredible cast and crew to support young female Venezuelan director Cardenas for her first feature film at 23 years of age.
The film boasts a very large mixed cast which qualified for SAG diversity.
The film also introduces Venezuelan lead actor Oscar Cardenas, who is Cardenas’s father.
“I hired Maria on a couple of my previous films and she asked me to help her produce her first feature. I love helping young female and minority filmmakers and am very supportive of the idea of paying it forward. Selma Blair, also a wonderful soul, was incredibly trusting and generous to come and support a woman in film and this young director . Some of the standout performances are from actors I have long championed - Oscar nominated American Indian Graham Greene as the Cradle and Tokala Black Elk and Jon Lindstrom is brilliant as Vincent the pimp. Other wonderful performances include Bill Bellamy, Kenzie Dalton, Selma Blair and Glen Morshower. We also have some Hollywood royalty sprinkled into the mix including Ava Locklear and Ireland Bassinger Baldwin,” Williams said. “Also some truly amazing young actors Harlow Rocca and Shane Almagor . The Director Of Photography is truly a gift to anyone who works with him- Jon Aguirresarobe . I am extremely grateful and so proud of all these artists I brought together to support a first time female Venezuelan director and have fun and create some horror magic. Winning Best Feature and Best Director at the world premier makes me very proud of all the team.”
Williams was born in Memphis, but grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
At the time, the neighborhood was notorious for drugs and crime, but was still home to many young parents and their children.
This included Amy’s parents (Jean and Joelle), Amy, and her 5 siblings.
Her father, Jean, had a Ph.D. in German literature, and was a college professor.
But he had a wide range of gifts and interests that he was determined to pass on to his children.
He was a poet, a writer, and a photographer.
He had a keen eye for films and movie making.
Williams mother, Joelle Morrison, also a wonderful writer and copy editor for many trades and newspapers over the years.
In 1970, when Jean was writing a critical expose on Franz Kafka, he was severely injured and unable to cognitively function as the “genius father” Amy had always known him to be.
It changed the course of the family as a whole, and Amy, fueled by her heartbreak and passion, made her first film, The Morrison Project, which won Best Documentary and the Golden Starfish Award at The Hamptons Film Festival in 2003.
Simultaneously, Amy has been working as a producer and directing.
Award winning short Respire as Best Director at California Women’s Film Festival, Best Narrative Short at California International Shorts Festival.
Directing A Night in Jail starring Michael Madsen and Max Madsen, a short based on true events dealing with mental illness and drugs.
This film has screened official selection at HollyShorts and LA Shorts. Amy is responsible for raising financing for multi million dollar films, award winning packaging with creative name casting and department heads as well as bringing sales and distribution for features including Mothers and Daughters, Rock Paper Scissors, and Hunter’s Moon starring Colm Feore.
Williams counts Martin Scorsese, Lee Daniels, Quentin Tarantino, Kathryn Bigelow and the Coen Brothers as some of her biggest influences.
