(Info from press release)
Black Mass, the true crime directorial debut of Devanny Pinn, has set its market screening on May 21st, 2023 at 6:15pm(Palais J) in the Palais des Festival as part of the Marché du Film during the Cannes Film Festival in France.
In attendance at the festival will be director Pinn (an award-winning actress and producer who has been active in horror for over a decade) and Black Mass stars Andrew Sykes (Speechless), Sarah Nicklin(The Retaliators), and Michelle Romano(Spoken Word), the latter who also produced the film.
A true-crime thriller inspired by real events, Black Mass is set over a 24-hour period in Florida during the winter of 1978, and follows a serial killer in the days leading up to his final, unhinged rampage. The film intends to provide a disturbing and terrifying look into the warped psyche of a notorious murderer, as well as the ramifications of his violence for those who fell victim to it, and for those who survived.
“Black Mass aims to tell a famous serial killer's story from a perspective that has not yet been done - by spending a day with the victims,” says director Devanny Pinn.
"The media has played a significant role in giving murderers publicity and lending celebrity, even at times a 'cool factor', to their persona. I feel it's time to change that narrative. It's time to shift the public's focus to the people whose lives were prematurely taken from them and I saw Black Mass as an opportunity to approach that cinematically,” she adds.
Romano, who had worked briefly with Pinn on the action film Escape from Ensenada, was eager to work with her again in a more substantial role as co-producer for Black Mass.
“When Devanny first approached me about this project, I was so inspired by her passion and commitment for sharing her vision and making this film. The deeper we got into the development of this project, the more impressed I was with her dedication for telling this story in such a way that really hasn’t been done before. It was important to both of us to honor these women as the beautiful people that they were; filled with hope and love... and life. They were real people, not just victims,” says producer and actor Michelle Romano.
Sarah Nicklin, who portrays a real-life survivor, says of her role, “It was very important to me to capture the essence of the person my character is based on. I want the audience to feel her warmth and light, and how brightly she shined, so that they can understand how devastating and truly evil the events that happened to her were.”
Black Mass also stars Lew Temple (The Walking Dead), Jeremy London (Party of Five, 7th Heaven), Lisa Wilcox (A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 and 5), Kathleen Kinmont(Halloween 4), and Eileen Dietz (The Exorcist), among others.
Brian Perera, Yvonne Perera, Brandon Slagle, Gigi Jankowski and Miranda Mariposa are executive producers. Tim Yasui is co-producer, and Anjanette Miller and Susan Lanier are associate producers. Pinn directs from a script written by Eric Pereira and Brandon Slagle.
Devanny Pinn is repped by Sheila Legetteof Sheila Legette Entertainment.
