Road to Grimmfest: Interview with cast and crew of ’Shot in the Dark’

Having completed our coverage of Fantasia, FrightFest, Venice and TIFF, THN’s attention now turns to yet another film festival: Grimmfest. The festival will be the appropriately spooky thirteenth edition and will see over thirty genre films, new and old, descend upon Manchester’s Odeon Great Northern from 7th to 10th October. For those unable to make the physical component, the organisers will also be running a virtual festival from 14th to 17th October during which attendees can enjoy all the frights of the fest from the comfort of their own homes. With so many other festivals in motion, it can be tough finding enough content that is brand new, but the team at Grimmfest have managed to accumulate a treasure chest of new genre films that will be sure to get audiences talking. 

One of the many first-time-in-the-UK titles to screen is Keene McRae’s Shot in the Dark. Grimmfest will actually be the venue for not just the UK debut of the film, but also the world premiere, meaning that those in Manchester will be the first audience to experience the dark story that has been cooked up. Written by the trio of Keene McRae, Lane Thomas, and Kristoffer McMillan, who also star in the piece, Shot in the Dark is set in the year 1998 and presents a unique perspective on the serial killer thriller. Inspired by true events, the story joins William Langston (McMillan), a man haunted by his past, whose hometown is caught in the stranglehold of a violent killer. As the killer ramps up their plan, William finds himself facing his greatest fears, as well as his own mortality. 

Shot in the Dark offers a complex and considered exploration of small town paranoia, life-long friendships, and love, underneath a shroud of macabre violence. Intrigued by the real-world inspiration and the fact that McRae, Thomas, and McMillan all undertook multiple roles (cast and crew) to bring Shot in the Dark to life, we sat down with the three of them to uncover more about their film.

Shot in the Dark screens at Grimmfest 2021 on 10th October 2021. Shot in the Dark arrives on Digital platforms on Monday 10th October 2022.