Getting any film made is a miracle. This is especially true of debut features. But getting a debut feature film made during the pandemic sounds like it would have been an insurmountable challenge. This is exactly the conundrum that filmmaker Elise Finnerty faced with her debut, The Ones You Didn’t Burn. Overseen by an unknown, but supporting force, Finnerty achieved the impossible within the confines of a very tight shoot. The result is a film that is lusciously wicked.
The Ones You Didn’t Burn joins siblings Nathan (Nathan Wallace) and Mirra (Jenna Rose Sander) who return to their childhood farmstead in the wake of their father’s passing. Their relationship is fraught; heavy with complicated emotions, obligations and reliances caused by Nathan’s ongoing struggle with addiction. The two begin preparation to sell their family home and encounter Alice (Elise Finnerty) and Scarlett (Estelle Girard Parks), two women who claim that the land was stolen from their ancestors after they were accused of being witches. Nathan soon finds himself at the centre of an occult conspiracy that led to his father’s death and now threatens to destroy him. Meanwhile Mirra is inexplicably drawn to these new women and the resulting collision course between brother and sister has catastrophic repercussions.
Having received its world premier at Chattanooga Film Festival (where it won Best Debut Feature) The Ones You Didn’t Burn had an excellent festival run. We at THN caught the film during its sell-out screening at FrightFest and where it aroused our curiosity with its slowly drip-fed morsels of mystery and unease. The Ones You Didn’t Burn now arrives in the UK on digital and this is the perfect pick for those that loved either What Josiah Saw or The Dark and the Wicked.
Due to the nature of independent filmmaking, in addition to directing, writing and starring in The Ones You Didn’t Burn, Finnerty also undertook a multitude of behind-the-scenes roles. She wasn’t alone in this endeavour. In keeping the cast and crew small (for Covid and budget necessities) everyone got stuck. The love poured into The Ones You Didn’t Burn’s creation is plain to see and so THN were thrilled when Elise agreed to share some secrets from the set. Our discussion delved into the importance of film festivals and the connection they foster, the collaborative nature of creating art, and spinning witchy tropes on their heads.
The Ones You Didn’t Burn is available to rent and download from on digital platforms now.
