Haze
Directed by Matthew Fifer
Hosted by Director/Screenwriter Matthew Fifer, Actor Cole Doman, Producer Ramfis Myrthil
Director
Matthew Fifer
Writer
Matthew Fifer
Cast
Cole Doman, Brian J. Smith
contact
IFC Films / Shudder / RLJE Films
Youthful and effeminate Joseph (Cole Doman, MUTT) returns to his hometown Haze to investigate the infamous but hush-hush case of eight gay men who allegedly died by suicide years ago at a now abandoned psychiatric hospital that holds many secrets. During his quiet solo ventures to photograph the location, gather evidence, and interview past hospital employees, Joseph encounters a few memorable townsfolk, including a prying neighbour from his childhood (David Pittu, DAMAGES) as well as the handsome and elusive Luke (Brian J. Smith, STARGATE UNIVERSE), with whom Joseph develops a steamy chemistry and intimate camaraderie. Incidentally, a series of suspicious deaths also begin to occur around the neighbourhood...
Matthew Fifer is no stranger to centring on a queer theme, as he did with his first feature CICADA, and now with HAZE, a slow-burn tale set amid small-town Americana. There’s no better way to describe HAZE than as a queer slice-of-life thriller with a somber, horror-leaning quality. The pacing of the film gives the audience an opportunity to soak in the incredibly eerie and beautiful shots, all rich with intention. Joseph’s soft and mysterious character is developed as gradually as his knowledge of his hometown’s dark past, and the underlying plot concerning the events that took place years ago, as well as Joseph’s own deeply-rooted trauma regarding the circumstances surrounding his sister’s death, though prominent and interconnected, almost come second to HAZE’s haunting cinematography, which provides a highly contemplative experience for the viewer. – Karen Wan
Showings
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