Panic Fest 2019: The Luring overview and a chat with Christopher Wells

The Luring was one of the most anticipated featured films at Panic Fest this year. At 1428 Elm, we were fortunate enough to be able to sit down with Christopher Wells, the director of this strange but memorable thrill ride.

The Luring Overview

The Luring was definitely one of the standout films in Panic Fest’s amazing horror showcase. It takes you on one strange ride full of secrets, forgotten memories and big characters.

Written and directed by Christopher Wells (Liz), the production stars Rick Irwin (Homesman) as Garrett, Michaela Sprague (The Night Before) as Claire, Henry Gagliardi (Limitless), Molly Fahey (Shirley), Ava-Riley Miles and Matan Barr.

When Garrett was 10 years old, he experienced a traumatic event while he was with his parents at their vacation home in Vermont. Later in his life, he returns to the scene of this unforgettable experience with his girlfriend Claire to try and remember what happened to him.

As it turns out some memories are best forgotten. While there, Garrett meets an enigmatic, masked woman who may hold the key to this mystery.

Image courtesy of Kaleidoscope Pictures

A Conversation with Christopher Wells

We jumped at the chance to talk to director Christopher Wells. He is best known for his documentary, Romantic Realism the Art of Roderick A. Wells. The Luring is his first foray into the horror genre so we decided to delve into his experiences making his debut feature film.

1428 Elm: The Luring straddles the fence of being a thriller and a horror movie. What made you decide to explore this particular genre?

Christopher Wells: Well, this would be my first narrative feature but I actually directed a few horror short films prior to this effort. I particularly love to create weird and dark films with a little sprinkle of humor.

I see a lot of the same monsters with the same jump scares in the horror genre space and I wanted to be more original. I didn’t want to regurgitate what’s already been done. I respect filmmakers who make something that hasn’t been done before because at least they didn’t sell out.

That being said, I also wanted to write a story that was actually interesting with character development, mystery and of course some weirdness. Hearing the audience at Panic Fest enjoy my film was a great experience and I felt I was among my target audience, the twisted.

1428 Elm: Let’s talk about Garrett. At first, he is just this innocent guy who really wants to find out what happened to him. He is looking for answers. However, as he begins to remember events he turns into a very brash and abrasive character. What was your inspiration for him?

CW: The Luring is about a relationship, curiosity, and false pretenses. Some people will always think the grass is greener and Garrett is one of those people. He’s a complicated character because he’s likable and can be caring but he also has some issues.

In The Luring, I created characters who are jealous and insecure. Evil sees that and is able to magnify those traits and make it so they either go crazy or worse.

1428 Elm: We really enjoyed the uncomfortable twist scenes at the end of this film that were equally sad and horrifying. Are you interested in making another horror movie? Any upcoming projects you can talk about?

CW: I’m currently working on a very interesting story about a vampire on the run. So far I really like where the tale is going. I have another script already written that is a psychedelic love story. The Luring will hopefully open some doors for me and I’m excited to work on future projects.