Writer-Director Mickey Keating Debuts Feature Film: RITUAL

We recently hosted the theatrical premiere screening of After Dark Films' RITUAL, the feature debut of writer-director Mickey Keating!  See his interview with us here: 6 Questions with Mickey Keating.  Distributed in the US by Lionsgate on VOD and DVD/HD right after Christmas, this low-budget horror film is a classic example of how to break into the industry as a first-time filmmaker.  Indeed, Keating may be one of the youngest directors to have a multinational release at 23 years old!

Also see: 6 Questions with RITUAL Writer-Director Mickey Keating

The film showcases captivating performances from Lisa Summerscales, Dean Cates and Derek Phillips.  Ritual tells the tale of a young woman and her estranged husband, who become entangled with a horrifying cult and find themselves swept into a world of kidnapping, violence and satanic rituals.

“A long time ago, Tom and Lovely were married and everything was perfect. But that’s over. When Lovely kills a man after he tries to drug and kidnap her, she calls Tom for help and while cleaning up, they find a VHS tape that depicts a satanic ritual in which a woman is brutally murdered. When they’re forced to return to the scene they discover just how far this cult will go to perform their ritual.”

After the premiere screening at Los Angeles Film School, the panel of filmmakers talked with Shock Till You Drop's Ryan Turek about the filmmaking and deal-making process.  See video clip and photos below.

 Director Mickey Keating and Producer Chelsea Stardust Peters Talk Filming of RITUAL (VIDEO): 

RITUAL director Mickey Keating and editor Valerie Krulfeifer at premiere screening in Los Angeles.

RITUAL producer Eric Fleischman at premiere screening in Los Angeles

RITUAL director Mickey Keating with ScreenCraft's John Rhodes at premiere screening in Los Angeles

Mickey Keating was also featured on one of our panels: Horror Filmmaking: The Guts of the Craft.

And don't miss Mickey's guest post for us: 8 Great Horror Films You Probably Haven't Seen