James Watkins, professor of Film Directing and Producing, produced a feature film that received press coverage and was accepted into a film festival!

“Carry the Darkness” Officially Selected for Popcorn Fright Film Festival — August 14–17, 2025

Carry the Darkness, the atmospheric supernatural thriller directed by Douglas Forrester, has been selected for this year’s Popcorn Fright Film Festival.

A visceral immersion into the fears of adolescence, Carry the Darkness channels early‑1990s Satanic Panic through the eyes of Travis (Joel Meyers, who most recently led Broadway’s Harry Potter & The Cursed Child as Albus Potter), a misunderstood metalhead photographer blamed for a series of grisly town disappearances. The film’s atmospheric blend of nostalgia, emotional rawness, and supernatural dread marks a striking feature-length debut for Forrester.

Critical Acclaim from Daily Grindhouse
In a stirring review following the film’s appearance at Panic Fest 2025, Daily Grindhouse praised the project as “effectively spooky and a pointed examination of what it’s like to be an adolescent outsider in a time of societal turmoil.” The review further lauded Joel Meyers’s commanding lead turn: his portrayal conveys “vulnerability and rage… a testament to his strength as an actor,” elevating Carry the Darkness beyond genre thrills into urgent, character-driven storytelling dailygrindhouse.com.

About the Film
Set in a small American town during the height of early‑’90s moral panic, Carry the Darkness tells the story of alienation, adolescence, and societal fear. With roots in the West Memphis Three case and echoes of Twin Peaks, The X‑Files, and Stephen King–style storytelling, the film deftly fuses supernatural suspense with empathy for the misunderstood.

Featuring compelling performances from Joel Meyers, Jaden Gant, Helen Laser, and Hollis Fox, the film explores themes of friendship, self‑worth, and resistance against unjust labels.

The film also features a score by Travis Bacon (Slashtag Cinema, The Bondsman, Contracult Collective).

Trailer Link:
https://dailygrindhouse.com/thewire/panic-fest-2025-carry-the-darkness-is-an-effective-dive-into-societal-panic-and-adolescence/