Red Kingdom Rising

Lore & Background

The film follows Mary Ann, a woman tormented by dreams of the Red King. After her father's death, she returns to her family home, where she recalls childhood stories of Alice. She discovers her abusive mother practicing black magic, and a bewitching attack propels Mary Ann into a twisted dream world. There, she meets a Cheshire Cat-masked girl named Alice, who questions whether the dream belongs to Mary Ann or the Red King. Mary Ann must confront suppressed memories and face the Red King to gain closure from her painful past.

Reader's Guide

Red Kingdom Rising is significant as a low-budget independent film that uses the fantasy horror genre to explore themes of child abuse and psychological trauma. Director Navin Dev drew on real accounts of adult survivors and Bruno Bettelheim's The Uses of Enchantment to craft a symbolic, nightmarish world. The film's visual style was influenced by Gustav Doré's paintings, Mark Ryden's work, graphic novels, and Jaromil Jireš' Valerie and Her Week of Wonders. Shot on Super 16mm for its grainy, organic quality, the film received favorable reviews from UK genre critics and was featured in history books such as English Gothic: Classic Horror Cinema and The History of British Literature on Film. Its legacy includes a Special Edition US DVD release and recognition at the Feratum Film Festival.

Did You Know?

• The film was nominated for Best Horror Film at the Portobello Film Festival.
• Director Navin Dev researched Bruno Bettelheim's The Uses of Enchantment for the film's themes.
• The film won Best Fantasy Horror Film at the 2014 Feratum Film Festival in Mexico.
• A Special Edition US DVD was released on Amazon.com on 28 April 2014.