“Bystanders,” Mary Beth McAndrews’ directorial debut, has set a release date after a successful festival run. The film will be available on VOD on Jan. 21 via Dread, the specialty horror label of Epic Pictures.
The movie stars Brandi Botkin, Bob Wilcox, Garrett Murphy, Jamie Alvey, Chaney Morrow and Hannah Fierman. Alvey also wrote the film.
It won awards after screening at both Nightmares Film Festival and HorrorHound Film Festival. At HorrorHound, “Bystanders” was nominated for 11 awards and won seven, including best feature, best directing, best writing, best supporting performance (Garrett Murphy), best cinematography, best editing and Judges Choice.
Per the film’s official synopsis, “Clare and Gray are your typical loving millennial couple navigating a jaded world. Abby is a sweet awkward teen. When Abby attends a party held by her crush, a rich frat boy hotshot named Cody, the bash spins out of control when Cody and the boys decide to drug, rape, and hunt several of the girls in attendance. When Abby’s path intersects with Gray and Clare’s path, they form an unlikely alliance during a night of chaos and bloodshed as the trio fight for their lives against the collegiate creeps.”
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“’Bystanders’ has been incredibly close to my heart since I first read Jamie Alvey’s script,” McAndrews said in a statement. “As a sexual assault survivor, being able to tell this story in all of its gory glory has been incredibly cathartic and liberating. A film like ‘Bystanders’ is more important now than ever and I’m thrilled that Dread is helping us share it with the world.”
“Mary Beth McAndrews is a visionary in the world of horror, and ‘Bystanders’ is a testament to her creativity and fearless storytelling,” Epic Pictures Group CEO Patrick Ewald said in a statement. “This film is not just a chilling experience; it’s a reflection of Mary Beth’s unique perspective and passion for pushing the boundaries of the genre.”
Watch the “Bystanders” trailer and see the poster below.
Courtesy of Epic Pictures Group