Running Time: 85 Minutes
Starring: Jasmine Mathews, RJ Brown, Sally Stewart, Stephen Barrington, Danny Brown
The feature debut of writer/director James Ross II, Parasomnia is a fascinating first attempt. The story opens in 2014, at a foster home where a makeshift poster highlights that it is Riley's 15th birthday. Strange noises come from her room, something which alerts David, her friend who is uncertain of what the noises are. As Riley lays unresponsive with her eyes open, matters worsen when one of the group home's residents start killing those within and eating their eyes.
It then jumps to 2024, where Riley (Jasmine Mathews) is ready to celebrate her 25th birthday with her boyfriend, Cam (RJ Brown), old friend David (Stephen Barrington), and David's girlfriend. As the festivities wind down and everybody heads to bed, the night takes a sinister turn when strange noises and creepy figures surface within the house. With David and his girlfriend now missing, Riley suspects that the strange events are linked to a demonic entity that stalks her dreams, and may have found its way into the real world.
Anchoring this tale are solid performances that ensure the characters feel believable. This is most evident with Riley and David, as the portrayals capture a sibling-style relationship which feels formed over their years living together. Jasmine Matthews is particularly impressive as Riley, conveying a deep-seated guilt from her past that leaves her staying in her parents' old home, a source of her trauma. One gets the impression that is a proactive choice, intended to learn from the past by having control where she was previously helpless. This is particularly true regarding her night terrors, as she finds a method of dealing with them to prevent danger courtesy of her dreams.
When it comes to doing dream sequences in horror, A Nightmare on Elm Street remains the high watermark for such ideas. James Ross II opts for a fascinating idea which stands apart, as the dreams unfold like an analogue found-footage horror film. It is an interesting idea which pays off unsettlingly well, as the old-school realisation is very creepy to see.
At its core, this story looks at the different ways children are driven following their parents' deaths. Riley may wish to heal and move forward, but others do not share that same intent and instead continue the cycle of hurt, healing their old wounds by opening up another's metaphorical scars. As the film rumbles on, it is clear these children's lives have been severely affected by a remorseless monster with sinister intentions, and the resolution will not end so cleanly. As a result, Parasomnia is an unsettling experience which highlights a promising future for those involved.
Parasomnia played at Overlook Film Festival 2026
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