Falling Stars

Falling Stars, directed by Gabriel Bienczycki and Richard Karpala, is a modern folk horror film that blends supernatural traditions with raw human experience, creating a haunting yet intimate depiction of fear, loss and family ties. Set in an alternate reality where witches are not only real, but a known and constant threat, the film creates an atmospheric story filled with dread. This palpable sense of unease is reinforced by the isolated landscape of the American Southwest, where the vast desert stretches out and the sky becomes a canvas of danger during the harvest season. Here, witches, known as shooting stars, descend from the sky to claim human lives in a ritual that has become a frightening but accepted part of life.

The film follows the story of three brothers, Mike (Shaun Duke Jr), Sal (Andrew Gabriel) and Adam (Rene Leech), who venture into the desert with their friend Rob (Greg Poppa) to see the body of a dead witch that Rob claims to have slain. The brothers are presented as deeply bonded, their chemistry natural and believable, especially during the moments of unease and tension they share. However, their curiosity soon leads to catastrophe when a reckless act unleashes a deadly curse that threatens not only them, but everyone they come into contact with.

Richard Karpala, who also wrote the screenplay, builds a world in Falling Stars where witches are treated with the same certainty as natural disasters. This is evidenced by the film's opening sequence, which features news bulletins and radio broadcasts, such as the one hosted by Barry (J. Aaron Boykin), discussing the upcoming harvest as if it were an inevitable storm. This premise is both imaginative and unsettling, as it normalizes the presence of witches in society, but the script struggles at times to build its world. The exposition seems forced in certain scenes, as when Mike explains to his brothers the rules for interacting with the witch's body - rules they should already know, given the established history of this world. Despite these narrative difficulties, the film maintains the audience's attention thanks to its mounting tension and sinister atmosphere.

The plot's precipitating incident occurs when the brothers, along with Rob, break these rules - albeit unintentionally - by spilling beer on the witch's body. This triggers a series of supernatural events that see Rob disappear, followed by his wife, leaving behind only their infant daughter. The rest of the film focuses on the brothers' desperate attempts to lift the curse, including a crucial visit to their troubling mother, Danni (Diane Worman), who gives them cryptic warnings about the consequences of their actions. Diane Worman's performance is particularly memorable, with a chilling monologue that reinforces the sense of impending doom.

Visually, Falling Stars is stunning, thanks in large part to Gabriel Bienczycki's skill as cinematographer. The film uses the stark, barren beauty of the Mojave Desert to evoke a sense of isolation and strangeness, reinforcing the idea that the brothers are truly alone in their struggle against an unseen force. Night scenes, lit only by flashlights or car headlights, create a claustrophobic contrast with the wide open spaces, amplifying the tension as the brothers navigate the dark, unknown dangers of the desert.

Despite the film's visual assets and well-executed atmosphere, it stumbles over the overall coherence of its narrative. The final act, set in a radio station where Mike ponders whether to follow his mother's advice to burn the witch's body, loses much of the momentum built up in the early parts of the film. The sense of dread, so carefully constructed throughout, dissipates as the film moves away from the witch's direct threat to focus on internal struggles and decisions. While this choice adds a layer of psychological complexity to the story, it tones down the immediate horror, giving the ending an anti-climactic feel.

The performances in Falling Stars are generally excellent, particularly those of Shaun Duke Jr. as older brother Mike, whose performance anchors the film in a sense of quiet authority and responsibility. Gabriel and Leech, as Sal and Adam respectively, also deliver nuanced performances, although their interactions sometimes seem disjointed, as if the characters were navigating different versions of the same story. This discrepancy, though subtle, undermines the family's supposed intimacy and detracts from the film's emotional stakes.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Falling Stars is its minimal use of special effects. The witches, though omnipresent in the story, are never fully shown, with the exception of the corpse that serves as the narrative thread. This decision to focus on the fear of the unknown - what is not seen rather than what is - works in the film's favor, allowing the audience's imagination to fill in the blanks. The film thus echoes classics such as The Blair Witch Project, where the absence of a visible monster intensifies the terror. The witch's presence is felt in every scene, through whispered conversations, ominous warnings and the brothers' growing despair, but she remains an elusive, almost mythical figure.

As the film progresses, Falling Stars delves deeper into the themes of belief and skepticism, notably through the character of Adam, the youngest of the brothers, who represents a new generation less inclined to accept old superstitions for what they are. His reluctance to fully accept the fear surrounding witches adds an interesting dynamic to the brothers' relationship, and raises questions about how society deals with long-standing fears and traditions in the face of modern skepticism.

Falling Stars is a compelling, if uneven, entry into the folk horror genre. It combines a unique take on witches with an exploration of family dynamics, all set against the spellbinding backdrop of the desert. If the film sometimes lacks pace and world-building, it succeeds in creating an atmosphere of creeping terror that lingers long after the credits roll. Gabriel Bienczycki and Richard Karpala's debut film may not be perfect, but it demonstrates their potential as filmmakers capable of creating visually striking and thematically rich stories. Falling Stars is a film that taps into the primal fear of the unknown, offering a suspenseful and thought-provoking experience perfect for the witching season.

Falling Stars
Directed by Gabriel Bienczycki, Richard Karpala
Produced by Richard Karpala, Gabriel Bienczycki
Written by Richard Karpala
Starring Piotr Adamczyk, Orianna Milne, Diane Box Worman, Andrew Gabriel, Rene Leech, Shaun Duke Jr., Greg Poppa, Samantha Turret, Steve Gelder, Lonny Curtis, J. Aaron Boykin
Music by Patrik Herman
Cinematography : Gabriel Bienczycki
Edited by Richard Karpala
Production companies : Latarka Studio
Distributed by XYZ Films (United States), Raven Banner (Canada)
Release date : October 11, 2024 (United States)
Running time : 80 minutes

Viewed on October 7, 2024 (press screener)

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