Five FrightFest Facts with Adam O’Brien and Philip Kalin

FrightFest Glasgow audiences were treated to something particularly bold today with the world premiere of Bury the Devil, the latest supernatural thriller from director Adam O’Brien and writer Philip Kalin. Following their collaboration on Mom, the filmmaking team have returned with a possession story that pushes the boundaries of the genre in both form and intensity. Set almost entirely within the confines of a single home and unfolding in real time, the film traps viewers alongside a hospice nurse who begins to suspect that her vulnerable patient may be harbouring something far more sinister than dementia.

What sets Bury the Devil apart is its ambitious single-take approach. Shot to appear as one continuous take, the film forces the audience to experience every moment alongside its protagonist, heightening the tension as the mystery slowly reveals itself. For O’Brien, the film represents a deliberate shift in tone from his previous work, embracing the chaotic spirit of classic possession cinema while blending it with the pace and precision of a modern thriller.

With the film making its debut in Glasgow today, we caught up with O’Brien and Kalin for a round of Five FrightFest Facts to talk about the inspirations behind the film, the horror classics they would love to see screened at the festival, and the unusual awards they would introduce if they had their way.

Five FrightFest Facts with Adam O’Brien and Philip Kalin from Bury the Devil

1. Tell us about your film

Adam O’Brien: Bury the Devil is my second feature, and I wanted to go loud, kinetic and unrelenting, whereas my debut, Mom, was slow-burn psychological horror. “Bury” embraces the spirit of classic possession films, a bit camp, a bit serious, and a fun ride, but with the precision of a modern thriller. At its core, it’s about guilt, how it manifests, how it possesses and how it destroys. What really sets it apart is that the entire film unfolds in one continuous shot, trapping the audience in real time with no escape. It’s a creative risk and the first chapter of a trilogy that tells a bigger story.

Philip Kalin: When I think of this film, I think of the indelible experience making it. The one-shot aspect allowed for more rehearsal than we’ve ever been able to do for both actors and the camera team; more synergy amongst crew members; and more camaraderie because of the nature of being holed up in a cabin. It wasn’t easy, but it was fun.

How did you get into making movies?

Philip Kalin: Watching films was a bit part of my upbringing with VHS tapes playing non stop. My dad would take me to the repertory cinema to see the greats, and (pardon the cliche – but it’s true) I was spellbound. I started making shorts in high school with friends, and by the time I was 17, I was already training on film sets in whatever department would have me. I’ve never known anything else and would never want to do anything else.

Adam O’Brien: My grandfather and my father were projectionists, so I basically grew up in projection booths and dark cinemas. I watched everything. I was always fascinated by how the stories on that silver screen could transport you to different worlds and make you feel. One day I decided to try to make a film, and I was hooked. My horror shorts took off and played around the world and with that, there was no turning back. It was going to be my life, or I was going to die trying.

What films would you love to see screened at FrightFest and why?

Adam O’Brien: FrightFest is about fun, new voices, and celebrating indie films… So if I were to go back in time, the ideal FrightFest movie would have been The Evil Dead. Seeing it on the big screen with a packed crowd would be pure chaos in the best way. For me, that film is the spirit of indie horror. It’s raw, inventive, relentless and fun. Also proof that you don’t need a huge budget, just guts and imagination.

Philip Kalin: FrightFest does an excellent job curating both the London and Glasgow fests and the audiences are amazing. I would have loved to see a film like Ken Russell’s The Devils at FrightFest. A UK director presenting a film like that to this UK audience would have been a blast. It’s one of my favorite movies… was lucky to see it in his presence in Montreal shortly before he passed. Will never forget it.

If you could create your own award to give at FrightFest, what would it be and why?

Philip Kalin: The “Masochist Award” for producers who say yes to directors wanting to film a one-shot movie in 6 days. (Yes I said it was fun, and it was, but it was also like fitting months of production work into days – with very bad coffee…)

Adam O’Brien: Something like “The Fun Ride Award.” It would go to a film or filmmaker that completely surprises you, scares you, gives you a great dose of fun and makes you want to jump right back in line and experience it all over again. That’s what the best horror does.

If your life was made into a horror film, what would it be called and who would play the starring role?

Adam O’Brien: It’d probably be called “One More Take”. About a guy haunted by the films he hasn’t made yet. And I think someone like Ethan Hawke could play the lead. He’s got that thoughtful intensity that feels one step away from losing it, which is basically my filmmaking life.

Philip Kalin: It’s called “The Night Shoot”. The title says everything about the story, and the ideal lead – a producer who has forgotten about daylight – would have been Peter Lorre

Bury the Devil continues to build on the creative partnership between O’Brien and Kalin, demonstrating a shared love for inventive genre filmmaking and the kind of ambitious risks that festivals like FrightFest are known for championing. With its relentless real-time structure and commitment to keeping audiences on edge from the very first moment, the film offers exactly the kind of high-energy experience horror fans flock to the festival for.

Following today’s premiere at FrightFest Glasgow, Bury the Devil looks set to spark plenty of conversation among genre audiences. If O’Brien and Kalin’s answers here are anything to go by, the pair clearly relish both the challenge and the chaos that comes with pushing horror into new territory.