TikTok Fame Unravels in Raindance Horror-Thriller ‘The Troll’

A single comment can disappear into the endless scroll of social media within seconds. For most people, it is forgotten almost immediately. For the central character in The Troll, however, one cruel message becomes the catalyst for a psychological collapse that drives the film’s dark exploration of fame, obsession and online hostility.

The independent psychological horror-thriller will celebrate its world premiere at the 34th Raindance Film Festival on 20 June, where writer, director and star Brianna Lee has also received a nomination for Best Performance in a Debut Feature. Selected as part of the festival’s Official Selection, the film arrives at a moment when discussions around online abuse and the pressures of digital visibility remain firmly in the public conversation.

Lee plays Killa B, a hugely successful TikTok personality whose life revolves around the approval of millions of followers. That carefully constructed existence begins to unravel when a single negative comment strikes a nerve. Rather than ignore the insult, Killa B becomes consumed by finding the anonymous user responsible. Her search gradually escalates into an increasingly disturbing fixation that sees her infiltrate the troll’s personal life and disrupt his family, blurring the line between victim and aggressor.

The premise draws on familiar modern anxieties, but Lee’s approach appears rooted in personal experience. In a statement accompanying the film’s premiere announcement, the filmmaker described The Troll as emerging from her fascination with what she called “the unseen violence of the internet” and her own encounters with online cruelty as a performer and content creator.

Lee cited Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan and Matt Spicer’s Ingrid Goes West as influences on the project, though The Troll appears to shift the focus from celebrity worship to the corrosive effects of internet culture itself. There is a satirical edge to the concept, certainly, but beneath it sits a more uncomfortable question about what constant exposure to public judgement can do to a person.

Alongside Lee, the cast includes Katy Frame, known for Men in Black 3, Greg Saridakis, Alena Acker, Matthew Eyre, Richard Mark Jordan, Jake Lesh and Dominick Cost. For Lee, the project represents the latest stage in a career that has moved between comedy, performance and filmmaking. Her short film The Professional won Best of the Fest: Short Short at the LA Indie Film Festival, while Be Careful What You Wish For received recognition at the Northern Horror Film Festival in 2025.

As social media continues to reshape how public figures and audiences interact, films addressing those realities are becoming increasingly common. What makes The Troll stand out, at least on paper, is its decision to follow the influencer rather than the anonymous critic. It is a small distinction, but an interesting one.

The Troll will make its world premiere at the Raindance Film Festival in London on 20 June 2026.

The Troll trailer