‘Foreigner’ Offers Bubblegum Possession and Sharp Cultural Bite

A retro teen horror with a sharp cultural edge, Foreigner is set to make its world premiere at Fantasia Film Festival on 31 July, followed by its UK debut at FrightFest on 22 August. The debut feature from Canadian-Iranian director Ava Maria Safai, the film draws on her personal experience of immigration and assimilation, channelling it into a pastel-tinted horror that blends comedy, possession, and social critique.

Set in 2004, Foreigner follows Yasamin Karimi, or Yasi, a teenage Iranian immigrant navigating the volatile social minefield of a new Canadian high school. Desperate to belong, she learns English by watching her favourite sitcoms and attempts to win the approval of her school’s popular clique. But after dyeing her hair blonde in a bid to mirror their image, Yasi unwittingly invites something else into her life – a dark presence that takes root in her quest for acceptance.

Rose Dehgan stars as Yasi in her breakout role, leading a cast that includes Chloë MacLeod as school queen bee Rachel, along with Talisa Mae Stewart, Maryam Sadeghi and Ashkan Nejati. What begins as a coming-of-age comedy shifts steadily into psychological horror, as Safai explores the cost of conformity and the internalised violence of social erasure. With bold tonal swings and a sharp visual identity, Foreigner has already drawn comparisons to Mean Girls and The Exorcist, though it bears a distinctive voice all its own.

Safai, who also wrote and edited the film, brings her background as a multidisciplinary artist to bear on the production, which was shot in Vancouver and features dialogue in both English and Farsi. The filmmaker is already being described as a talent to watch. “Media shapes how we see ourselves,” she said in a statement. “When you grow up never seeing anyone like you on screen, you start to shrink to fit the frame. I made Foreigner to help break that cycle.”

Raven Banner is handling world sales and distribution. The film runs for 80 minutes and will screen in the First Blood strand at FrightFest, an annual showcase for breakout horror talent. Past entries in the strand have included Death of a Vlogger and The Moor, both of which found success on the genre circuit. This year’s offering includes found footage horrors Healing Andy and The Haunting at Jack the Ripper’s House.

With its blend of nostalgia, social critique and supernatural horror, Foreigner looks to stake out new ground for teen horror and offer a fresh take on the trauma of fitting in.

For more information on this year’s fantastic FrightFest, and for tickets, visit frightfest.co.uk.

Foreigner trailer