‘Noseeums’ Bites into FrightFest with Southern Gothic Terror

Torchlight Studios is set to make its feature debut at FrightFest London this month with Noseeums, a spectral Southern horror-thriller steeped in history, folklore and vengeance. Directed and co-written by 26-year-old Raven DeShay Carter, the film will have its world premiere at the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square on 23 August, followed by a Q&A with Carter and her collaborators.

Filmed in the Florida backwoods, Noseeums blends supernatural chills with a deeply rooted social commentary, exploring the legacy of Black land rights lost in the post-Civil War South. The title takes its name from the tiny, near-invisible biting insects notorious in Florida, which in the film serve as harbingers of something far more sinister.

The story follows Ember, a college student played by Aleigha Burt, who accepts an invitation from her wealthy white roommate and friends to spend a weekend at a secluded lake house. The trip quickly turns uneasy as Ember is drawn to a neglected grave nearby, triggering disturbing visions, flashbacks and encounters with aggressive swarms of noseeums. As the weekend unravels, Ember discovers that the land hides a history of stolen property and restless spirits, and she becomes the instrument of long-overdue retribution.

The cast also features Tabitha Getsy, Trisha Arozqueta, Jasmine Nguyen, Jessie Roddy, Tyler Bibb, Chase Johnson and C.P. Walker. Jason-Michael Anthony and Hendreck Joseph co-wrote the script with Carter, while Lisette Estrella Delgado produced for Torchlight Studios in collaboration with Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts.

Carter describes Noseeums as both personal and political, drawing on her own experiences and a desire to spotlight overlooked injustices through a genre lens. The film’s themes are grounded in the idea of “homecoming” – a fractured character reconnecting with their roots through both haunting and healing.

Odin’s Eye Entertainment is handling worldwide sales, with CEO Michael Favelle calling the film “a cultural heartbeat as compelling as its horror.” For Torchlight Studios, the premiere marks a significant milestone, introducing a film that pairs its unsettling supernatural elements with a sharp-eyed dissection of heritage, rage and identity.

Noseeums screens at FrightFest on 23 August, promising an unnerving mix of folklore-inspired horror and contemporary social resonance.

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