Real Time Terror Strikes in ‘Bury the Devil’ at FrightFest

A new possession thriller filmed in a single, unbroken take is heading to Scotland next month as Bury the Devil receives its world premiere at FrightFest Glasgow on 6 March.

Directed by Adam O’Brien, the film unfolds in real time across 86 minutes, placing audiences inside a domestic nightmare that escalates without respite. The project marks the latest collaboration from the filmmaking team behind Mom, which screened at FrightFest Glasgow in 2024, and signals a continued push into tightly constructed, high-concept horror.

The story centres on Julia, a hospice nurse who finds herself trapped inside the home of one of her dementia patients. What begins as a routine visit quickly shifts into something far more sinister as Julia begins to suspect that the elderly woman’s condition is not the only presence in the house. As strange occurrences intensify and escape proves impossible, she must confront a malevolent force seeping through the fabric of the old property before it consumes everything within.

Dawn Ford leads the cast, joined by Emmanuelle Lussier Martinez and Bill Rowat. The screenplay is credited to John Petrizzi, Brad Hodson, Philip Kalin-Hajdu and O’Brien, with the director again drawing on his background in visual effects and technical precision to stage the film as a continuous shot. The format heightens tension by removing traditional edits and temporal breaks, forcing viewers to experience each moment in sync with its protagonist.

O’Brien, a Montreal-born filmmaker with more than two decades of experience across live action and animation, has built a reputation on stylised genre work. His short films have screened at over 85 international festivals including Fantasia and Shriekfest, while his previous feature projects have earned comparisons to contemporary horror auteurs. His technical credentials include directing 26 episodes of the animated series Jerry and the Raiders, notable for its pioneering use of Unity and motion capture pipelines in Canada.

FrightFest Glasgow, which runs from 5 to 7 March as part of the Glasgow Film Festival, will host 12 films across three days at the Glasgow Film Theatre. The event has become a key platform for emerging and established horror voices, with the Scottish edition serving as a springboard for international genre titles each year.

Bury the Devil will screen on 6 March, with tickets available through the official FrightFest website.