Five FrightFest Facts with James Ross II from ‘Parasomnia’

Sleep should be safe. For Riley, the protagonist of Parasomnia, it’s where terror begins. James Ross II’s debut feature transforms the most ordinary of human experiences into something deeply sinister, as night terrors bleed into waking life and an unseen force begins leaving a trail of bodies in its wake. Anchored in the vulnerability of drifting off to sleep, the film plays on that liminal space between consciousness and nightmare, where reality can no longer be trusted.

Ross, only a couple of years out of film school, brings a bold confidence to his first feature, infusing it with both the energy of a new voice in horror and the obsessive craft of someone raised on genre storytelling. With its world premiere at FrightFest, Parasomnia introduces him as a filmmaker keen to twist familiar fears into something unnerving, personal and unpredictable.

In this Five FrightFest Facts interview, Ross shares how acting as a child opened the door to filmmaking, which horror classic he’d most love to see with a festival audience, and why he thinks the genre deserves its own “Oh Hell Nah” award.

James Ross II, writer-director

1. Tell us about your film

Parasomnia is a supernatural mystery/horror film about a woman who’s been plagued by violent night terrors since childhood. Each time she wakes, someone close to her is found brutally murdered. She learns of an evil entity buried deep into her subconscious that may be escaping into the real world when she goes to sleep.

2. How did you get into making movies?

I grew up acting as a kid, but I always found myself more interested in the bigger picture of the story than my own performance. Writing and directing felt like the natural fit for me that lined up perfectly with my passion for movies. So, I made horror shorts as a teenager, kept developing that craft through school, and now it’s all built up to my first feature film.

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

Scream on the big screen in a theater full of die-hard horror fans would be absolutely electric.

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

I’d create the ‘Oh Hell Nah’ Award for the film with the single best ‘oh hell nah’ moment. That’s the thought that runs through your head when horror really hits. When something on screen sends a chill up your spine, makes you flinch, maybe even want to cover your eyes. It’s a reaction unique to horror, and it’s exactly what makes the genre so much fun.

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

The movie would be about a fan who must sacrifice himself to Satan so the Atlanta Falcons can win a Super Bowl. Titled Fourth down and Eternity, starring Samuel L Jackson.

Parasomnia receives its world premiere at FrightFest on 22 August 2025.

Parasomnia trailer