Currently showing at drive-ins and theatres nationwide, director Luis Iga Garza's award-winning slasher MURDER IN THE WOODS is set to receive a Digital and VOD release on September 18th. In anticipation of the home video release, today we've gotten our hands on an EXCLUSIVE extended trailer for the film – and you can see it in the embed above!
Coming to us from REZINATE Entertainment and Yel Productions, MURDER IN THE WOODS was produced by Iga Garza and Yelyna De León, who also wrote the screenplay. The film centers on
a group of college friends who plan a getaway to celebrate a birthday party at a desolate cabin in the woods. Against his grandmother’s (Soledad St. Hilaire) demands, Jesse (José Julián), a loner-type decides to go on a trip with his friends. He is immediately smitten with Fernanda (Jeanette Samano), a sweet girl from Chicago whom he hasn’t seen in years. She is in town visiting her loudmouth cousin, Chelsea (Chelsea Rendon), who is ready to celebrate her birthday and plans to let loose with her boyfriend Gabe (Jordan Diambrini). Tagging along at the last second are Jule (Kade Wise), the class clown pothead, and the very out-of-his-league Celeste (Catherine Toribio). Soon after arriving to the mysterious cabin in the woods, the group of teens discover the dark secret it holds, which forces them to fight for their lives.
In addition to the cast members mentioned in the synopsis, MURDER IN THE WOODS also features Kurt Caceres, Rolando Molina, and the legendary Danny Trejo.
Iga Garza had this to say about his film:
I realized that this type of film had never been done in English for a mainstream audience, where Latinos and people of color are the leads and they are not portrayed in stereotypical ways. This is why, while developing this indie feature, we were very conscious of making sure that there would be a diverse cast in lead roles."
De León added:
For us, it’s important for this story to be universal, but being Mexican-American, it was also important for the script to include cultural Latino references such as El Dia de los Muertos, The Chupacabras, and other stories that are recognizable. We purposely showed authentic moments, such as the altars to honor our ancestors, and blessings when we leave the house, memorable experiences that we share with our families."
REZINATE Pictures managed the theatrical distribution with Amor Media, and is partnering with Stadium Media for the Digital and VOD release.