Cinema 58 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine courtesy Witch Files up to the newly minted witches, but, in- evitably, there’s a darker side to the magi- cal allegiance. The movie trailer propels us through familiar haunts, from Exchange Street to Miss Portland Diner, as the spells turn to curses and storm clouds gather. “I was watching Chronicle one day, and it was all these dudes discovering superpowers–I just wasn’t that interested,” says Rankin. “I feel like magic and witchcraft have a partic- ularly feminine energy.” R ankin lives in LA, where he’s cur- rently working on an action mov- ie. Night of the Living Deb and The Witch Files are self-confessed “passion proj- ects” for the director, who hails from York. “I very selfishly wanted a reason to come back. I spend my time eating and drinking coffee around town. I like to keep an eye on the pool of creativity in Maine and hire lo- cal cast and crew for these movies where I can.” Movie-making is a strikingly differ- ent experience in this corner of the coun- try. “Both films were incredibly low budget, around $250,000 each,” Rankin says. “No one in Los Angeles can believe it’s possible to make a movie on that amount. But ev- eryone’s so accommodating here. The may- or and the sheriff both came to greet me while we shot The Witch Files in Bath. Peo- ple lined up to offer filming locations for free. We were made to feel very welcome.” Island Zero If the Coppolas and Coens have taught us anything, it’s that filmmaking is a family business. That being said, the partnership between best selling medical-thriller novel- ist Tess Gerritsen (of Rizzoli & Isles fame) and her photographer/farmer son Josh Ger- ritsen may surprise viewers–the pair have produced a horror movie that will set your skin crawling. “[Tess] approached me about the idea out of the blue,” Josh, the movie’s director, says. “We were weeding my gar- den in 2014 when she turned to me and said, ‘How would you like to make a hor- ror movie in Maine?’ Tess grew up watching horror films. I enjoy how horror allows you to explore some of humanity's darker sides through the lens of something fantastical.” Island Zero transports us to small island community that finds itself inexplicably cut off from the rest of the world. Soon after, a shapeless ‘something’ begins to hunt the is- land’s inhabitants one-by-one. “Tess came up with the idea by asking herself, ‘What if you lived on an island and the ferry never came back?’” says Josh. “She worked back- wards from there and filled out the story with characters who would fight to the ends of the earth to bring their loved ones to safe- ty.” The movie taps into a gnawing anxiety familiar to anyone who’s lived beyond the easy grasp of civilization. Like the snow- bound Overlook Hotel in The Shining, the film’s surroundings force the tension inward onto the island and its inhabitants as the dread and body count rise. First-time fea- ture director Josh found inspiration from Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic Alien for the lurk- ing hunter. “Scott keeps the tension going through the entire film, while only showing the alien a handful times. In our film, you do end up seeing…something at the end.” Josh, who lives in Lincolnville, and Tess, a long-time Camden resident, were set on making Island Zero here in Maine, despite its challenges. “One of the biggest difficul- ties we faced was dealing with the freezing temperatures,” Josh says. “One actor had to pretend she was a corpse outside at night. She said she could literally feel her eyeballs starting to freeze! But we always knew we wanted to set the film here because there’s so much atmosphere. There’s a sense of foreboding that permeates our surround- ings. Beauty can quickly turn to danger, and that's what makes Maine so unique. And so perfect for horror.” Coming of Age in Maineland What: Maineland is a multi-layered documen- tary that follows teenagers of China’s wealthy elite as they attend Fryeburg Academy. When: In theaters. Planned Amazon release June/July 2018. The Witch Files What:Agroup of misfit teenage girls form a powerful coven. When: Release pending (stay tuned for Halloween 2018) Where: Portland; Mackworth Island; Bath Who: Paget Brewster (Friends); HollyTayler; Greg Finley