PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered which side of the reflection is the “real” side? If you said yes, I think there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy Kelvin Richards’ The Reflected Self. This film is a surreal journey into the minds of Dion, a man with a tragic past.
Synopsis
A converted 18th-century mill is awoken by the sound of distant footsteps getting ever closer until its front door swings open for the first time in decades. Dion and his teenage sister, Nia are the home’s new inhabitants – having inherited the building after the tragic death of their parents. Dion now feels an overwhelming sense of responsibility for his younger sibling and desperately tries to build a relationship the two never shared.
Whilst settling into their new home, Dion starts to have visions of a ghoulish figure in the guise of a Victorian woman – a figure only he can see. One fateful night as Dion lay asleep, he felt the woman’s presence once again. He looks up to find her standing over him, smiling. He backs away in fear but soon realizes she’s not dressed in the Victorian attire he’s seen before. She stands in normal clothes, trying to calm him down. In a fit of confusion, he rushes through the house in search of Nia but she’s nowhere to be seen. Finally breaking down, he asks for the woman’s help – only to be told his sister isn’t here. It’s just the two of them.
The Reflected Self was written and directed by Kelvin Richards. It stars Barney Jones as Dion, Daisie Boyes as Nia, and Marielle Clare as Aria.
Check out the trailer below!
The Reflected Self is a tense, hallucinatory exploration of reality. We all think we know the difference between what’s real and what isn’t, bur this film takes aim at that sureness. After the first 20 minutes, I felt certain that I had solved all the riddles and knew exactly what was really going on. Then my conviction was flipped on its head, several times over. It’s safe to say my initial guess was amatuerish at best.
Kelvin Richards has created a story with more twists and turns than a mountain road. I’m still not completely certain of what actually was or wasn’t real in the world of The Reflected Self. I think I’m going to need to watch this movie at least one more time, with a much keener eye, to be able to say I know for sure what really happened. The fact that I not only plan to re-watch the movie, but am genuinely excited to do so, makes it an obvious winner in my book.
The Reflected Self is available on Amazon and other major streaming platforms beginning December 10, and I highly recommend it. And if, like myself, you find a desire to dive deeper into the story, you’ll be thrilled to know that there’s also a book version available. Written by the film’s writer and director, Kelvin Richards, the book of the same title was written first to flesh out the details before ultimately becoming a movie. The book is available in ebook, paperback or hardcover from Amazon.
