Inspired by Greek tragedy and Gothic horror, Gabriel Abrantes’ latest twisted creation, Amelia’s Children, is guaranteed to elicit legitimate scares, whilst striking a perfect balance with some scalpel-sharp satire that will have you laughing out loud and feeling uncomfortable for doing so at the same time.
With his signature avant-garde style, Abrantes spins a story filled with twists, turns, and a touch of the macabre the story follows Edward (Carloto Cotta – Diamantino) as heads off with his girlfriend, Ryley (Brigette Lundy-Paine – “Atypical,” Bill & Ted Face the Music) in search of his long-lost biological family, which leads him to a palatial but ominous villa in the mountains of Portugal. Excitement at meeting his family after so many years turns to trepidation when Edward uncovers a disturbing secret binding his mother and twin brother.
At the heart of Abrantes’ story lies a primal taboo: incest. But the director spins this shocking theme into a modern myth about generational narcissism. As Abrantes explains, “A mother’s vanity and obsession with beauty could drive her to commit the most twisted transgressions.”
Ahead of the film’s release in theatres and on VOD this Friday 1 March, SCREAM sat down with Abrantes and Lundy-Paine, to find out how they conceived this sinister tale of a family reunion rattled by secrets. And how they walked the fine line between oddball comedy and disturbing horror around taboos.
Words: Howard Gorman
