AGONIST: A Short Horror Film

Agonist is Annie Marie Elliot’s directorial debut, a short horror film about a grieving young man who falls into the final act of a cult leader’s ritual. We’re shooting in mid-December and have an incredibly talented slate of cast attached, from some of your favorite shows: 13 Reasons Why, Cobra Kai, Manifest, I Know What You Did Last Summer, School Spirits, Teen Wolf and more.

This is the last leg of funding to make our full vision come to life.

To stay updated with production, follow us on Instagram @agonistfilm.

UPDATE 12/29/2023

Thank you!! We officially wrapped production on Agonist a couple weeks ago and are now working on post. Any additional funds we collect will go towards our extensive visual effects, festival fees, and paying our talented post team.

MEET THE DIRECTOR

Annie Marie Elliot, the powerhouse behind AGONIST, is a current film student leveraging her skills as an actress, writer, director, and producer (most recently appearing in A24’s pilot LIFTED.) Despite Annie being adopted into a large family where money was tight, Annie's passion from a young age has always been filmmaking—and she was able to make that dream a reality when she moved to Los Angeles by herself at the age of 17. As a half-Chinese woman director, Annie is excited to represent in the horror space.

Annie's narrative is shaped by her personal encounters with religious trauma during her childhood in a Christian school, particularly the teachings about "The End Times" from the Book of Revelations. AGONIST is also influenced by a true story about a traumatic eight-hour ayahuasca trip that her friend endured, which was akin to a descent into hell. Additionally, it reflects her struggle with the intense grief of losing a parent and her navigation through deep existential fears and complex personal relationships.

Annie's main goal in her storytelling is to evoke deep emotional and intellectual reactions from her audience. She strives to leave her viewers with an enhanced level of introspection, whether that entails an unsettling unease, a deep-seated discomfort, or a motivation to explore the intricate meanings behind each metaphor presented.

INSPIRATION

Agonist is inspired by the contemporary psychological horror films of A24, notably borrowing surrealistic, visual, and emotional elements from Ari Aster’s Hereditary and Midsommar. These influences shape Agonist’s focus on disturbing, cult-like stories rooted in trauma. The film also heavily incorporates metaphors related to the End Times, akin to those in Darren Aronofsky’s Mother!, and features a Gen Z ensemble cast similar to those in Bodies Bodies Bodies and Talk to Me.

OUR MESSAGE

The core metaphor of this story suggests that unless we as a society rectify our behavior, the world is destined for a catastrophic upheaval. Each cult member grapples with their personal deadly sin (Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Anger, Greed, and Sloth), intertwined with pressing modern issues like climate change, rape, selfishness, misogyny, and abuse of power. These themes underscore the grim trajectory of our contemporary society, ominously leading toward an inevitable fate, prompting reflection on the consequences of our actions.

WHERE YOUR DONATION GOES

We’re incredibly grateful for any support you can provide. Your donation will go towards our special effects and visual effects, our amazing location, camera gear rentals, general production expenses like permits and insurance, and more.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for anything you can give to make our film a reality.