‘Killer movie’ — Windsor area in cinematic spotlight for horror flick

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Dolls. Blood. Legacy.

The eerie corners of Windsor-Essex are about to be consumed by terror as production begins on Avery, a local feature film that promises to push the limits of the indie horror genre.

“We’re excited to bring this unique and terrifying story to life,” said writer and director Dan Savoie. “It’s a very interesting combination of film. 

“Our goal is to create a horror experience that will stay with audiences long after they leave the theatre.”

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The film tells an unsettling story of a young girl’s dark ties to her serial killer father, known as the Dollmaker.

FBI agent Rachelle Simons thought the nightmare was over following the arrest of the notorious Dollmaker. However, when his young daughter, Avery, is placed in foster care, a new reign of terror begins to threaten the family and neighbourhood. 

Behind Avery’s innocent appearance lurks an unimaginable darkness. Her attachment to a porcelain doll named Celeste and her unsettling knowledge of her father’s crimes hint at a legacy of evil that goes beyond mere trauma.

“I love horror,” Savoie told the Star. “One of the most successful genres you can film with a low budget is horror. It’s easy to film and it produces really well.

“It usually has a great return.”

To highlight the region’s raw talent, production has brought together a diverse cast of established names and new ones, including Jacqui Childs from Naked News; horror actress August Kyss; Jeff Burrows, drummer for The Tea Party; Brian Vollmer, lead vocalist of Helix; and CKWW radio host Kara Ro.

Windsor actress Elora Iera, 9, has been cast in the role of Avery. 

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“The film started off as a short, but Elora inspired it to become a feature,” Savoie said. “We tried to get a good variety of actors mixed with some celebrities. The actors we have are mostly local theatre actors, which is really awesome, because it gives them a chance to expand their abilities.

“Everybody that has joined this project is doing it because they’re in love with the story.”

Produced by South Detroit Films and Riggi Media International, the film will be utilizing RED cameras and Dolby 5.1 surround sound technology to create an “immersive cinematic experience.”

Filming for Avery has already begun, but Savoie told the Star that the majority of production will take place closer to spring, with the final scenes set to be filmed in the summer. He said the crew is looking at the Municipality of Lakeshore for some of the rural community scenes, while others will be shot in the basement of buildings around the region, including the basement of the Amherstburg radio station.

“We’re going to film a lot of stuff outside, where we’ll be on the streets,” Savoie said. “We’re going to intermix it with footage of actual Detroit itself.”

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A release date for the film has not been set, but Savoie confirmed it should be ready by the end of next year. He said he plans to submit Avery to film festivals in Canada, including the Windsor International Film Festival, and in the U.S. and Europe.

“We’re kind of like the underdogs,” Savoie said. “There’s some great filmmakers in Windsor and they’ve had some great success.

“We’re not them. We’re the underdogs determined to make a killer movie.”

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