Australian horror film Leviticus weaponises homophobia to terrifying effect
Neon is releasing Adrian Chiarella’s breakout feature after Sundance, where critics praised its queer coming-of-age story and conversion therapy allegory.
- On Friday, Neon released the queer horror film Leviticus in U.S. theaters nationwide, marking the theatrical debut of Australian writer-director Adrian Chiarella following its Sundance Film Festival premiere earlier this year.
- Set in a conservative Australian town, the film follows teenager Naim, played by Joe Bird, and his classmate Ryan, portrayed by Stacy Clausen, stalked by a shape-shifting monster that takes the form of their deepest desire.
- The film's title references the Old Testament book often cited to justify anti-LGBTQ doctrines, while Chiarella uses the horror genre to explore religious repression amid what he calls a global 'regression' in LGBTQ rights.
- Critics dubbed the film the 'Heated Rivalry of horror,' praising its balance of horror and coming-of-age drama, while Causeway Films' production highlights strong performances from Bird and Clausen navigating the tense narrative.
- With the film releasing in more than 1,000 U.S. theaters, Chiarella expressed hope it reaches a wide audience; if early reception holds, the horror romance could dominate awards-season discussions well into next year.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Meet Your New Landmark LGBTQ+ Horror Movie: ‘Leviticus’
There are a lot of verses in the Bible’s Book of Leviticus, but a single passage in particular seems to get trotted out time immemorial. No, not the “love thy neighbor” maxim. You know the one. That whole “thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind” bit. An Old Testament commandment employed as a cudgel by people who consistently ignore the core teachings of the New Testament, it’s underwritten centuries of homophobia, hate, and pain. Wri…
Out Magazine
Gay Pride - LGBT & Queer Voices'Leviticus': Everything to know about 'the Heated Rivalry of horror'
Despite queer horror films often setting the bar for genre works, they don’t always manage to attract the attention of mainstream moviegoing audiences. But Australian director Adrian Chiarella’s feature debut, Leviticus, has been causing talk among a wide swath of cinephiles since its triumphant debut at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Specifically, its original, jaw-clenching take on conversion therapy as a central metaphor seems to have ca…
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