Dead Grandma Ruins Christmas in ‘Unholy Night’

Variety shares your first look at Unholy Night, a holiday horror feature marking the directorial debut of Michael Gabriele.

The festive horror centers on Gino, whose traditional Italian family Christmas Eve celebration descends into chaos when his deceased grandmother returns from the dead and embarks on a killing spree. As more dead relatives begin appearing throughout the neighborhood, Gino must find a way to eliminate the holiday revenants and make it through the family gathering alive.

“We all know holiday family gatherings can feel like a survival horror, but Unholy Night takes that relatable tension to an extreme,” Gabriele said.

The film recently completed production in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and U.K.-based sales and distribution company Blue Finch Films will launch sales at Berlin’s European Film Market.

Marc Bendavid (Dark Matter, Reacher) and Shailene Garnett (Fire Country, Diggstown), with supporting performances from Al Sapienza (The Sopranos, House of Cards), Ron Lea (The Recruit, Orphan Black), Ton Ellwand (Mafia Inc.), Cristina Rosato (Mother!, Assassin’s Creed), Jaqueline Robbins (The Monkey) and Joe Pingue (Station Eleven, Star Trek: Section 31).

Gabriele added, “Growing up in my Italian family, Christmas Eve was always a huge event that was loud and full of love, but also incredibly intense. I wanted to take those real pressures we all feel with family and combine them into a visceral, festive nightmare. Audiences can expect a violent ride that is hilarious, heartfelt, and frightening – as it explores the burden of family traditions and overcoming regret – amidst total chaos.”

Mike Chapman of Blue Finch Films added, “Unholy Night is an impressive debut from Michael, taking the idea of unwanted family guests for Christmas to a whole new level.