Many of you have likely seen Rodney Ascher’s Room 237. It was a bizarre look into the conspiracy theories that surround Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. It’s quite good, and I believe is still on Netflix – so check it out if you haven’t already. His next film is also a documentary, but instead of covering conspiracy theories, Ascher’s The Nightmare tackles something very real; Sleep Paralysis.

If you or someone you know suffers from Sleep Paralysis, then you know how terrifying it can be. What sets The Nightmare apart is that it isn’t 100% standard documentary. The visions that people have are put onto film and accompanied by Jonathan Snipes’ masterful music composition. It’s a very interesting way to present a documentary, and I can’t wait to check it out.

Have a look below at the official trailer below, and expect to see The Nightmare on all VOD platforms on June 5th courtesy of Gravitas Ventures.

Synopsis
THE NIGHTMARE’S subjects hail from different backgrounds and walks of life, but share eerily similar visions of malevolent, near-human beings that grow increasingly aggressive the longer the sleep paralysis recurs. Are these just random hallucinations or something more? Rational explanations get challenged by the similarities of the “shadow people” multiple subjects describe looming over them. Ascher, who has first hand knowledge of sleep paralysis, brings the full intensity of this experience to the screen while maintaining empathy and respect for his subjects. As the film unfolds, distinctions between the documentary and horror genres fade as do easy lines between reality and the imagination.

nightmare poster