The haunting and homegrown film Exophoria is set for its first showing on April 27 at the Tivoli Theatre in Creston.
A product of local talent and grassroots film-making, Exophoria explores trauma, recovery, and the eerie ripple effects of a mysterious hallucinogen — all unfolding against the quiet backdrop of the Kootenays.
Written, co-directed, and edited by Kerry McArthur, and co-directed and shot by Mark Wolfe, the film is what its creators call a “dark drama,” a genre that digs into human trauma and emotional intensity rather than relying on traditional horror tropes.
The story follows a young locum doctor, bearing scars from her past, who arrives in Creston to treat two children in comas, both victims of a shared drug experience involving the titular hallucinogen, Exophoria.
The film-making process was deeply rooted in community and collaboration.
“This is what you call a no-budget film, and it's not unusual these days,” said McArthur. “So what it means is that it's a very, very small crew. We keep our costs very minimal.”
The film was crafted over several years by the couple — McArthur and Wolfe — who took on many roles from writing and shooting to editing and sound. This is their second venture, following the 2022 release of The Orchard.
“What's maybe a little different about what we do is that we write the screenplay to the people that we have here in the area who are interested in getting involved in film-making,” she said.
The cast is made up almost entirely of local actors, many of whom have backgrounds in community theatre.
Among the standout performers is Ryan Neufeld, a recent graduate of the Vancouver Film School, alongside Kate Webb, Yvonne Josine Syfchuck, and Jade Smith.
“It's an organic kind of process, rather than writing a script and just trying to cast people who are right for it. We kind of work from the other way,” said McArthur.
Local musicians also contribute to the score, further grounding the film in the Creston Valley.
“The Hollywood model is very much set in stone as to how you do it. This is a different system,” said McArthur. “It's very much based on what's at hand, what's available to us, and how we can actually make it work.”
And of course, making Exophoria didn’t come without its setbacks, including the unpredictable chaos of shooting outdoors.
“I can't tell you the number of times we've shown up to do a shot, and it's like everybody decided to come and cut their grass or run their dogs,” Wolfe laughed. “The only way it could have been better is if we put an ad in the paper saying, ‘Please come in and make noise during our shoot.’ It was funny that way.”
But the main challenge was pushing back against the narrative that successful films can only be made within certain circles. McArthur and Wolfe are determined to blaze their own trail, without all the schmoozing with industry executives.
“I think that’s changing. Serious film-making can be done on pretty low budgets, drawing on the good graces of people that are willing to donate time to help you make it,” said Wolfe.
Exophoria will premiere Sunday, April 27 at the Tivoli Theatre in Creston at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the box office during regular hours.
The Bleeding Tree Film Festival runs the following weekend, from May 2 to 4, showcasing films exploring the dark drama genre. Learn more at www.bleedingtree.ca.
