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Forbidden Fruits Premieres at SXSW, Earning Praise for Lili Reinhart as Tone Divides Critics

IFC opens the single-location debut on March 27 before a Shudder streaming window.

Overview

  • Director Meredith Alloway makes her feature debut with an adaptation of Lily Houghton’s stage play about a coven of salesgirls at a Dallas mall boutique.
  • Lili Reinhart leads as Apple, with Alexandra Shipp, Victoria Pedretti, and Lola Tung rounding out the central quartet.
  • Festival reviews highlight bold visuals, tightly contained mall staging, and standout costume and production design.
  • Critics note a sharp pivot from satirical comedy to shock and gore in the final act, with some questioning the focus on Pumpkin’s character.
  • The film world premiered at SXSW and is slated for a March 27 theatrical release from IFC, with streaming to follow on Shudder.