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Sundance Breakout 'Leviticus' Earns Strong Reviews for Queer Horror Debut

Critics highlight its doppelgänger curse as a pointed allegory for faith-fueled conversion practices.

Overview

  • Adrian Chiarella’s feature debut premiered in Sundance’s Midnight program and is currently seeking U.S. distribution.
  • Set in a devout Australian town, the story follows two teens targeted after a public deliverance ritual summons an entity that appears as the person each victim desires most.
  • Reviewers praise Joe Bird and Stacy Clausen’s performances, with Mia Wasikowska noted in a guarded but menacing turn.
  • Technical craft draws consistent acclaim, including Tyson Perkins’ shadow-heavy cinematography and Jed Kurzel’s unsettling score, with sound design credited for deepening the dread.
  • Chiarella and the cast frame the film as reclaiming horror for queer storytelling, as some reviews also cite inconsistent supernatural rules and an abrupt finish.