Sun - 2025 Festival Review

Equally captivating and striking as it is wildly horrific in its tale of atmospheric terror is Dominic Lahiff's Sun. The film tackles possession using an almost hypnotic form of storytelling as an approach, basking in the madness of trauma and what it means to spiral physically and metaphorically as one loses complete and utter control. Maddening and disturbing, Sun is not to be missed.  

Performative artists and married couple Sunhill (Cordell 'Storm' Purnell) and Ariadne (Laura Kelisha Muller) attend a party in Tribeca, New York, which Ariadne sells to her husband as an opportunity for him to make connections and find an investor for his dream show. Reluctantly, Sunhill attends, but as the night goes on, he loses track of Ariadne, leading him down a hellish spiral in search of his missing wife.  

Sun roams through its tapestry of multifaceted themes, which by its riveting conclusion weaves together in the most horrifically confrontational of ways, revealing dark secrets that have been subtly lurking beneath the surface this whole time. During the first two acts, the film toys with where Sunhill's paranoia stems from, but Lahiff refuses to outright expose the terror beneath the surface straight away, alternatively choosing to dangle the revelations bit by bit, in turn building raw and unnerving tension. Sunhill's contention manifests through his insecurity and lack of trust over Ariadne's bountiful socialness, which sees her interacting with fellow artists, including other men, in ways that Sunhill is unable to understand. Her freedom and wanting to expand their circle and experience the world outside of their marriage is something that Sunhill struggles to comprehend, leading to a night of pure horror.  

The symbolism throughout is unvarnished and real. They are matters that infest the subject and act like a parasite for years to come, and Lahiff clearly and utterly understands this. When heavy topics are on display, a certain sense of authenticity is deserved, which, as evidenced in Sun, adds to a whole new level of emotional resonance. The cerebral experience that persists within the very veins of Sun is duly matched by the film's sensory-rich cinematic audio and visual elements. Throughout, Lahiff's filmmaking and how he tells the story is equivalent to a walk through an art gallery where bold colours, vibrant and at times violently affective scoring and evocative visual symbols all collide to create a picture that is striking in every sense of the word.  

Immediately, the world that Sun is set in appears to be mundane through its familiarity, a normal house, normal city streets and normal artsy characters; however, the facade is soon ripped away as Sunhill's night goes from one extreme to the next. Think of the opening nightclub scene in 'Irreversible' (2002) where flashing crimson lights combine with darkened shadows, personifying chaos. To call to another Gaspar Noé film, imagine the hectic ferocity of 'Climax' (2018), where the displays of copious physical movement become emotionally exhaustive and claustrophobic. Sun's passionate throes of hysteria are what allows it to stand alongside these excellent, historically important films, cementing Lahiff as horror's next big thing.  

The film actively uses movement as a cinematic tool, with much of the film using the art of dance as a vessel to explore horror. Sun's inclusion of dancing speaks to the abstract nature of the narrative, with the intense choreography emulating Sunhill's transformation and lack of control due to generational trauma. As such, Sun takes what is usually unseen, the motif of control, possession, and obsession, and makes it visible all through the motion and notion of performative arts.  

Ultimately, Sun is a daring and valiant take on a unique form of horror, with Lahiff both challenging and captivating throughout this unforgettable and highly recommended horror film.  

Catch the UK premiere Sun, featuring an exclusive Q&A on Friday 26th September at 12:00 at this year's Dead Northern Film Festival. 

Buy your tickets to the show-stopping festival below!