Goddess of Love – also known as Mania – is a 2015 American-Canadian erotic horror thriller directed by Jon Knautz (Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer; The Shrine; Girl House) from a screenplay co-written with co-producer and star Alexis Kendra (also in Hatchet II and Big Ass Spider).
The film also stars Woody Naismith, Elizabeth Sandy (Delivery: The Beast Within), Monda Scott, Hugh Westbourne, Richard Velton, Anna Logan and Ray Grady.
The film was an official selection at Film4 FrightFest and the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival.
In the US, Terror Films (Landmine Goes Click) has is planning a wide ancillary release across all major platforms. Raven Banner Releasing will be handling the Canadian distribution, while Automatic Entertainment is overseeing distribution for the rest of the world.
Plot:
Venus (Alexis Kendra), a lonely, eccentric woman, meets Brian (Woody Naismith), the man of her dreams. A sexually fueled, passionate relationship begins. But, as time progresses, that wonderful honeymoon-phase changes into something hellish.
Brian breaks things off when his old fling, Christine (Elizabeth Sandy) comes back into his life. Completely destroyed, Venus begins a downward spiral into madness as she acts out her twisted fantasies of love and revenge…
Reviews:
” … a rare blend of scary and smart that will joyously play dark tricks on its viewers by presenting a certain, familiar brand of “crazy” before ripping the rug out from under them. It’s a risky gamble, but one that pays off, especially when given the gorgeous cinematography and unnerving portrayal of self-destruction from Alexis Kendra, who also proves herself a great writer and producer by the same hand.” Ken W. Hanley, Fangoria
” … my god does this film play on the worst stereotypes of female behaviour, too (and yes, I know stereotypes have one foot in truth, even if we might not like to admit it). Venus is positively painful to watch, with the constant sending of unread texts, the clinginess, the determination to throw everything into a short-term relationship with, well, with a bit of a dick. I understand that what follows for her and for the plot is rooted in this behaviour, but still – it’s frustrating stuff…” Keri O’Shea, Brutal as Hell
“Goddess of Love is an unpredictable ride through one person’s damaged psyche. Venus is a complex and intriguing character, whose actions become more and more erratic. The film is difficult to look away from and it is thoroughly engrossing; this viewer was completely entertained. Also, film elements, from lighting to set design, are consistently top notch.” 28 Days Later Analysis
Filming Locations:
Los Angeles, California, USA
