‘Sadness will last forever.’
The Forest of the Lost Souls – A Floresta das Almas Perdidas – is a 2017 Portuguese/United Arab Emirates psychological horror film written and directed by directed by José Pedro Lopes. It stars Daniela Love, Jorge Mota, Mafalda Banquart, Ligia Roque and Lília Lopes.
Described as a “coming of age slasher movie”, the film had its world premiere at the Fantasporto Film Festival on February 26, 2017.
Plot:
Ricardo and Carolina are complete strangers that meet seemingly by chance in the “Forest of the Lost Souls”, a place where many people go to commit suicide. These two, a young woman and an old man, are no different than the others as they also came to the forest for this very reason.
They decide to briefly postpone killing themselves in order to explore the forest and also to continue talking to one another, as Ricardo and Carolina find themselves intrigued by one another.
However, as the pair go further into the forest it becomes clear that one of them has other reasons for being in the forest and is not who they would have the other believe them to be and is actually a psychopath…
Reviews:
“The violence is quick and savage, yet intimate. It is not aiming for gore and shock but the feel of real-life violence. Understanding some physical limitations of his psycho killer […] Lopes admittedly had to rethink how his killer dispatched their victims, which helps keep it further grounded in the realm of the possible and uncomfortably real.” Andrew Mack, Screen Anarchy
“The black and white photography is genuinely beautiful. It’s otherworldly play of light and shadow fits the dreamlike nature of the material. Near the end, there is a bizarre, surreal version of stalking that takes place. It’s a near perfect execution of visual tension, with just enough weirdness to send a shiver down your spine.” Monte Light, Horrorfreak News
“With a relatively compact run time of 71 minutes, A Floresta das Almas Perdidas achieves a great deal in its narrative and visual storytelling. It’s a film that offers up complex and riveting characterization that drives the story. The violence is tastefully portrayed however it’s a film that packs an emotional and psychological impact.” Hayley Alice Roberts, Hayley’s Horror Reviews
Cast and characters:
- Daniela Love as Carolina
- Jorge Mota as Ricardo
- Mafalda Banquart as Filipa
- Ligia Roque as Joana
- Lília Lopes as Irene
- Tiago Jácome as Tiago
Filming locations:
Caramulo and Porto, Portugal
Zamora, Castilla y León, Spain
Trivia:
The film’s working title was O Meu Paraíso Obscuro (“My Dark Paradise”)
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