Experimental filmmaking was given a massive boon through the utilization of the internet, allowing hundreds of aspiring filmmakers to share their visions without the once-mandatory financial backing of a large studio. The horror genre in particular has taken significant advantage of short-form content that the internet allows for, from bite-sized creepypasta stories to terrifying short films. Years after its mass adoption by the public, some have capitalized on the familiar tape degradation of VHS recordings and scratchy audio to create a deeply unsettling subgenre of nostalgic horror:analog horror.
Shudder’s newly acquired original filmSkinamarinkwill likely be the first time analog horror hits theaters in all its ambient, atmospheric glory. Everything from the film’s trailer to director Kyle Edward Ball’s previous work exemplifies the kind of specific terror that used to plague many young adults' nightmares in their youth. While the film’sexperimental naturewill likely divide audiences and critics alike, it’s hard to deny that it’s still a fresh and exciting film that most shouldn’t miss.
This is everything we know aboutSkinamarink.
Skinamarink: The Plot
The official plot synopsis forSkinamarinkis as follows.
“Two children wake up in the middle of the night to find their father is missing, and all the windows and doors in their home have vanished.”
You may have noticed that the synopsis is incredibly sparse. This is intentional. Part of the appeal of analog horror is that a lot of the intrigue surrounding it is based wholly on what is inferred from the audience. Popular analog horror series likeThe Mandela CatalogueandLocal 58utilize ambiguous storytelling with few if any clear resolutions to questions presented. This, combined with a focus on atmospheric sound design,found footageelements, and minimal dialogue, forces the audience into a tense viewing experience that’ll last far beyond the runtime of the film.
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Based on the trailer, we can at least make a few assumptions about some broad details. The end of the trailer includes a reference to the year 1973. This date, combined with the use of a dated television set in the house as well as the picture and sound quality from the film itself, leads us to reasonably expect thatSkinamarinkwill take place around that era.
Skinamarinkwill likely follow a simple progression of the children discovering their circumstances before an otherworldly presence, whatever it may be, makes itself known. Whether it’s a ghost or a manifestation of something else entirely, whatever asked the children to “come upstairs” certainly isn’t human. It should be additionally noted that the synopsis left out the presence of the children’s mother. Whether her presence is a source of the strange voice or the doors and windows disappearing remains to be seen. Adding onto this, despite having both a mother and father listed as official cast members, neither one can be seen throughout the entirety of the film’s trailer.
It’s possible thatSkinamarinkwill tackle themes of childhood isolation or loneliness. The fact that the duo can’t leave the house when they freely could before might imply some kind of abuse or neglect from their parents. Alternatively, it may just be a reflection of their fears of nighttime, unwilling to leave the sanctity of their home for fear of what might be lurking in the dark.
Skinamarink: The Cast
The cast forSkinamarinkis comprised of only four actors: the two children, Kevin (Lucas Paul) and Kaylee (Dali Rose Tetreault), and their parents, Mom (Jaime Hill) and Dad (Ross Paul). Since the film is set in onlya single location, with a tiny scope to boot, it only makes sense for the cast to be this way.
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Skinamarinkwill mark both Lucas Paul’s and Dali Rose Tetreault’s feature film debut, with neither actor having any previous recorded acting experience. Jaime Hill has appeared in a handful of short films and low-budget independent films, including 2022’sGrotesque.She also performed in an audio drama adaptation of Mark Wheatley’s graphic novel,Frankenstein’s Mobster, a horror-themed crime thriller.Skinamarinkwill also mark Ross Paul’s feature film debut, with only a background appearance in a television miniseries adaptation ofMoby Dick.
Release Date
PerVariety,Skinamarinkwill release in theaters on July 18, 2025. A release on Shudder is expected to follow later in the year, though as of writing, a specific date has not been announced.
Everything Else We Know
In an interview withiHorror, director Kyle Edward Ball stated that he partially basedSkinamarinkoff of his short film,Heck. The short film, which can be freely watched on Ball’s YouTube channel, shares a lot of similarities visually with footage fromSkinamarink,down to the late-night darkness saturated with light from televisions and distant bulbs. WhereasHeckdealt with themes of familial death and abandonment,Skinamarinkmay deviate into other themes.
