Hidden within an 80s inspired horror story, the upcoming short film “Relentless Reflection” will tackle themes of trauma, abuse, self-discovery, and introspection.

Director and Ridge High School alumni, Julia Schnarr, has set out to release the film in the fall of 2024 as her senior capstone project at Quinnipiac University.

After growing up with a passion for film, the aspiring director already has incredible honors on her resume and her own production company, Sunbeam Productions LLC, created in January 2023. Schnarr also recently completed her short film “All is Well,” which was filmed in downtown Bernardsville, and has now entered a new genre.

“Relentless Reflection” follows the story of Mallory Devlin, a serial killer searching to escape her isolation from human connection. Set in a secluded cabin in the woods in 1983, the film adds modern twists to the classic 80s horror story. With inspiration from movies including “Jennifer’s Body” and “Carrie” the film adds this spin with, “More modern characters and themes like feminism and female rage.”

Schnarr and her team have also drawn visual inspiration from beloved favorites like “Stranger Things” and “The Breakfast Club.”

The talented and award-winning team working alongside Schnarr includes Mikela Picard (Assistant Director, Writer), Haley Ruccio (Producer, Co-Production Designer), Julia Kusmenko (Director of Photography), Charlise Lebron (First Assistant Camera, Gaffer), Ronnie Dinnel (Editor), and Joe Monte (Production Sound Mixer, Co-Production Designer).

In covering costs to rent locations, pay professional actors, and cover festival fees, the film’s budget will be based on personal crowdfunding. With a goal of $14,000 by January 21, 2024, the team has already received over half of the donations needed.

Donations can be made through Seed & Spark, with different incentives including shout outs on Social Media, a customized Spotify mix tape to match the film, exclusive access to behind the scenes photos, a copy of the film, and more.

After several in-depth rewrites and many meetings over the summer, Schnarr noted that, “This film is going to be very different than what I have worked on before and hopefully horror lovers are going to enjoy our twist and modern spin on an 80’s thriller.”