From first-time director Ryan J. Sloan, who co-wrote the film with lead actress Ariella Mastroianni, Gazer is a psychological noir thriller about a woman who becomes entangled in dangerous conspiracies after taking a high-paying job to cope with her rare fatal disease. The film was entirely self-financed by Sloan and Mastroianni, balancing their day jobs while shooting on 16mm film.
Gazer had its world premiere at the 56th Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. The film was also selected to screen at the 25th Woodstock Film Festival and the 9th Brooklyn Horror Film Festival where it won the Head Trip Jury Awards for Best Screenplay.
In addition to Mastroianni, Gazer stars Marcia Debonis, Renee Gagner, Jack Alberts, and Tommy Kang.
Release Date
Directed by Ryan J. Sloan, Gazer opens in select US theaters on February 21, 2025.
Synopsis
Afflicted with a rare and fatal condition that affects her ability to perceive time and causes sudden blackouts, single mother Frankie Rhodes relies on self-recorded cassette tapes to help her navigate the world. Desperate to make ends meet while she fights for custody of her young daughter, she accepts a risky but high-paying job from a mysterious woman, which draws her into a world of paranoid conspiracies that threatens to swallow her whole.
“We were working 12-14 hours every day. Sundays, we were mostly taking off, and we would take off the shooting weekends, but we worked our butts off to get it financed,” says director Ryan J. Sloan about self-financing the film in an interview with Variety. “Many people our age are buying houses and having kids, and Ariella and I committed that our children will be our films. This is what we want to do with our lives.”
Reviews
Christian Zilko in an IndieWire review gave the film a score of A-, writing, “Marrying the manic paranoia of “After Hours” with a “Memento”-esque unreliable protagonist and touches of flesh-bending body horror that could be ripped straight from “Videodrome,” “Gazer” is the kind of debut that should restore your lost faith in independent cinema.”
David Cuevas in a Next Best Picture review gave the film a 6/10, writing, “Conceptually speaking, “Gazer” succeeds with its unique premise, which aptly takes advantage of the boisterous possibilities of the cinematic form. – The future is still bright for Ryan J. Sloan and Ariella Mastroianni. If anything, “Gazer” succeeds within its provocative imperfections, amplifying the need for neurodivergent perspectives in the mainstream.”
Official Trailer
Watch the official trailer for Gazer.