Poster art by Pepper Baynes
Illuminati Castrati is a queer horror short film in which vampire Luka Markos (Som Chakraborty) cruises in an unknown city, seeking men for his harem. This ancient wanderer courts three men: The Twink (Tony Zhou), The Bear (Dorien Sayalak-Vercoe), and The Jock (Nickolas Morris). Encountering each man in different corners of the gay nightlife, Luka first seduces, then brutally emasculates them. This sets the stage for a life-and-death power struggle between the men.
Ani White is a debut filmmaker with a strong interest in horror & queer cinema. Growing up in Wellington, capital city of Aotearoa/New Zealand, they developed a taste for film which extended to making short films. In their teenage years, they won an award for cinematography at Wellington’s Young Filmmaker’s Showcase. As an adult they pursued an education in film & media, completing a BA in Film, and a Doctorate in Media & Communication. They have published analysis of film & media in the journals Aurealis – Science Fiction & Fantasy (Australia) and Triple C, with a forthcoming work adapted from their Doctorate to be published by Lexington Books. Having completed their Doctorate, they are returning from media theory to film production.
Illuminati Castrati received crowdfunding from boosted.org and a grant from the New Zealand Rainbow Charitable Trust. It will be marketed to film festivals over 2024. Credits at IMDb.