Writer and director Racheal Cain brought her feature film debut, Somnium, to Panic Fest 2025. Gemma just moved to LA with dreams of becoming an actor, but in the meantime, she finds a job working the night shift at a sleep clinic that specializes in making dreams come true. Struggling with self-doubt and financial troubles, she finds herself increasingly tangled in the dark mystery of the clinic.

The story Cain tells with Somnium is intricate and layered, presenting a familiar story before throwing in strange twists and turns. On the surface, the film is about the plight of an ingenue, new to the big city and struggling to find work as an actor. Gemma’s job working nights as a “sleep sitter” at the clinic are relatively easy, but she barely makes enough money to stay afloat, and after months of auditioning she has yet to land a role. However, even as she desperately tries to find her big break, there is something strange going on at Somnium that continues to draw her attention, especially when she begins to spot a haunting figure on the security cameras and in the darkened halls. Each element of the plot, even the parts that are more outlandish, connect back to Gemma and her journey to get rid of her insecurities. Much like the patients at the sleep clinic, Gemma will never achieve her dreams if she doesn’t have the self-confidence to believe she can do it. There is a lot going on in Somnium, but the way Cain weaves it all together is seamless and will keep the audience guessing.

Somnium is filled with great actors giving fantastic performances. Chloë Levine (The Ranger, The Sacrifice Game) stars as Gemma. Levine is incredibly skilled and easily highlights the phases Gemma goes through after arriving in LA. At first eager and optimistic, she soon becomes more discouraged, before eventually arriving at despair and desperation. These changes are clear in part from what Gemma says and how she acts, but Levine even manages to incorporate it into her body language and how she carries herself. While her Southern Georgia accent isn’t always consistent, the emotion behind her performance is always at the forefront. When it comes to the other characters in Somnium, the writing and performances make it unclear what their true intentions are. Do these people want to help Gemma or do they have more sinister intentions? This is most evident with Will Peltz (Unfriended, The Collection) as Noah, the sleep clinic’s programmer, and Johnathon Schaech (Prom Night, Suitable Flesh) as eccentric Hollywood producer Brooks. Their performances add an uncertain edge that helps create the sense of confusion and isolation in Gemma’s life.

When it comes to the sights and sounds of Somnium, audiences will find themselves easily drawn into Gemma’s world. From the moment the film begins, audiences are sure to be struck by the score from composers Mike Forst (Washerwoman) and Peter Ricq (Come Together). A bit reminiscent of the score of It Follows, Forst and Ricq craft a soundscape that has a dreamy, 80’s synth feel that shifts into an unnerving, bass heavy sound for the more frightening scenes.

Visually, most of Somnium has a simple look. Gemma has an appropriately rundown apartment, and the sleep clinic has a classic medical appearance with machines that look high-tech, without appearing futuristic our outlandish. Once audiences finally get to see what it looks like for a person to be plugged into the sleep clinic machines, the imagery is as striking as it his haunting. Then, there is the creature design for the entity haunting Gemma. Mostly kept in the shadows, this being has a gaunt look audiences have likely seen before, but it still delivers a few good scares. It’s apparent the filmmakers made the most of their indie film budget, delivering visuals and music that are beautifully done and inject horrific tension.

Somnium weaves suspense and terror into a tale of self-discovery that’s as relatable as it is unsettling. It’s a superb feature film debut for Cain, showcasing her ability to write a compelling script and bring it to the big screen. In keeping with the sleep clinic’s claim of helping one achieve their dreams, the film has a wonderful dreamlike quality evident in the plot, music, and visuals. Along with an emotionally layered performance from Levine, audiences are sure to be entranced from start to finish. After seeing Somnium, audiences will be eager to see what Cain does next.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10