Indie darling and festival favorite Alice Maio Mackay (T Blockers, Carnage for Christmas) returns to Fantasia International Film Festival with her latest film, The Serpent’s Skin. Written by Mackay and Benjamin Pahl Robinson (T Blockers, Carnage for Christmas), the film follows a young trans woman as she moves to a new town and starts a romance with a tattoo artist. When a demon is unwittingly unleashed that feeds on their friends, the two women must find a way to stop it and save the people they love.

Fans of Mackay’s films will immediately notice her signature visual style, using striking neon lighting and giving the film a somewhat hazy, dreamlike appearance. Yet this film is a bit different from some of her previous work, focusing primarily on the budding romance while the supernatural elements take more of a backseat. This works for the most part, but there are moments when the lore seems a bit incomplete. The two leads, Alexandra McVicker (Action Point, She’s Missing) and Avalon Fast, help bring this love story to life with great on screen chemistry. Adding to the compelling sights and sounds are a bit of subtle CGI and a killer soundtrack primarily consisting of songs by H6LLB6ND6ER. The Serpent’s Skin uses magical realism to enhance a story of finding love against the odds.

OVERALL RATING: 7/10