This year’s Fantastic Fest included the world premiere for a new coming of age horror film, Camp. The sophomore feature by writer and director Avalon Fast (Honeycomb), this film follows a young woman named Emily. After a recent traumatic loss, Emily goes to work as a counselor at a summer camp for troubled kids. While there, she forms a close bond with some of the other young women working at the camp, creating a sort of modern coven.

Fast is quickly become an up-and-coming filmmaker to watch. She has a unique way of creating films that are as dreamy as they are deadly, showing the good and bad sides of femininity. Camp is a stunning example of that. When we first meet Emily, she reveals that when she was young she accidentally hit and killed a child with her car. Shortly after, her best friend overdoses right in front of her. Emily’s life is filled with grief and guilt. Hoping this will help, Emily’s dad has her go work at a Christian summer camp. Once there, Emily becomes close with some of the other young women working at the camp. It takes her on a deeply personal journey that will either bring the young women closer together or leave Emily completely broken.

The story being told doesn’t shy away from darkness. Many of the women and the actions they carry out are problematic, but that’s what makes them seem more authentic. No one is perfect, no matter how hard they try. Not only does Camp tackle how difficult it is to overcome trauma without a support system, but it also shows the two very different paths Emily can take. On one side is a more difficult, longer journey to healing. On the other side is a shorter path that prioritizes instant relief, even if it means harming others. Yet Fast doesn’t pass judgement on either choice. Instead, her film allows for these women to be complicated, messy, and perhaps even a little evil, because that’s life. The film also highlights a fluid, queer pull between some of the characters that speaks to how connected these young women are. While the focus on Emily and her new friends does lead to some unresolved and under-explored plot points, the journey is sure to touch audiences and perhaps even make them feel a bit less guilty about their choices in life.

Camp has a cast of young actors, many at the beginning of their careers. Zola Grimmer makes her acting debut as Emily. Her performance throughout the film is incredibly enchanting. She easily conveys the lasting guilt her character experiences and how being at the camp makes Emily feel as though she’s losing her mind. It’s a haunting portrayal that adds depth to the film. Alice Wordsworth (Grotesque 2, A Cowboy Against Thunder) plays seasoned camp counselor, Clara. Clara almost seems to represent the person Emily could be. Wordsworth portrays this character as confident, unapologetic, and in-tune with her power. This also makes her seem a bit cold because she’s willing to do just about anything for a piece of magic. Other standout performances come from Cherry Moore, Lea Rose Sebastianis (In a Violent Nature), Ella Reece (Montana Mavericks), and Sophie Bawks-Smith (Honeycomb). At times there are acting moments that are a bit lackluster, but overall there is a lot of heart behind each character portrayal.

A highlight of Camp is the stunning imagery. Fast chose to create a dreamy atmosphere, framing many shots in a way that evokes Renaissance art. That framing, the color and lighting, along with little touches of sparkly magic add to the sense of this film being a dark fairy tale. The film incorporates many visual tricks to help create that atmosphere. At the beginning, there are scenes shot on old, grainy film in both black and white and color. Other times the dark woods are lit in unnatural colors to create a sense of sleepwalking. To add to the magic, the filmmakers added white stars and sparkles. There’s even a gorgeous sequence of animation set to a dark poem. Wardrobe is used to help create the character’s different personalities, which they wear throughout almost the entire film like cartoon characters. Throughout it all is an ethereal yet haunting score composed by Max Graham (Honeycomb).

Camp creates a dreamily haunting coming-of-age tale with teeth. Fast masterfully shows the trials and tribulations of overcoming trauma, often leaning into the more feral side of femininity, all without passing judgement on individual choices. While there are some plot points that could have been further explored, the central story of Emily’s journey is a truly compelling watch. Newcomer Grimmer gives a hell of a performance as Emily, and the purposeful, enchanting visuals make it easy to feel the magic at the heart of this story. Fast has shown she can do a lot with the right budget and support behind her, which will have many audiences chomping at the bit to see what she does next.

OVERALL RATING: 7/10