Coventry Native's 'Almost Human' to Premiere at Prestigious Toronto Film Festival

Apparently it takes a small film to make it big on the global stage. Rhode Island’s own Almost Human is one of the chosen few to have its world premiere amongst some of the brightest stars in Hollywood at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Toronto, which is considered to be one of the top five film festivals in the world, alongside Sundance and Cannes, will take place from Sept. 5-15, 2013, and this local film will be right in the middle of it.

Written, produced and directed by former Coventry resident Joe Begos, Almost Human, which TIFF describes as  “... a raging inferno of axe murders and alien abduction...” and a ”... lean, mean, grisly indie horror flick,” was shot in February of 2012 with little fanfare and no big stars in front of or behind the camera. 

“I've always wanted my first film to be a gritty, dirty, low budget splatter movie made with my friends, just like Sam Raimi and Peter Jackson did for their first features, and it feels amazing that it actually happened and that people are responding to it,” said Begos. 

About shooting in his home state, Joe added, “I love the feeling New England adds, I grew up loving Stephen King and in his stories the setting of Maine is like its own character, and I wanted to elicit that same feeling with Rhode Island.”

Shot on a modest budget, the film was a co-production of Channel 83 Films and the RI based producing team Ambrosino/Delmenico. “Getting into a festival of this importance is crazy for a small film like this, but it's a testament to Joe and the rest of our cast and crew, he’s a unique talent and the movie was a ton of fun to make,” said producer Anthony Ambrosino.

Another product of Coventry, Josh Ethier of Channel 83 Films not only served as a producer on the film but as both the editor and lead actor. He added, "Joe and I have been making films together since we were teenagers, and to go from Western Coventry to the Midnight Madness program at TIFF is a dream come true."

Rhode Island is well represented in front of the camera as well. Many of the film’s stars are from New England with the majority being from the Ocean State.

Click here to check out the flick's official Facebook page and watch the trailer, here.