Movi Production returns to explore the realm of auteur horror with The Terrible Old Man, a new short film inspired by one of H.P. Lovecraft's most enigmatic stories. The project, winner of the 2024 “For Those Who Create” grant, is now seeking to complete its production through a Kickstarter campaign recently launched by the production house.
At the heart of this initiative is the desire to craft a work that combines aesthetic refinement, psychological tension, and that sense of indescribable mystery that defines the narrative pantheon of the Providence Recluse. An intention perfectly encapsulated by the famous quote from the American writer: “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear of the unknown.”
The short film, directed by Jacopo Marchini, reimagines The Terrible Old Man by transporting it to contemporary Italy. The plot follows three thieves who decide to break into the home of an apparently defenseless elderly man. But what awaits them beyond the threshold is far from any predictable heist gone wrong: their greed will lead them to confront a presence that does not belong to our world, an embodiment of Lovecraftian unknown.
Marchini deliberately abandons the codes of more commercial horror to focus on a suspended atmosphere, on anguish born of the invisible, and on terror that infiltrates the mind more than the eyes of the viewer. An approach that echoes the elegant and unsettling aesthetics of directors like David Fincher and Guillermo del Toro while maintaining a strong auteur identity. The Terrible Old Man represents just the first step of LIMEN – Lovecraftian Tales, a future anthology series dedicated to Lovecraft's stories reinterpreted through a contemporary lens. The short will serve as a proof of concept, designed to showcase the visual coherence, tone, and narrative ambition of the entire universe under construction.
Movi Production aims for an international project capable of merging formal elegance with genre cinema while remaining faithful to the original atmospheres of Lovecraft's stories. The project's meticulous care is also evident in the composition of the creative team:
- Jacopo Marchini, director and cinematographer, has collaborated with Sony, Warner, Universal, and has signed projects selected in Oscar-qualifying festivals.
- Armando Marchetti, composer of the soundtrack, continues his creative partnership with Marchini, crafting music that blends wonder, unease, and sensory tension.
- Anna Severini, expert in prosthetics and special effects, is responsible for creating the main creature: a figure embodying the unfathomable dimension of Lovecraftian myth.
A team with proven international experience for an independent project that aims high.
A Kickstarter campaign to support the horror of the unknown Through Kickstarter, Movi Production invites enthusiasts, supporters of independent cinema, and Lovecraft fans to actively participate in the film's creation. Rewards include:
- early access to content,
- exclusive materials from the set,
- the digital soundtrack,
- and even official credits in the film's titles. A direct and transparent way to contribute to the growth of a work that seeks to combine auteurship and technical quality.
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