The psychological horror genre is getting more diverse with the new short film Paralysis. Award-winning Director/Writer R. Shanea Williams explained why this film is different. “It has a black female protagonist. That alone separates it from many psychological horror films,” said Williams.
Paralysis tells the story of an emotionally fragile woman who moves into a new apartment. Plagued by a sleep disorder, she fears she may be taunted by a supernatural entity.
“I’m fascinated by the mind and how it can be more dangerous and monstrous than anything outside of us,” said Williams who has always wanted to make a psychological horror film. “The films that have been the most unsettling for me have always dealt with human consciousness. For me, Paralysis is my attempt to explore the strange and eerie depths of the mind.”
The Indiegogo campaign for the short film-‘Paralysis’ can be found here https://igg.me/p/paralysis/x/8815
“There are hundreds of stories out there and we perhaps see about five or six variations on screen. I ask people to support this campaign who want to see more diversity on screen and more diverse storytelling,” said Williams. “It’s not just about making a film with an interesting concept, but making a film with that also has depth.”
Paralysis is the 3rd film from Williams and Davis’ production company Vision 75/80 productions. Their last short film, Contamination, was selected into eight film festivals, nominated for Best Short Film at the 2014 HBO/BET Urban World Film Festival and the 2014 BronzeLens Film Festival, and won for Best Actress Drama at the 2015 Flager Film Festival.
Mshon Pulliam has signed on to be the associate producer for the production, which will film in New York.
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About the director:
R. Shanea Williams is a Queens, New York based filmmaker. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 2003 with a BA in English and received her MFA in dramatic writing (with a concentration in screenwriting) from New York University in 2008. Williams was a quarterfinalist in the 2007 Slamdance Screenwriting Competition, and in 2011, she was a top 5 screenplay finalist in the Urbanworld Film Festival Screenwriting Competition. Paralysis is her third short film.
About the producer:
Anthony J. Davis is an assistant production accountant in the film industry. The Richmond, Virginia native has worked on several film productions, including the Academy Award nominated film Lincoln, Marvel’s Ant-Man and Prisoners.
About the associate producer:
Mshon K. Pulliam is a freelance creative director and photographer. The Atlanta, Georgia native has worked with several established clients, including Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Big Tigger, Kenneth Whalum III, Keshia Knight Pulliam and the non-profit organization Kamp Kizzy.
