Immaculate
Immaculate
Black Bear Pictures, Fifty-Fifty Films, Middle Child Pictures
Neon
Release date
March 22, 2024
Running time
89 minutes
Description
Sydney Sweeney (Anyone But You, Euphoria, The White Lotus) stars as Cecilia, an American nun of devout faith, embarking on a new journey in a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. Cecilia’s warm welcome quickly devolves into a nightmare as it becomes clear her new home harbors a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.
Genres
Horror
Starring
Sydney Sweeney as Sister Cecilia
Álvaro Morte as Father Sal Tedeschi
Benedetta Porcaroli as Sister Gwen
Dora Romano [it] as Mother Superior
Giorgio Colangeli as Cardinal Franco Merola
Simona Tabasco as Sister Mary
Produced By
David Bernad, Sydney Sweeney, Jonathan Davino, Teddy Schwarzman, Michael Heimler
Executive Produced By
John Friedberg, Christopher Casanova, Will Greenfield
Directed by
Michael Mohan
Written by
Andrew Lobel
Cinematography
Elisha Christian
Edited by
Christian Masini
Music by
Will Bates
Director Michael Mohan discusses Immaculate
"Interested in directing a horror film?”
This simple text message from Sydney Sweeney, a close collaborator and the driving force behind
her production company Fifty-Fifty Films, plunged me into what would become the most
electrifying project of my career. Alongside ‘White Lotus’ producer David Bernad, and producing
partner Jonathan Davino, we were determined to craft the horror movie her fans had been
clamoring for.
Their search for the perfect script was an exhaustive one. They sought a story that could unsettle to
the core while still delivering those quintessential popcorn-movie scares, and eventually,
rediscovered IMMACULATE by Andrew Lobel— a script Sydney auditioned for a while back but had
never come to light. It had been terrifying to her years ago, and after re-reading it, it terrified us
Today.
Very quickly, I realized this was more than just a script. Andrew wasn’t merely crafting scares; he
was sculpting a classic. Because here, the terror wasn’t conjured from a supernatural CG monster.
Instead, it was grounded in a chilling reality, a horror that is so palpable and inescapable.
I loved that the story was laced with traditional jump scares— unpretentious and driven by theme.
Despite my experience crafting unexpected plot twists, this story delivered a series of revelations
that completely took me by surprise, but also made me sick to my stomach. I loved it.
Approaching the production, I was conscious of our singular criterion: it had to be genuinely
terrifying. The legacy of auteurs like Polanski, Friedkin, and Kubrick guided my vision— aiming for
a film marked by simplicity, restraint, and a focus on performance that resonates with both the
elegance of 1970s horror and the expectations of contemporary viewers.
Sister Cecilia’s journey —from an emblem of purity to a feral creature, drenched in blood— spoke
to Sydney’s natural versatility. From the quiet resilience of Reality Winner to the explosively
insecure Cassie Howard, our protagonist Sister Cecilia would allow Sydney to tap into both;
delivering a performance that is as understated as it is unhinged.
And the story’s culmination, which I will only hint at here, is intended to leave audiences
breathless, inviting introspection, without prescribing answers— all unfolding within a tight 89
Minutes.
Collaborating on this film wasn't just the greatest honor of my life; it was a chance to make
something that could stand the test of time. My hope is that IMMACULATE feels like the ultimate
rollercoaster ride, leaving you haunted, introspective, and beautifully traumatized.
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