Locally produced horror film headed to Cannes

Mark Scheer, Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Updated ·4 min read

Feb. 18—A horror film produced with help from a local filmmaker and a Niagara Falls police officer will soon be headed to Cannes, France.

"The Burned Over District," which was produced with help from Falls-based White Lions Studio CEO Ken Cosentino and Niagara Falls Police Officer Paul Kudela, tells the story of a grieving man who settles into a quiet town only to find it has a very terrifying secret.

The movie has as its backdrop the Burned Over District, which is a name applied to the Western and Central New York regions during the first half of the 19th century. In the early 1800s, the area became swept up in a widespread religious revival movement that resulted in many residents converting to Protestant sects and the establishment or growth of religious groups such as The Latter Day Saints, the Millerites and the Shakers.

The film was directed by the Coleman Brothers, Vince and James, who are from Rochester. Portions of the movie were shot in Niagara Falls, Rochester and West Seneca.

Cosentino, whose Falls-based company assists filmmakers with location scouting, wardrobes, casting and other services, said he met the Coleman brothers at the end of 2020 and was impressed by their filmmaking skills.

"The Coleman brothers are the real deal," Cosentino said. "They're true independent, guerrilla filmmakers along the lines of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez."

Cosentino said he also loved their idea to tell a terrifying tale tied to the Burned Over District and the "Second Great Awakening," a period marked by such heightened religious and spiritual activity that historians have suggested the hills and valleys of parts of Western and Central New York were "set on fire" due to the religious fervor.

"I thought they are really smart because they tapped into something and I said 'I wanted to be a part of this,' " Cosentino said. "They are really hard workers. They made a really special, fantastic film ..."

Cosentino served as a producer of the film along with Kudela and Kudela's business partner, Jason Haug. Kudela said he and Haug got involved because they believed in the Coleman brothers' vision for the movie and in their abilities as filmmakers. Kudela said they also supported "The Burned Over District" because they are hoping to continue to foster movie production in the Falls.

"They are brilliant," Kudela said of the Coleman brothers. "They were so passionated about their movie and their project."

Cosentino said "The Burned Over District" is heading to the HorrorHound Film Fest which will take place in Ohio in March. He said a local premiere is in the works for April. Black Mandela, a New Zealand production and international sales company, is working to sell and distribute the film in the Cannes, France film market.

Cosentino said he expects the film will most likely find a buyer for distribution on a streaming service, noting that, in the wake of the Covid pandemic, many movies are making their way into people's living rooms as opposed to traditional movie theaters.

"Everything is streaming today," he said. "They are looking for content to get direct to your home to your viewer."

'We have a really good shot at taking this ... movie and making it real hot on Netflix or HBO Max or something like that. We have a real good chance of making this movie a cult classic," Cosentino said.

Both Cosentino and Kudela said they hope "The Burned Over District" will be just the latest in a line of successful films to come out of Niagara Falls.

"It was a great experience and we want to do more," Kudela said. "We want bring more films here locally to shoot. This movie is going to hopefully be a hit and bring some recognition to Niagara Falls and the Western New York area. Hopefully, it lights a spark for other creators to come in and do projects here."

While Buffalo is receiving a lot of attention of late for its work with the movie industry, Cosentino said the Falls has as much if not more going for it in terms of providing filmmakers with the type of support, high production values and shooting locations they need.

"We're the gateway to Toronto," he said. "We have built a bridge between Rochester, Niagara Falls and Toronto and West Seneca. When movies come to Buffalo and they are looking for other areas to shoot for a couple of days, we have this awesome network that we've already built that they can just plug right into."

To view the trailer for "The Burned Over District," visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtkJHPevqkE.