BRIGHTWOOD is a sci-fi thriller coming out on VOD and DVD. The movie has screened at various genre film festivals and it’s easy to see why it would be a hit there. Along with sci-fi and thriller, there is a mystery and even some dark comedy to keep it moving along.

The two leads manage to make both the time loop and parallel universe angle work really well.

Brightwood opens with Jen and Dan being out jogging. Or rather, Jen wants to run faster (and further away from Dan), while Dan would rather just head back home.

It quickly becomes apparent that these two have nothing in common. For Jen and Dan, this is just one reason why their marriage seems to be coming to an end. However, breaking up is hard to do, so fantasies about murdering one another will have to do for now.

Or will it? Suddenly, this story turns into a brutal time loop story where the married couple cannot get away from the lake (or is it a pond?) they’re running around. The path that led them there has simply disappeared.

While being stuck together in this seemingly endless loop, Jen and Dan do begin communicating more. Is there hope for them? Well, probably not, but they agree on getting a divorce and that’s progress as well.

But then there’s that silent hooded killer who appears to be tracking them down.

What is the best way to survive this predicament? Stay together and fight back or go their separate ways and hope they can survive better alone.

Dana Berger and Max Woertendyke play the two lead roles and they are amazing. Irritating and really not good for one another, but in a surprisingly realistic way.

Dane Elcar is the writer and director of Brightwood which works extremely well due to both the story, directing, and the small cast.

Sure, this is slow-burn as well but never gets too slow.



This genre mindf*ck has already wowed festival audiences at so many film festivals. From Panic Fest to Popcorn Frights, and HorrorHound Film Festival, to name just a few.

BRIGHTWOOD is out on VOD and DVD from August 22, 2023.