Sisters of the Plague (2015) NewFest 2015

Jo, a young woman who leads ghost tours in New Orleans begins to experience weird visions after her father moves in with her and her girlfriend. Needing answers she begins to look into the drowning death of her mother as relationships crack and reality fragments.

Great looking, well acted film plays at times as if it is a cinema verite documentary as we watch very real characters interact. If I had stumbled up the film not knowing what it was I would have sworn it was a real life story, particularly in the scenes between her and her dad. Many of the images conjured up in the film are ethereal and creepy. As a visual exercise the film can be first rate.

The trouble is the script never generates and real tension or scares. To be certain there is a creepiness during some scenes but the film never seems to pull it all together enough to make you feel like the screenwriters know whats going on. Weird event follows weird event follows visit to witch or psychic.  I'm not sure if the filmmakers were going for mood or sense. Yes they create a mood, but the film never seems to have any sense. Dreams may have their own logic but at least things follow I'm not sure that happens here. I tuned  out about a half an hour in and other than during the odd moment I never really engaged with the film past that point.

The bits that work make this an intriguing misfire,

The film plays Sunday the 25th at 530. For tickets and more information go here.