LUANA DI PASQUALE
Writer/Director
Producer
31 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS, 22 NOMINEES AND 9 AWARDS
Keep Mum's story revolves around a drunken woman who wreaks havoc on her family home. Haunted by her troubled past, this woman finds herself caught in a whirlwind of intense emotions and distorted perceptions as she desperately tries to piece together the
events of the night before...
Set during Christmas time on the South-east coast of England, Keep Mum is a gripping British genre short film that delves deep into the psyche of a woman who has been pushed to the brink of insanity, exploring the harrowing effects of domestic trauma on her fragile state of mind. As the narrative unfolds over 24 hours, the film gradually unveils the hidden truth behind the seemingly picture-perfect family facade, shedding light on the dark reality that lies concealed beneath.
Through the raw and authentic performances of real-life mother and son - Nadira and Cameron Murray - Keep Mum is a powerful and thought-provoking short film written and directed by Luana Di Pasquale (Lunadipas Films), in collaboration with co-producer Lisa Turnbull (Reblis Films) in association with QareyFilm. With this film, Di Pasquale endeavours to shed light on the often-overlooked victims of domestic violence – children.
Keep Mum is distributed by Mbur Film and it is available to view on Amazon Prime US, Amazon Prime UK, Sofy.TV, PLEX.TV and Shorts TV in the US, UK,
South America, and Europe.
SCREENINGS
"With very little dialogue but some powerful visual imagery, Keep Mum compresses a 24-hour journey into a nightmarish and thoroughly engrossing 15-minute mystery that is chilling, disorienting, and dread-inducing."
"For a horror short film, KEEP MUM is an impressive piece.
For a debut, Di Pasquale has worked miracles and instantly
carved her name into the genre and the industry as one to watch"
"Writer/ Director Luana Di Pasquale serves up a compact, clever and haunting little tale with KEEP MUM. This psychological piece applies the adage of ‘less is more.’ perfectly, and results in a fantastic example of
British indie horror done right.”
"Claustrophobic, haunting and surreal, KEEP MUM is a
psychological thriller/horror that packs a feminist punch."
"Luana Di Pasquale’s ‘KEEP MUM’ is the kind of film that never stops erupting.
No matter how many times you watch it, it will always scorch your heart, a horror classic."
"KEEP MUM: A fresh take on the horror genre"
"KEEP MUM explores the dark and the light of our psychology.
A film sprinkled with horror, surrealism, and anticipation, involving its audience
by holding them against a wall and then throwing them to the ground."
"KEEP MUM journeys into the horror/psychological thriller genres, taking
the audience on a real emotional roller-coaster."
"Di Pasquale is a woman to watch. She has already shown herself to be a director with a precise awareness of what she wants to convey with her camera. She is sure to continue to gain more recognition
with her future projects".
"KEEP MUM is no phantasmal horror film,
but a true-life horror story, one which echos throughout the global"
"KEEP MUM is an Orchestra of Inner Torment"
"KEEP MUM is a Horror, Drama and Thriller that will have to want for more"
"Whether you pick this film to see what the fuss is all about, or take the time to learn and understand the story behind it, it is one to remember."
"Luana Di Pasquale’s treatment of domestic drama in KEEP MUM is
at once thorough and fresh. Watch out for her!"
- Marco Valerio Pugini, Panorama Films
"A shovel, a bloodied shirt, a cliff, a teddy bear oozing blood, an "accident" -
as the film progresses, it's up to us to join the dots".
"KEEP MUM is a masterly debut film by Luana Di Pasquale.
A brooding, sometimes shocking work, it casts an intense gaze on domestic trauma of an especially dark nature. Great work."
- Chris Salewicz, journalist, broadcaster and novelist
"KEEP MUM packs a punch delivering a brutal snapshot of a mother pushed beyond the edge - the production values are great, as is the lead performance - the music, sound mix and slick title -
Luana has done a great job with modest means and a slender team"
– Daniel Konrad Cooper, Rather Good Films
"KEEP MUM is an unsettling and perplexing film, packed with startling imagery and brimming with verve. The lead actress, Nadira, gives a remarkable performance, especially considering she is so frequently the only character on screen, with no other actors to play off of. Her climactic interaction with the child answers some questions and raises many others, in the best possible way... "
- L. A.
