INFIRMARY
Nicholas Pineda‘s DWFNY film INFIRMARY follows former Marine Edward on his first night shift as a security guard at an abandoned hospital.
DP Donald Nam mixes body cam and security footage. Huge high five to editor Noah Kistler. This filmmaking team sets the audience on edge from the very beginning. The shooting location is insane, no pun intended. The crumbling interiors, long corridors, and spooky-ass rooms look like a goddamn health hazard. It is chef’s kiss. 
Combined, the location and camerawork are extraordinarily immersive. Fans of the Silent Hill gaming franchise will be in heaven. Viewers will find their eyes darting to every point on the screen. The wide angles from the security cameras keep you on high alert. INFIRMARY delivers the goods.
Performances are amazing. Mark Anthony Williams plays veteran guard Lester with a fiery sass and a dark sense of humor that cuts the building tension like a dream. Williams is an undeniable pro on camera. Paul Syre‘s performance as Edward is spectacular. His quiet intensity and lived-in fear grab the audience by the throat. I’d love to see so much more of him. 
Katy Krauland‘s writing is clever. Genre tropes are utilized perfectly. The general lack of a score heightens every beat, making James DeVote‘s sound mixing a focal point. The audience is trapped with Edward. The first jump scare is entirely earned. I definitely yelled a profanity at the screen, so Bravo.
Krauland has Lester share the building’s sordid history, something that literally comes back to haunt our characters. While new generation Doctor Who fans might giggle at one specific plot point, Krauland and Pineda swiftly ramp up the terror. The result: INFIRMARY is a terrifyingly good time.
WORLD Premiere | USA, 2024, 85 min.
FRI JAN 16 @ 9PM
INFIRMARY trailer:
WRITER: Katy Krauland
DIR: Nicholas Pineda
PRODS: Nicholas Pineda, Katy Krauland
CAST: Paul Syre, Mark Anthony Williams, Danielle Kennedy
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