UNHOLY NIGHT
Filmmaker Michael Gabriele‘s Fantasia 2026 film UNHOLY NIGHT follows a family curse steeped in Italian lore in which deceased elders reanimate and embark on murderous rampages on Christmas. But mostly those who disrespected them.
The comedy comes when family members discover ways to communicate and calm their deceased loved ones. Gabriele weaves a failed relationship into the plot. Gino and his ex-girlfriend are forced to team up, simultaneously resolving their issues and saving their family bond.
This truly ensemble cast will delight you as much as annoy you. Marc Bendavid gives Gino a kind heart and sweet determination. Shout out to the incomparable Jacqueline Robbins, who delivers a pitch-perfect performance as Nonna. Give her all the awards.
Genre tropes are perfectly utilized for laughs, scares, and gross-out factor. Ethan Lawrence Strokton delivers a beautifully memorable score. The FX are appropriately gagworthy. DP Ryan French‘s camerawork both floats through the room like a ghost and writhes like a maniac depending on the temperament of the dead.
The film will induce guffaws and pull at the heartstrings of anyone who grew up with very Italian relatives. Sunday dinners and over-indulgent holidays where aunts, uncles, and cousins shout phrases over one another. They are loud, boisterous occasions where there is always pinching of cheeks, favoritism, and mild racism. Gabriele absolutely nails what it means to be part of an Italian family.
The film delivers over-the-top splatterfest kills mixed with culturally specific humor, making Unholy Night feel like Christmas in July. The film’s finale is otherworldly and outright shocking, forcing audiences to examine love and loyalty. A story of redemption and unresolved trauma disguised as a holiday horror is a gift to Fantasia 2026 audiences.
Director
Michael Gabriele
Producer
Jason Levangie, Jenna MacMillan, Marc Tetreault
Writer
Michael Gabriele
Cast
Marc Bendavid, Toni Ellwand, Shailene Garnett, Ron Lea, Jacqueline Robbins
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