Black Mandala Unveils Hidden in the Dark – Psychological Horror Where Healing Turns Deadly

Maya’s stay at a remote clinic unravels into a nightmare in Hidden in the Dark.

Meet Maya (Donka Avramova), a woman cursed with a gift no one should have—she can feel the emotional residue left behind in places and objects. Guilt-ridden after failing to find a missing girl during her time working with police, she retreats to a remote mountain clinic for “experimental treatment.” The problem? This hospital doesn’t just treat trauma—it digs it up and feeds it back to you.

From the first frame, Hidden in the Dark locks you into Maya’s blurred reality. Every shadow might be a trick of the mind… or the echo of something truly sinister.

Gatto steers this one away from cheap jump scares, instead smothering us with atmosphere and psychological pressure. Think Session 9 meets Saint Maud—claustrophobic halls, fractured timelines, and a protagonist you’re desperate to trust but can’t be sure of.

Maya’s sessions with the enigmatic psychiatrist Gabriel push her deeper into paranoia. Is he helping her heal, or pulling the strings for something darker? Every exchange feels like a chess move, and you can’t shake the feeling someone’s already declared checkmate.

The Cast That Sells the Fear

Alongside Avramova, the cast includes Marco Benedetti, Velizar Binev, Charita Cecamore, Borislav Chouchkov, Dimitar Kasabov, and Mak Marinov. Behind the scenes, Gatto works from a Francesco Frattini script, with a chilling score by Francesco Marzola and Hristo Penev. Together, they give the film a tactile, unnerving presence—you feel the walls closing in.

Isolation’s an old trick in horror, but here the mountains aren’t just a backdrop—they’re part of the trap. The clinic is both sanctuary and prison, and every patient carries their own ghost. Maya’s ability forces her to sift through layers of trauma—hers and everyone else’s—until the truth bleeds through.

Hidden in the Dark is slow-burn horror with purpose, digging into guilt, grief, and the lies we tell ourselves to survive. It’s the kind of film that seeps in and sticks with you, the way the best psychological horror should.

Black Mandala keeps proving they’re one of the most reliable curators of fresh, fearless horror in the game. If you want your scares smart, patient, and loaded with dread—this one’s for you.

Director: Kristian Gatto

Script: Francesco Frattini

Cast: Donka Avramova, Marco Benedetti, Velizar Binev, Charita Cecamore, Borislav Chouchkov, Dimitar Kasabov, Mak Marinov

Music: Francesco Marzola, Hristo Penev

Producer: Francesco Frattini