HY3NA Unveils First Look Ahead of World Premiere at Tubi FrightFest London

Matthew Ninaber’s neon-soaked thriller HY3NA will make its world premiere at Tubi FrightFest London on August 31.

‘HY3NA’ Sets World Premiere at Tubi FrightFest London as First Look Images and Poster Arrive

Black Fawn Distribution has unveiled the first poster and a collection of new images from HY3NA, the latest thriller from writer-director Matthew Ninaber. The film is set to make its world premiere at Tubi FrightFest London on August 31.

Described as a hyper-stylized femme fatale thriller, HY3NA follows Nicole and the enigmatic Rachel, whose lives become connected to an investigation following a violent car crash and a string of murders. As two detectives begin examining the case, their investigation leads into a world involving online sex work, obsession and manipulation.

The story unfolds in part through Nicole’s account of her relationship with Rachel and the influence it has had over her life. As the investigation progresses, questions surrounding identity, control and the relationship between the two women become increasingly central to the case.

The newly released material offers an early look at the visual approach Ninaber has taken with the project, with neon lighting, urban environments and confined interiors helping establish the film’s stylized aesthetic ahead of its festival debut.

HY3NA is written and directed by Ninaber and produced by Jacqueline Ninaber. The filmmaker previously directed the Shudder Original Death Valley and the medieval horror film A Knight’s War. His work in front of the camera includes playing the title creature in Steven Kostanski’s Psycho Goreman, as well as appearing in the recent Deathstalker reboot.

Storm Steenson (Cup of Cheer, Beyond the Chamber of Terror) and Kristen Kaster (Death Cycle, A Knight’s War) lead the cast alongside Jeremy Ninaber (A Knight’s War, Death Valley) and Matthew Ninaber.

In discussing the film, Ninaber said the project grew from an interest in the ways people alter themselves in search of acceptance and belonging, drawing in part from documentary work he has done with survivors of abuse and exploitation.

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“What drew me to Hyena was the idea of how much we are willing to change ourselves to fit into our society,” Ninaber said. He added that the production sought to explore those themes without allowing its subject matter to become exploitative, particularly when deciding what the film would and would not show onscreen.

For Ninaber, that balance ultimately became part of a larger examination of identity and the consequences of continually sacrificing parts of oneself to meet the expectations of others.

“This movie is about love, belonging, and the violence that can happen when we don’t receive those things,” the filmmaker said.

HY3NA will make its world premiere at Tubi FrightFest London on August 31.