Jerrold Tarog’s Knock Three Times Brings Filipino Folklore Horror to Cannes

An antique mirror unleashes supernatural terror in Jerrold Tarog’s new horror film Knock Three Times.

Jerrold Tarog’s ‘Knock Three Times’ Brings Filipino Urban Folklore Horror to Cannes Market

Southeast Asian horror continues building serious momentum on the international stage, and one of the latest projects heading into the Cannes market already sounds like nightmare fuel.

Jerrold Tarog, the acclaimed director behind Quezon, is officially stepping into supernatural horror territory with Knock Three Times, a new Philippine horror feature rooted deeply in Filipino urban folklore.

And honestly, the setup alone feels tailor-made for genre audiences.

The film will star Julia Barretto, Charo Santos-Concio, Christopher de Leon, and Tony Labrusca, with the project officially unveiled ahead of the Cannes Film Market by CreaZion Studios.

The story follows a young woman returning home after rehab only to discover her mother has fallen under the influence of a sinister antique mirror. From there, the film reportedly dives into supernatural horror inspired by a well-known Filipino childhood ritual involving mirrors, candles, and three ominous knocks.

That folklore foundation is what immediately makes this project stand out.

One of the strongest aspects of modern international horror has been filmmakers leaning into regional myths, rituals, spiritual beliefs, and urban legends that have not been endlessly recycled through mainstream Hollywood storytelling. And Filipino horror in particular has always carried a uniquely emotional and psychologically oppressive atmosphere when it fully embraces family trauma, spirituality, grief, and supernatural dread together.

Knock Three Times sounds positioned directly inside that space.

The casting also gives the project serious genre credibility.

Julia Barretto is already familiar to horror fans through her role in Block Z, while Charo Santos-Concio brings major legacy status within Philippine psychological horror thanks to projects like Kisapmata and Eerie. Christopher de Leon’s career spans decades of influential Filipino cinema, including appearances in Three Godless Years and Ganito Kami Noon… Paano Kayo Ngayon?.

Meanwhile, Tony Labrusca continues building momentum following projects like Glorious and Dream Boi.

The project itself was originally created by Real Florido and previously gained attention after reaching the finals of the EST N8 Horror Pitch during the Asia TV Forum & Market in Singapore last year.

That early buzz clearly helped push the film toward larger international visibility.

CreaZion Studios CEO Anter Agustin described the project as part of the company’s larger effort to champion filmmaker-driven Southeast Asian stories capable of connecting globally while remaining deeply tied to their cultural roots.

And honestly, that’s exactly the type of horror storytelling audiences continue responding to right now.

The combination of family trauma, folklore rituals, cursed objects, and psychological instability already gives Knock Three Times the ingredients for a strong supernatural horror experience. Add Jerrold Tarog’s visual sensibilities into that equation, and this could easily become one of the more interesting international horror projects emerging from Cannes this year.

Especially for audiences craving horror that feels spiritually and culturally specific rather than recycled.

Additional casting and production details are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.