Monsters Within Brings Real-Life Sibling Bond and Veteran Trauma to the Indie Horror Frontline

Devin Montgomery and Daniella Montgomery bring a real-life sibling bond to Monsters Within, opening digitally October 3. (Photo courtesy Buffalo 8)

Buffalo 8 has announced the digital release of Monsters Within, the award-winning debut feature from Devin Montgomery, arriving October 3. Treading the murky line between psychological horror and emotional realism, the film offers a deeply personal story about trauma, grief, and the weight of family history.

Set in a rural American town, Monsters Within follows Luke Wolf, a war veteran returning home after years of avoidance and emotional isolation. Haunted by his past and uncertain of his future, Luke reconnects with his younger sister Elle, who has Down Syndrome. What unfolds is a quiet but harrowing confrontation with both internal and external demons—some tied to memory, others more mysterious.

The project is a personal one. Devin Montgomery not only wrote, directed, and produced the film—he also stars in it opposite his real-life sister, Daniella Montgomery. Their onscreen dynamic is both grounded and emotionally rich, stemming from a shared commitment to portraying their relationship authentically. Daniella, a performer known within the Down Syndrome Associations and Special Needs Choir communities in Oklahoma, brings a genuine heart to the role of Elle, making her the film’s emotional anchor.

Joining the Montgomerys is a cast of indie genre veterans, including Kendall Cavener, Skeeta Jenkins (best known for roles in Jakob’s Wife, Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich, and Satanic Panic), and Brandon Stewart, who also served as the film’s director of photography. The late Samuel French—who previously appeared in Fear the Walking Dead and Killers of the Flower Moon—delivers a standout performance in what would become his final starring role. The film is dedicated to his memory and has already earned French several posthumous Best Supporting Actor awards across the festival circuit.

Monsters Within has made an impressive run through the indie and regional festival scene, with wins at WorldFest-Houston, the Edinburgh Independent Film Festival, Stockholm City International, Cowpokes International, Bare Bones, Red Dirt, Indie Vegas, and the Massachusetts Independent Film Festival. Devin Montgomery himself has earned multiple Best Actor honors, while the film has received widespread praise for its first-time direction, emotional depth, and narrative control.

The film runs 100 minutes and is not rated by the MPAA. It will be available on digital platforms starting October 3 via Buffalo 8, followed by a Screambox premiere on Cineverse beginning November 7, aligning with Veteran’s Day.

What begins as a quiet homecoming spirals into something darker and more spiritual. Monsters Within isn’t a monster movie in the traditional sense—it’s a film about what happens when your past won’t stay buried and the things you love most are the ones that remind you of who you used to be. And for horror fans looking for emotional stakes with their scares, Montgomery’s debut hits all the right nerves.