THE OTHERKIND Brings Selkie Folklore and Ecological Horror to Digital Platforms
- More Horror
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
By Seth Metoyer, MoreHorror.com -
Mary C. Russell makes her feature directing debut with a supernatural slow-burn inspired by Irish folklore, psychological horror and something stirring beneath the water.
Something strange has surfaced.
THE OTHERKIND, a woman-made supernatural thriller from writer-director Mary C. Russell and producer Caroline O’Meara, has officially been released on digital platforms as of September 1, 2026.
Set in a quiet lakeside town, the 73-minute arthouse horror film follows a worn-down police officer investigating the events surrounding a mysterious car crash while a young woman wrestles with an unexplained encounter at the lake. As their stories begin to converge, something otherworldly starts rippling through the community.
Drawing inspiration from Irish selkie folklore, THE OTHERKIND blends psychological dread, parasitic horror and ecological anxiety into a story that favors atmosphere and unease over buckets of gore.
Russell, whose previous work includes the 2015 slasher short CARVED, cites THE THING and the 1961 cult classic NIGHT TIDE among the film’s influences. THE OTHERKIND marks her feature directing debut.
The production filmed on location in Crestline and around Lake Gregory in California’s San Bernardino Mountains, using the landscape—and the water itself—as an integral part of the film’s mythology.
THE OTHERKIND stars Rebekah Kennedy (Traumatika, The Lincoln Lawyer), Lestonja Diaz (9-1-1: Nashville, Ressurektor), Marc Anthony Samuel (The Merry Gentleman, General Hospital) and Paris Dylan (Tiger Dick, Dying to Sleep).
The supporting cast includes Muneeb Rehman, Luciana Faulhaber, Shylo Molina, Jeff Pride, Madonna Young-Magee, Laura Dromerick, Andrew Hansen and producer Caroline O’Meara. KCRW listeners may also recognize the voice of Chris Douridas, who appears as the film’s newsreader.
The film picked up several festival honors on its road to release, including Best Horror/Thriller at Chicago Film Frenzy, the Blood, Sweat & Fears Award at Sin City Horror Fest, and Best Indie Film at LA International Art Film Fest.
THE OTHERKIND was acquired by Studio Dome, with Gary LaBranche and Karen LaBranche of LaBranche Productions serving as executive producers.
THE OTHERKIND is now available on digital platforms.
Watch the trailer:
