February 16, 2025

Dreamland Awaits – Feature Trailer

The feature trailer for Dreamland Awaits, the indie arthouse horror film directed by Demeter Lorant, has been released, offering a chilling preview of what promises to be a gripping psychological experience. Blending psychological tension, Lovecraftian terror, and haunting visuals, the film is set to hit the festival circuit in early 2025.

Dreamland Awaits Poster

The story follows Josh, a seasoned but troubled detective hardened by 20 years of confronting life’s darkest corners. When his wife and two daughters are kidnapped by a mysterious figure, Josh is forced into a harrowing game of survival. To save them, he must follow the stranger’s commands: move into a desolate house, remain unnoticed, and complete a series of increasingly disturbing tasks.

However, the house is more than it seems—a gateway to a dark dimension that begins to unravel Josh’s reality and push him toward insanity. As he fights to save his family, Josh must confront not only the malevolent forces around him but also the darkness within himself.

Described as a chilling blend of The Babadook and Jacob’s Ladder, with a touch of Lovecraftian horror, Dreamland Awaits stars Nicolas Hackenberg (Fauda, FBI: International) as Josh and Rebecka Johnston (Midsommar, The Strangers: Chapter 1) in supporting roles. Shot in Hungary in English language with an international cast, the film explores the fragility of the human mind when confronted with trauma, loss, and the supernatural.

Currently in post-production, Dreamland Awaits is set to be completed by early 2025. The film showcases practical effects by co-producer Gábor Sz. Nagy, whose work on the creature and dimensional horrors promises a visceral visual experience.

Logline: In the house of nightmares, every instruction is a step closer to saving his family… or losing himself.

Dreamland Awaits – Feature Trailer

 

Official Website: www.dreamlandawaitsmovie.com
Production Company: Full Screen Films www.fullscreenfilms.net

Statement From Director Demeter Lorant

As a filmmaker, I have always been drawn to the power of horror—a genre that is not only entertaining but also deeply revealing. Horror has a way of delving into our deepest fears and desires, often serving as a mirror for the human condition. Since childhood, I’ve been captivated by horror films, particularly those where the house itself becomes a character—a living, breathing entity that both shelters and torments its inhabitants. With Dreamland Awaits, I sought to explore that idea further, creating a narrative where the location isn’t just a backdrop but an integral part of the story’s psychological and emotional impact.

The decision to center the story around a single house was not only a creative choice but also a practical one. Working with a very limited budget, we had to strip everything down to its essentials. Having one main location allowed us to focus our resources on making that space as visually unique and atmospheric as possible. The house in Dreamland Awaits is more than just a setting; it’s a manifestation of the characters’ internal struggles, a claustrophobic labyrinth that mirrors their fears, regrets, and desires. Every creaking floorboard, every shadowy corner, and every distorted wall was designed to evoke unease and pull the audience deeper into the surreal nightmare.

The film draws inspiration from some of my favorite works in horror. Movies like The Babadook and Jacob’s Ladder served as touchstones for their psychological depth and ability to blend reality with unsettling fantasy. At the same time, I’ve always been fascinated by the cosmic and existential horror found in the works of H.P. Lovecraft. That influence is present in the way Dreamland Awaits explores themes of the unknown, the fragile nature of reality, and the horrors that lurk just beyond our perception. By weaving these influences together, I aimed to craft a film that feels both personal and universal, grounded in raw human emotion yet tinged with an otherworldly dread.

Visually, I wanted the film to stand out. The goal was to create a surreal and dreamlike aesthetic that pulls the viewer into a heightened state of reality. The cinematography emphasizes tight, confined spaces and uses light and shadow to distort perspectives, amplifying the sense of disorientation. This approach, combined with practical effects and carefully crafted sound design, allowed us to create a horror experience that feels immersive despite our modest means.

At its core, Dreamland Awaits is not just a horror film but a deeply personal project. The story grapples with themes of loss, guilt, and the search for redemption—themes that resonate with me on a profound level. I wanted to use the language of horror to tell a story that’s as emotionally impactful as it is terrifying. My hope is that audiences will find themselves haunted not only by the imagery but by the emotions and ideas that linger long after the credits roll.

Full Screen Films is an indie film studio based in Budapest, Hungary. We aim to broaden the spectrum of horror and science fiction cinema by creating indie movies with unique visual direction and thought provoking subjects. We have produced several award winning live action genre short films over the years, our last project Sileo, an animated short was screened on more than 40 festivals around the world receiving numerous awards and nominations.

Cast

  • Nicolas Hackenberg as Josh
  • Rebecka Johnston as Sarah
  • Jonathan C. Nelson as the Detective

Crew

  • Written and directed by: Demeter Lorant
  • Produced by Gabor Sz. Nagy and Demeter Lorant
  • Camera: Demeter Lorant
  • Camera assistant: Barbi Bellamy
  • CGI: Adam Ignacz
  • Music: Jimmy Svensson
  • Editor: Demeter Lorant
  • Practical effects: Gabor Sz. Nagy

Director’s Biography

Director, writer, animator Demeter Lorant, born in Hungary, 1982, began his career in 1999 when made his first amateur short horror film which was followed by a string of short films, documentaries and music videos. In 2003 he received the award for best editing at The New York Short Film Festival with his short Lag. In 2011 he founded his own animation studio and production company Full Screen Studio in Hungary and has been producing corporate and personal projects, directing several short films and animated shorts in the past few years.

Director’s Filmography

  • 2025 Dreamland Awaits (arthouse horror feature, 85’)
  • 2024 Through the eyes of Lóránt (feature documentary, 98’)
  • 2023 SILEO (animated short, 8)
  • 2021 Possessed by Aliens (short film, 13’)
  • 2016 Lucky Girl (short film, 17’)
  • 2012 Nothing (animated short, 10’)
  • 2005 Urine (short film, 12’)
  • 2004 Royal Flush (short film, 15’)
  • 2003 LAG (short film, 7’)

Chewie

I've been a fan of horror and slasher movies for as long as I can remember. I consider the original Halloween to be the best horror movie of all time and my guilty pleasure horror flick would be The Exorcist III. You can find me on X at @406Northlane or TikTok @406Northlane where I'm sure I'll offend you at least once a day.

View all posts by Chewie →
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