Filmoption International recently released Camp, a new indie horror film, and this granny predicts it will be a cult favourite.
Camp
Camp, which had already premiered at Fantastic Fest in 2025, and the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival is filmmaker Avalon Fast’s second feature film. The film, which stars Zola Grimmer, Alice Wordsworth, Cherry Moore, Lea Rose Sebastianis, and Ella Reece, is a coming-of-age film that explores healing, horror, and women’s friendship.
Avalon Fast wrote and directed Camp, which tells the story of Emily (Zola Grimmer), a troubled young woman who caused two tragedies. She is unable to forgive herself. Her father (Michael Tan), as a last resort to save Emily, sends his daughter to Bible camp. The head of the camp, Dan (Austyn Van de Kamp), is very religious, and there are both male and female counsellors taking care of the children. While Emily tries to regain her sense of self-respect, a presence in the forest keeps warning her to go home. What are the true intentions of her fellow female counsellors who draw her into their inner circle?
I did not expect to like Camp as much as I did. This film is definitely aimed at young adults, but this granny enjoyed the surprising twist at the end of this spectacular tale. I wanted to learn more about the creator of Camp, Avalon Fast.
Gilbert: I was surprised how much I loved Camp. I went to a religious camp as a child, but it was a bit overwhelming for me because there were spirits in those woods. What was your inspiration for the making of Camp, and did you ever have any paranormal events happen to you at camp?
Avalon Fast: I did not have any paranormal events happen to me at camp, but I did have some girls really freak me out while I was there. Plus, I was constantly calling my parents to come pick me up. One time they finally did.
Gilbert: What made you decide to use witchcraft as a way for Emily to heal?
Avalon Fast: To me, it isn’t necessarily witchcraft, but more a connection of friendship that Emily has with these people and the ways they’re able to support her. It’s also the natural instinct she has to continue with them, and how that makes her feel better than anything else that’s supposed to have helped her heal.
Gilbert: The cinematography was a major part of the beauty of Camp. When you are writing a script, do you pull most of your inspiration from nature?
Avalon Fast: No, not really. Part of it is, of course, the place where I grew up. My cinematographer also grew up there, so we had a shared language and a shared understanding of that place. But when it came to the inspiration for writing the script, it was really my friends, our interpersonal relationships, and the small moments in my life that made me feel big things I couldn’t describe in words.
Gilbert: What are you working on now?
Avalon Fast: I’m working on recovering from everything that sharing this film has been. And also trying to write a movie about a boy.
Thank you, Avalon Fast. Camp is an excellent film, and you won’t want to miss it. You can catch it:
July 1-2: ByTowne, Ottawa
July 2: Paradise, Toronto
July 2-7: Dave Barber Cinematheque, Winnipeg
July 9: Fleapit (Carbon Arc), Halifax
July 12 & 15: Metro, Edmonton
July 17-22: VIFF, Vancouver
