Diabolic (film)

Lore & Background

The plot follows Elise, who at 17 took part in a 'Baptism for the Dead' ritual conducted by the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints in 2015. When the name 'Larue' was invoked, a malevolent force disrupted the ceremony, and Elise was excommunicated. A decade later, suffering blackouts and self-harm, she returns to the abandoned FLDS settlement of Haventon, Utah, with her partner Adam and friend Gwen for exposure therapy. An FLDS elder, Alma, and her son Hyrum conduct a healing rite using a hallucinogenic Datura brew, during which Elise confronts Larue, a 19th-century witch erased from Mormon history. Alma appears to expel the spirit, but as Elise's suppressed memories resurface, Larue takes full possession of her, leading to a violent attack at a Mormon temple.

Reader's Guide

Diabolic was backed by the South Australian Film Corporation and Sunjive Studios, and screened at the Marché du Film through the Adelaide Film Festival's 'Goes to Cannes' program. It won Best Australian Feature Film at Monster Fest 2025 and drew strong audience demand at the Adelaide Film Festival, prompting an encore screening. The film was released in Australian cinemas by Monster Pictures on 20 November 2025, followed by a United States release in February 2026. Reviews from horror critics were generally positive, with particular praise for Elizabeth Cullen's lead performance and the film's gory final act. Critics noted it as a fresh take on religious horror and an old-school religious horror that builds to a gory payoff, though some found the lead-up a slow burn. The film was anticipated to contend at the AACTA Awards.

Did You Know?

• The film was shot on location in Australia, despite being set among an American religious sect.
• Production wrapped in 2024, and the film was completed in March 2025.
• International sales were handled by Film Bridge International, which unveiled first footage at the American Film Market.
• The film was released on Blu-ray by Umbrella Entertainment in May 2026.

Narrative & Thematic Core

The film traces the journey of Elise, a young woman haunted by a traumatic encounter with a fundamentalist religious community. The story opens in 2015, when seventeen-year-old Elise participates in a "Baptism for the Dead" ceremony among the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints in the Utah settlement of Haventon. During the ritual, a malevolent force known as Larue violently disrupts the proceedings, and Elise is cast out of the sect. A decade later, she is plagued by recurring blackouts and escalating self-harm. On her psychiatrist's recommendation, she undertakes exposure therapy by returning to the now-abandoned settlement alongside her partner Adam and close friend Gwen. There, FLDS elder Alma and her son Hyrum attempt a healing rite involving a hallucinogenic Datura brew. The session initially appears successful, but as Elise's buried memories resurface, Larue—a 19th-century witch deliberately erased from Mormon history—seizes full control of her body. The narrative then escalates into a violent supernatural attack at a Mormon temple, transforming a deeply personal trauma story into a full-throated horror experience.

Production & Creative Vision

Daniel J. Phillips directed Diabolic as his second feature-length film, following his 2020 debut Awoken. He co-wrote the screenplay with Mike Harding, drawing from an original story credited to Ticia Madsen, Harding, and Phillips. Despite the narrative being set within an American religious community in Utah, the entire production was shot on location in Australia—a creative and logistical choice that underscores the film's transnational identity. The project was produced by Phillips alongside Silvio Salom, Mark Patterson, Grant Hardie, and Vasili Papanicolou, with financial backing from the South Australian Film Corporation and Sunjive Studios. Principal photography wrapped in 2024, and the film was fully completed by March 2025. For international distribution, Film Bridge International managed sales, unveiling the first footage to industry buyers at the American Film Market, positioning the film for a global audience well before its theatrical debut in late 2025. The ensemble cast includes Elizabeth Cullen, John Harlan Kim, Mia Challis, Robin Goldsworthy, Genevieve Mooy, Luca Sardelis, and Seraphine Harley.

Festival Run & Theatrical Rollout

Diabolic's path to audiences was shaped by a deliberate festival strategy. Through the Adelaide Film Festival's "Goes to Cannes" program, the film screened at the Marché du Film, giving international buyers an early look at the project. It then competed at Monster Fest 2025, where it claimed the Best Australian Feature Film award—a significant validation for Phillips's second feature. At the Adelaide Film Festival, audience enthusiasm was so pronounced that organizers arranged an encore screening, a rare gesture reflecting genuine crowd demand. In Australia, Monster Pictures handled theatrical distribution, rolling out the film as a series of special event screenings beginning 20 November 2025. The United States received its theatrical release in February 2026, and Umbrella Entertainment followed with a Blu-ray edition in May 2026, ensuring the film remained accessible to home-viewing audiences across both markets. This multi-platform rollout gave the film a sustained presence well beyond its initial festival run.

Critical Reception & Genre Standing

Critics widely recognized Diabolic as a standout entry in the religious horror subgenre. Matthew Jackson of Bloody Disgusting noted that the film's wild, gory final act ultimately won him over, while PopHorror highlighted it as a fresh reinterpretation of the religious horror formula, singling out Elizabeth Cullen's lead performance as a particular strength. Chad Collins at Dread Central framed it as old-school religious horror delivering a satisfyingly bloody payoff, though he acknowledged the slower pacing of the first half. The film was also anticipated as a contender at the AACTA Awards. Across reviews, two elements consistently stood out: Cullen's portrayal of a woman unraveling under supernatural possession, and the deliberately visceral temple sequence that closes the narrative. This reception positioned Diabolic as a breakout genre success on the 2025 festival circuit and cemented Phillips as a director to watch in Australian horror, with the film's blend of personal trauma and occult violence setting it apart from more conventional entries in the genre.