Fresh off five wins from the Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE), including Best Director, Best Actress and Best Cinematography, “Victim No. 6“ will be featured in Fantasia Film Festival’s annual “Born of Women” showcase. “Fantasia’s annual showcase of intimate, auteur genre visions returns with eight extraordinary works from five countries, conjured by a pack of phenomenal filmmaking talents whose names should be etched into your mind’s eye,” said Fantasia’s Artistic Director, Mitch Davis, of the showcase. Davis also had words of high praise for “Victim No. 6″, saying, “Sharp period detail, a solid central performance from Heather Brittain, and smart storytelling hooks are the ticket in Nancy Menagh’s award-winning “Victim No. 6″.”
“Victim No. 6”, written and directed by Nancy Menagh (As It Seems), is co-produced by Menagh and lead actress Heather Brittain under their production companies, Black Dog Pictures and SOS Productions, respectively. The film, which stars O’Scanlon (Blue Bloods, House Broken) and Russ Russo (Catch Hell, Act of War), is set in 1975 New York City, where a fun-loving woman out at her local bar invites a handsome stranger back to her place, despite knowing there is a serial killer on the loose.
Menagh and Brittain first met when Brittain responded to a casting call for “As It Seems”. The film, which was also written, directed, and produced by Menagh, would go on to star Brittain in the lead role of “Annette.” Among other awards and nominations throughout its festival run, it was for “As It Seems” that Menagh won the “Best Director” award at LIIFE back in 2018. Now, three years later, she’s two for two having brought home the same accolade this past weekend for “Victim No. 6″.
The film led the pack this year at LIIFE with five wins (Best Director, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and Best Original Score) and one nomination (Best Horror Film). It also nabbed the “Best Cinematography in Short Narrative” award at the Woods Hole Film Festival and was First Runner Up for the “Best Dramatic Short” Audience Award.
“To bring home these awards is a testament to the talent and hard work of our creative team,” said Menagh. “It’s incredibly gratifying that our efforts are being rewarded. I’m endlessly thankful that so many amazing artists believed in my vision and helped me bring it to life. To now be featured in Fantasia’s Born of Women showcase is a wonderful accomplishment, and to be one of eight selected out of all their submissions is such an honor. Men have historically dominated the film industry, so it’s exciting and encouraging when the stage is opened up for female voices to shine.”
Brittain added, “I am overwhelmed, in a good way, by all of the accolades we’ve been receiving! I have seen some incredible works by other filmmakers during our festival run and our wins are truly humbling. To be selected at Fantasia, arguably the best genre film festival in the world, is blowing my mind.”
