J. M. Stelly wrote and directed all three, producing alongside Johnny Stassi through the Anatomica Films label.
Stelly and Black Mandala co-founder Michael Kraetzer negotiated the agreement on Anatomica Films’ behalf.
“The Thirteenth Gate” centers on investigator Nathan Hale, who regains consciousness inside a derelict industrial complex without knowing how he got there. While hunting for his missing wife, Marissa, Hale is dragged through an escalating nightmare of environments that loop, warp and rebuild themselves from his own memories and trauma. Behind the ordeal is an enigmatic figure called M, orchestrating an occult ritual designed to unlock thirteen gates into the ethereal plane. The deeper Hale goes into the labyrinth, the harder it becomes to separate physical reality from memory and constructed experience. The film moves like an immersive, POV-driven psychological horror trip that blends body horror, occult mythology and science-fiction touches. Jeff Pearson, Jamie Nipe and Keegan Macy round out the cast.
Stelly said he was pleased to have Black Mandala representing the films, noting that “these intensely personal projects each explore horror from a very different perspective.” He pointed to Black Mandala’s track record building an international presence around bold genre filmmaking and said he is looking forward to working with the company’s team to bring the films to audiences around the world.
Stelly is represented by Zero Gravity Management.
