The teaser for Appofeniacs has landed today, offering a first look at a hallucinatory descent into deepfake-fuelled paranoia just ahead of its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest on 20 September.
Marking the feature debut of Chris Marrs Piliero — best known for his bold, stylised music video work — the film stars Sean Gunn, Jermaine Fowler, Aaron Holliday, Michael Abbott Jr, Simran Jehani, Amogh Kapoor, Will Brandt, Paige Searcy, and Harley Bronwyn.
The story follows Duke, a reckless young man whose obsession with creating deepfake videos spirals out of control. What begins as a series of careless experiments quickly escalates into chaos, with Piliero examining how a few swipes on a smartphone can ruin reputations—or even end lives.
As Piliero explains: “While many stories explore AI’s role in supercomputers and robotics, I wanted to take a different approach: a more grounded (yet cranked to 11) look at how deepfakes can and will wreak havoc in everyday life. Online interactions often feel disconnected from reality, but this technology that we all have in the palm of our hands will be weaponized, both intentionally and unintentionally, in ways we’re only beginning to grasp … I set out to craft a film that blends horror, a bit of dark humor, and amusingly opinionated characters. The narratives that unfold are just as relatable to teens as they are to adults — because no one is immune to the consequences of this technology. We’re all people. And people are easy to manipulate.“
Promising a potent blend of paranoia, ensemble-driven chaos, and a distinctly satirical streak, Appofeniacs looks set to fuel conversation on how digital manipulation is reshaping both horror cinema — and reality itself…
2025 FANTASTIC FEST – Appofeniacs North American Premiere
Saturday, September 20 at 2:30pm
Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, Austin, TX
