Joshua Close

While on location filming a horror movie, a group of college students find themselves overrun by zombies and end up capturing the epidemic on film.

A few months after the accidental death of their daughter, a grief-stricken Mark and Mary Hughes, together with their son, escape the distractions of upper-class city life for their tranquil country cottage in the hope of bringing the broken family closer together.

Led by trans actress Trace Lysette in a tour-de-force performance, Andrea Pallaoro’s quiet marvel keenly conveys the unspoken heartache of familial estrangement. Opting for a narrower aspect ratio, in which every frame gains a portrait-like feel, Monica is a film of delicate gestures and emotions.