Sunset Edge

SUNSET EDGE is an exquisitely crafted, meditative portrayal of disaffected youth set in a graveyard of abandoned mobile homes. Part gothic thriller, part coming-of-age tale, filmmaker Daniel Peddle’s narrative feature film debut is a Hitchcockian mash-up that upends teenage horror films. On a lazy afternoon, we follow four aimless suburban teenagers as they explore the ruins of an uninhabited trailer park. As the unsuspecting teens find escape and companionship in this ghost town-turned-amusement park, a lonesome boy lurks amongst them, unearthing clues to his horrific past. Haunting, repressed memories resurface in the form of dreams, flashbacks and epiphanies as the boy attempts to reclaim his childhood home. Meanwhile the thrill-seeking kids get lost in the remnants and shadows of this long-forgotten place. Ultimately both stories collide, catapulting all the players to an unforeseen destiny. Shot entirely on location in North Carolina, the filmmaker’s Southern roots are the inspiration for this masterful thriller. In setting his story amidst the rural decay of this pastoral landscape, Peddle captures a poignant snapshot of American culture. He manipulates time and linearity to create a gripping, layered story. Using only available natural light, he doesn’t rely on special effects or gore to enhance the drama or tension. The sparse dialogue gives his characters a natural quality, permitting the audience the vantage point of unseen observer. The painterly cinematography and hypnotic score merge to elicit an elegiac portrait that is suspenseful and original.