Mercedes Bryce Morgan unpacks the whirlwind making of Bone Lake, an 18-day Atlanta shoot that battled storms, injuries, and lost gear before completing its night-boat climax on a Los Angeles soundstage. After a Fantastic Fest premiere and Deadline-breaking international sales, the erotic survival thriller heads to U.S. theaters with buzzy audience reactions and a proudly “fun, commercial, popcorn” spirit.
Mercedes traces her path from mini DV Star Wars shorts and USC to festival features, describing her taste as a mix of Oldboy’s devastation and Amélie’s heart. Other past influences include Barbarians, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The House of Yes, Funny Games, and The One I Love. Her TIFF-premiering Fixation (2022) sparked her love for erotic thrillers.
On craft, she argues the best twists are guessable seconds before they land, and test screenings help her fine-tune which parts of the mystery viewers might sense without solving it too soon. Her advice to young filmmakers: embrace constraints as boot camp, stick with collaborators who love the work, design for the audience experience, and make sure you enjoy the day-to-day… because the process is the life.
What Movies Are You Watching?
Tickets @ pastpresentfeature.eventive.org
12 films. 3 nights. 1 Collective. The Past Present Feature Film Festival is a curated, three-day showcase of cinematic storytelling across time, highlighting overlooked gems, current festival hits, and future feature films in the making. Sponsored by The Past Present Feature Podcast and Leica Camera, all screenings take place Nov. 19 – 21 in Hollywood, CA, at the Eastwood Performing Arts Center (1089 N OXFORD AVE, 90029)
The Past Present Feature Film Festival - Nov. 19-21, 2025 in Hollywood, CA - Tickets at pastpresentfeature.eventive.org
Listen to all episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more, as well as at www.pastpresentfeature.com. Like, subscribe, and follow us on our socials @pastpresentfeature
View all episodes
By Marcus Mizelle
4.8
1717 ratings
Mercedes Bryce Morgan unpacks the whirlwind making of Bone Lake, an 18-day Atlanta shoot that battled storms, injuries, and lost gear before completing its night-boat climax on a Los Angeles soundstage. After a Fantastic Fest premiere and Deadline-breaking international sales, the erotic survival thriller heads to U.S. theaters with buzzy audience reactions and a proudly “fun, commercial, popcorn” spirit.
Mercedes traces her path from mini DV Star Wars shorts and USC to festival features, describing her taste as a mix of Oldboy’s devastation and Amélie’s heart. Other past influences include Barbarians, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The House of Yes, Funny Games, and The One I Love. Her TIFF-premiering Fixation (2022) sparked her love for erotic thrillers.
On craft, she argues the best twists are guessable seconds before they land, and test screenings help her fine-tune which parts of the mystery viewers might sense without solving it too soon. Her advice to young filmmakers: embrace constraints as boot camp, stick with collaborators who love the work, design for the audience experience, and make sure you enjoy the day-to-day… because the process is the life.
What Movies Are You Watching?
Tickets @ pastpresentfeature.eventive.org
12 films. 3 nights. 1 Collective. The Past Present Feature Film Festival is a curated, three-day showcase of cinematic storytelling across time, highlighting overlooked gems, current festival hits, and future feature films in the making. Sponsored by The Past Present Feature Podcast and Leica Camera, all screenings take place Nov. 19 – 21 in Hollywood, CA, at the Eastwood Performing Arts Center (1089 N OXFORD AVE, 90029)
The Past Present Feature Film Festival - Nov. 19-21, 2025 in Hollywood, CA - Tickets at pastpresentfeature.eventive.org
Listen to all episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more, as well as at www.pastpresentfeature.com. Like, subscribe, and follow us on our socials @pastpresentfeature
1,119 Listeners
24 Listeners
13 Listeners