Rowan is a young woman dealing with her only remaining parent suffering from family trauma, and turning to increasingly brutal and ominous social media. Her imagination and obsessions run wild, as she descends into the madness of dubious influences. As Rowan plows through snuff films, self-mutilation YouTube videos, and bizarre dark web social media, her innocence slips away. Will she accept the support of the only two people who love and care for her? Or, will she allow the fascination with a hidden world of nastiness to claim her?

Ogle and Pagniano, two young and talented filmmakers, took on a workshop challenge to produce a micro-budget independent movie, and It Needs Eyes was the remarkable result. It is a testament to the level of technology now available to aspiring independent movie makers that a film with this much polish can be accomplished for only $30,000. But for all the terrific 4K camera visuals and drone shots, it is the acting that carries this movie.

Rowan doesn’t want to stay with her Aunt Mella, but she doesn’t have a choice. Her mother passed away a long time ago, and her father is recuperating under mysterious circumstances at a hospital. Rowan is a typical teenager, consumed with social media on her phone. She is a bit of an introvert, however. Curiously, she doesn’t spend time texting friends or posting on Instagram, like so many teens. Instead, in her grief and confusion, she dives deep into the dark web. She searches for “Fucked up videos”. This includes bizarre animations, advice on narcotics, random street violence, humiliation, self-mutilation, and even stumbles into some snuff films that shake her to her core.

But she can’t look away from what she sees. She is addicted. And she is lonely.

Her Aunt Mella does her best to encourage her to get some fresh air and away from her phone. One night, she notices a purple glow coming through her bedroom window. From a neighboring house, waving from her bedroom window, is Alex. The neighbor girl flirts with Rowan while she simultaneously performs as a sexy cam girl for libidinous men online. They are mirrors of each other. Rowan is the girl who appears cautious and innocent on the surface, but is secretly obsessed with the darkest sins of humanity. Alex is a flamboyant rebel who has a sweet and caring disposition under the surface. The two of them mesh instantly and become inseparable almost immediately.

Unfortunately, finding a new girlfriend doesn’t break Rowan’s fascination with the far corners of the dark web. She became obsessed with 8mm film videos of a strange group of people at a Camus-like, absurd, and existential party, featuring Fish Tooth, an actress who had been reported missing many years ago. These videos are oddly melodramatic and full of expressions of frustration, loss, and rage. Rowan identifies with Fish Tooth’s disconnection from reality and strange behavior. Also, Rowan becomes fascinated with a nearby reputedly haunted island, which she believes holds the key to many of her morbid mysteries. These two mysteries tug at Rowan like a siren’s call.

These haunting attractions are filling the void in her life that the absence of Rowan’s father left behind. As she learns more about her dad, she spirals deeper into the unhealthy social media she has been ingesting. It is up to Alex and Aunt Mella to pull her out, but it may all just be too late.

It Needs Eyes manages to connect by defying the expected portrayals of the characters. All three main characters —Rowan, Alex, and Mella —could have easily slipped into stereotypes and caricatures. Instead, they rendered fully fleshed-out protagonists worth rooting for. Achieving great chemistry and natural performances from actresses with such short resumes is a victory for this production.

In a bit of fun irony, perhaps the most nerve-wracking scene in the film is when Rowan sneaks into her Aunt’s room to steal a credit card so she can subscribe to Alex’s cam-girl channel. Such stress! I don’t say that to diminish the horror aspects of the film, but the horror in this film is more suffocating than savage. The dread creeps up and slowly consumes Rowan, who isn’t as afraid as she should be.

It Needs Eyes reminds me of Videodrome. Memories of “Long Live the New Flesh!” echoed early in the movie, and these allusions were amplified with a hand out of the TV moment. Technology is a poor substitute for relationships, and Rowan is slow to recognize this. I would have liked more of the fantastical elements in the film, which don’t materialize until the third act. However, Ogle and Pagniano invested heavily in the character arcs, and the movie works emotionally; perhaps that restraint paid off.

I struggled with the jarring juxtaposition of the Fish Tooth story, even though it is crucial for the movie’s payoff. The tone is unnatural in the surreal videos, in contrast to the naturalistic depiction of Rowan, Alex, and Mella. I recognize that Rowan found those weird videos compelling, but I was less engaged with them, and it bogged down the pacing of the film. It Needs Eyes delivers a melancholy and surreal ending that delves fully into metaphysics and will be worth debating with your friends after the credits roll.

This is a big step up for the young duo of Ogle and Pagniano. I am a big fan of their collaborative short film, “We Got a Monkey’s Paw,” a hilarious cautionary tale that utilizes the classic monkey’s paw device. Pagniano directed it, and Ogle starred and produced the short. The result is pure horror comedy short gold. However, Pagniano’s feature debut, Sunset on the River Styx, was an ambitious feature film that, for me, overshot its ambitions. I found the brooding, slow-burning script too meandering, and the pacing a bit of a drag. Fortunately, It Needs Eyes fully restored my faith in the duo.

It Needs Eyes won the Ghoul D’Or prize for Best Feature Film at the Portland Horror Film Festival. Watch as this duo continues to develop their craft. Hopefully, this film will inspire a studio to give them a bigger budget, as I would love to see how they can spin their inspiration with proper funding. The film embraces a liminal horror medium, and some of the still-life cinematography is gorgeous. Emblematic is the close-up eye imagery. The digital media in the cornea is not a special effect, but rather a carefully composed, tight shot, with a very patient actress and a good eye (pun intended) from the directors. Get up close, and get the shot!

Both Lebish and Leiva are destined for greater things. Both of them are hugely attractive and demonstrated real thespian chops. I would love to see both of them flourish within the horror genre. Perhaps as the Pagniano and Ogle team continues to develop their brand, they can continue to work together.

Hosted by Brian and Gwen Callahan, directors of the PHFF. On the stage are Zack Ogle, Isadora Leiva, producer Travis Campbell, and the sound designer Nathaniel Smith. I missed Brian’s opening question. The Q&A begins with Nathaniel responding to Brian’s first question about the sound production. The session was fun and lively, but be warned: There are some spoiler items in the Q&A.

I discussed It Needs Eyes with Zack and Travis in the upstairs lounge at the Hollywood Theater. My favorite part of attending film festivals is discussing movies with their filmmakers. Give it a listen!

It Needs Eyes is currently in its early stages of the festival circuit run. They have many upcoming festivals scheduled to showcase the movie. The next festival they have announced is a return to Portland for Queer Screams, taking place from August 1-3 at the Clinton Street Theater. So, if you missed it the first time here in PDX, it will be back soon!

The MPAA has not rated this movie. There are some gnarly images, particularly for the streaming nasties that Rowan watches, and there are suggestive sexual situations, but mature teens would appreciate the movie. However, audiences will reflexively wince and cover their eyes during some scenes. An R rating would be appropriate. Fans seeking a rock-em sock-em violence showcase will likely be disappointed, but those looking for an introspective and character-forward drama will enjoy this film. It’s a thoughtful and emotional palette of dread.