A rising political star retreats to a secluded Virginia inn to draft a campaign platform that will secure him a spot on a presidential ticket—but as nightmarish visions blur with reality, he’s forced to confront the ghosts of those he sacrificed to climb the political ladder. Caligo Inn is a psychological thriller with gothic horror overtones, laced with political intrigue and moral reckoning, in which ambition, guilt, and supernatural justice collide under the genteel veneer of Southern hospitality.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Elizabeth Rose Morriss
Warden: Shawn Devlin
Albari: Sean Ballantyne

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?

Caligo Inn is about a power-hungry senator who goes to a secluded inn to work on his vice-presidential platform, only to be confronted by the ghosts of people destroyed by his ambition—soldiers, victims, even his own son. It's part political drama, part supernatural reckoning, where he's forced to face everything he's tried to bury.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

It's a psychological thriller at its core, but it leans heavily into supernatural horror with a strong thread of political drama running through it.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

It puts a fresh spin on the haunted house story by tying the horror directly to real-world politics and personal guilt. It's creepy, timely, and has a central character who's both fascinating and deeply flawed—which makes for a compelling watch.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Haunting retribution.

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Probably The Shining. That mix of isolation, psychological tension, and surreal horror really stuck with me, and you can feel its influence in this script.

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

Off and on for several months. It's been through multiple drafts, each one digging a little deeper into the psychological side while sharpening the horror.

7. How many stories have you written?

I've written over a dozen screenplays and stage plays, including award-winning pieces like It Happened in Silence and Carol & Hymn.

8. What motivated you to write this screenplay?

I wanted to explore what happens when someone who thrives on control is put in a situation where control doesn't matter—where the ghosts of their own actions literally come back to haunt them.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Getting the balance right was tricky—making sure the political side grounded it while the horror stayed unsettling and surreal. Plus, keeping JJ despicable enough to deserve it but still human enough to keep the audience invested took some fine-tuning.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

I've always been drawn to history and journalism—digging into how power, decisions, and consequences shape people's lives. That definitely filters into my writing.

11. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

I wanted to see how a story that straddles politics and horror would land with an audience. The feedback really confirmed I was on the right track—it pointed out what worked and gave me great notes that helped tighten the emotional impact.