22nd Calgary Underground Film Festival

April 17-27, 2025

13th CUFF.Docs Documentary Film Festival

November 19-23, 2025

It Lives Inside

United States, 2023: 99 minutes: International Premiere
Archives 2023
It-Lives-Inside
Globe Cinema
Sat, Apr 29 9:00 PM Buy

description

An Indian-American teenager struggling with her cultural identity has a falling out with her former best friend and, in the process, unwittingly releases a demonic entity that grows stronger by feeding on her loneliness.

Sam lives in an idyllic suburb with her conservative parents. During a fight with her troubled estranged friend, Tamira, she smashes a mysterious jar and unknowingly unleashes a bloodthirsty ancient Indian demon. What starts off as terrifying visions soon turn into a real life hell as Sam’s loved ones begin to be picked off one by one with gruesome results. In order to end this curse once and for all, Sam must reconnect with her culture and band together with her parents before it’s too late. Winner of the Midnighters Audience Award at SXSW 2023.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
SXSW 2023

DIRECTOR'S BIO
Bishal Dutta's award-winning short films include LIFE IN COLOR, an official selection at the American Pavilion’s Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, and INFERNO, an Original on Gunpowder & Sky’s ALTER horror platform. Bishal's next directorial projedct is an Untitled Original Horror Film for New Line Cinema and James Wan’s Atomic Monster.

press for It Lives Inside

"IT LIVES INSIDE asserts its importance as an Indian-American ode to the outsiders stuck trying to live two separate lives and succeeds as a crossroads between international flavors and domestic horror mindsets."
- SlashFilm
"IT LIVES INSIDE introduces a bold new voice with an evident passion for the genre, creating a captivating new spin on demonic horror."
- Blooding Disgusting

details

Drama / Horror / Narrative / Thriller / Suspense

English | English Subtitles
99 minutes

credits

Director
Bishal Dutta

Executive Producers
Edward H. Hamm Jr.,
Jameson Parker
Arielle Boisvert
Shawn Williamson

Producers
Raymond Mansfield
Sean McKittrick

Screenwriters
Bishal Dutta
Ashish Mehta

Cinematographer
Matthew Lynn

Cast
Megan Suri
Neeru Bajwa
Mohana Krishnan
Betty Gabriel
Vik Sahay

Music
Wesley Hughes

community

awards