Fantastic Fest announced Mickey Reece’s “Strike, Dear Mistress, and Cure His Heart” will screen at the film festival September 20 – 27. Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the U.S. specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, and action films from all around the world.

The film, written and directed by Reece, follows newlyweds, David (Jacob Ryan Snovel) and Madeline Middleston (Audrey Wagner), who have just purchased a historic hotel near the town where Madeline’s estranged mother, Dianne (Mary Buss), resides. When Dianne comes to visit, she brings with her an uninvited guest.

Inspired by Igmar Bergman’s “Autumn Sonata,” “Strike, Dear Mistress, and Cure His Heart” pulls from the newer surrealist styles of Darren Aronofsky and Yorgos Lanthimos’ acclaimed “Mother!” and “The Killing of a Sacred Deer.” Reece molds stylistic performances and imagery to dive deeply into the emotional drama of the mother-daughter relationship dynamic and trauma of a generational curse.

Critics have described the film as “excellent,” “weirdly hypnotic,” and “a scare worth losing sleep over.” “Strike, Dear Mistress, and Cure His Heart” follows the success of Reece’s previous project, “Mickey Reece’s Alien” which premiered to a sold-out audience at the 2017 deadCenter Film Festival and then won the “Graveyard Shift Grand Jury Prize” for “Best Feature Film,” “Best Actor,” and “Best Actress,” at the Nashville Film Festival.

“The themes were something I would have never been able to get right without the specific talent and resources to execute,” said Reece. “I am grateful to be able to share this movie with anyone as I truly believe it is my most sophisticated and mature work to date. As homage to the great Ingmar Bergman: ‘Strike, Dear Mistress’ is, in some aspects, the best film I’ll probably ever make.”

“Strike, Dear Mistress, and Cure His Heart” is presented by Film Mafia and Freestyle Creative in association with Perm Machine and Betmar-Heliand Productions. Executive producers include Ron Sutor, Crystal Kerber and Tami Murphy.

Fantastic Fest runs September 20 – 27, 2018 in Austin, TX. Other films that have premiered at Fantastic Fest in previous years include Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood” and Mel Gibson’s “Apocalypto.” The full program is available online and badges can be purchased at FantasticFest.com.