It’s a big week for Surrey-area filmmakers Gigi Saul Guerrero and Raynor Shima.
Their “Bingo Hell” is now streaming on the Amazon Prime Video after nearly a year of work to make the 85-minute feature film, described as “a wickedly original horror movie with a fiendishly funny twist” on amazonstudios.com.
Part of the platform’s “Welcome to the Blumhouse” series, the movie is directed and co-written by Saul Guerrero and co-executive produced by Shima, two of three Luchagore Productions founders, along with Luke Bramley.
The plot: “After 60-something neighborhood activist Lupita (Adriana Barraza) discovers that her beloved local bingo hall has been taken over by a mysterious businessman named Mr. Big (Richard Brake), she rallies her elderly friends to fight back against the enigmatic entrepreneur,” the website says.
“But when her longtime neighbors begin turning up dead under grisly circumstances, Lupita suddenly discovers that gentrification is the least of her problems. Something terrifying has made itself at home in the quiet barrio of Oak Springs, and with each new cry of ‘Bingo!’ another victim falls prey to its diabolical presence.”
(Story continues below movie trailer)
PICTURED: Raynor Shima and Gigi Saul Guerrero (submitted photo)
Days before the movie’s Oct. 1 debut on Prime, Shima and Saul Guerrero showcased “Bingo Hell” at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas.
“I promised all the goop, blood and charm on this one,” the film director tweeted. “Gracias everybody for all the love and support. Means a lot to me.”
The movie was filmed in New Orleans last winter, and was edited at a Surrey home studio in recent months.
• READ MORE, from April 2021: Surrey pair call ‘Bingo’ with New Orleans-shot horror movie for Prime Video streaming/screaming
Buenos Días Amigos!! We are LIVE on TELEVISION📺🎬 Last big day of Press & TODAY Is the official release on #BingoHellMovie on @PrimeVideo 👏🏽
— Gigi Saul Guerrero (@HorrorGuerrero) October 1, 2021
We did it congrats team! @blumhouse #welcometotheblumhouse #horror #latina #lamuñecadelterror pic.twitter.com/cyb4hlkxrQ
Shima grew up in the Bear Creek Park area, while Saul Guerrero’s roots are in South Surrey. Later, after they met on a set while attending rival film schools in Vancouver, their mutual love of the horror genre drove them to join forces.
“Bingo Hell” represents the next step for the filmmaking duo, who have shot and released several short movies.
“For us,” Shima said last spring, “it’s such a blessing to be able to do what we want to do during these crazy times. We’re so excited to make this, and make it actually happen.”
The COVID-19 pandemic delayed filming last winter.
“Nobody knew what the world had in store for anybody, and we’re lucky this (movie) still became a thing,” Saul Guerrero explained. “We were a bit sad at first, you know, this being Luchagore’s first movie and then COVID hits, and maybe it’s never going to happen. But it worked out, and here we are.”
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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