Hidalgo, known for crafting compelling genre narratives, achieved significant international recognition with his 2021 film, 'The Exorcism of God.' That project premiered at Fantastic Fest and went on to be distributed in over 150 countries, ultimately becoming the highest-grossing Latin American film worldwide in 2022. Before that, his debut feature, 'The House at the End of Time,' made history as Venezuela's biggest horror hit, garnering a cult following for its unique blend of supernatural and science fiction elements.
Now, Hidalgo turns his attention to 'The Hungry One,' a supernatural horror story deeply rooted in Malaysian culture. The narrative centers on Emily, an American woman who travels with her Chinese Malaysian husband, Simon, and their son, Louis, to spend the summer at his family's ancestral mansion. Their arrival coincides with the 15-day Hungry Ghost Festival, a period when, according to local belief, the gates of the underworld open, allowing spirits to roam among the living. Emily soon finds herself targeted by a malevolent entity determined to cross over, forcing her to uncover the house's hidden, dark past before it claims her family.
The project is being spearheaded by filmmaker and entrepreneur Justin Leong through his Los Angeles-based company, Lightning Pictures. Leong, who possesses strong ties to Malaysian-Chinese culture, drew upon his own family traditions and the rich tapestry of the Hungry Ghost Festival to shape the story. He highlighted the festival's cinematic potential, stating, "Growing up in Asia, I always felt the Hungry Ghost Festival was incredibly rich visually, from the fire and offerings to the rituals and mythology behind it. When you capture that and shoot it cinematically, it’s movie gold. It gives us a world that audiences may not have seen before, but one that feels immediately atmospheric, mysterious and made for horror."
'The Hungry One' boasts a notable producing team, including Harrison Allen, an Oscar winner for the Netflix live-action short 'The Singers,' and Thomas Percy Kim, a Sundance and Toronto fellow whose debut feature 'Isle Child' premiered at TIFF. Screenwriter Justin Parker, known for his work on HBO's Emmy-nominated limited series 'Station Eleven,' is also attached to the project.
The film is currently in pre-production, with producers actively working to secure the final portion of its financing. Kuala Lumpur-based Abnormal Studios is handling worldwide sales and introduced the project at Busan's Asian Contents & Film Market. Singapore-based Clover Films has already acquired distribution rights for Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.