by FilmInk staff
The Threshing, a bold new indie horror feature shot on a working regenerative farm in Colorado, will have its world premiere at SXSW Sydney on Wednesday, October 15th at 8:45pm at the Palace Central Cinema.
The film, directed by Sean Mannion, follows a young couple as they enter the world of regenerative farming—and soon discover the farm’s more sinister practices, from ritualistic slaughter and self-mutilation to cannibalism and murder. It was shot on location in Boulder over 20 days in partnership with Boulder County’s Agricultural Land Lease Program, Longmont Public Media, and MovieMaker Magazine’s Production Services Program. Post-production was completed in collaboration with globally recognized production company Post Mambo.
“When my wife and I moved to a regenerative farm in Colorado, I started thinking about how the desire to live ethically—a growing concern amongst younger generations as climate change wreaks havoc on our planet—can quickly turn into something more dogmatic, even frightening,” said Mannion. “As the regenerative farming boom continues and more and more people turn to sustainable practices with the aim of ‘doing good,’ the idea of a horror film examining the potential pitfalls seemed like urgent and thought-provoking work.
“The fact that we could shoot entirely on location, at a real working farm and with the hands-on counsel of local farmers, made the process incredibly special—and adds an authenticity to the film that I hope audiences can feel.”
The Threshing was shot by award-winning cinematographer Jonah Koplin, whose work has been acquired by The Criterion Channel and the New Yorker, and edited by Troy Lewis (Daughters), who was the 2024 Sundance Sally Menke Editing Fellow. The film stars Simone Grossman, Jess Darrow (Disney’s Encanto), Jean-Louis Droulers, Jared Kemp (The Purge), and Zachary Zamsky (The Testament of Ann Lee, Blue Sun Palace). Darrow and Grossman also co-produced the film alongside Mannion.
“For three weeks, our cast and crew lived and worked together on a regenerative farm, in conditions that mirror those of the resulting film—minus the horror,” said Grossman. “This once-in-a-lifetime experience reflects the best of the low-budget, independently made American film tradition, not to mention the enterprising spirit of SXSW. We couldn’t be more excited to share it with the world at the festival’s outpost in Sydney.”
The film was produced by the award-winning Post Mambo.
