Mallory’s Ghost
Competition Feature: Narrative
Thursday, September 17th 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Mallory, plagued by fears of being unremarkable, joins her playwright boyfriend Sam on a retreat to coastal Maine. When she learns he once brought his glamorous ex, Louise, there, she’s struck with an obsessive curiosity about his past. As her jealousy takes hold, Mallory becomes convinced she’s being haunted by the ghost of Louise herself... Pulled into a journey that slips between past and present, rivalry and affection, melancholy and creativity, Mallory drifts further from her old life and toward something essential. "Mallory’s Ghost" is a psychological and playful exploration of envy, and the strange path it can lead back to the Self.
Directed by: Arabella Oz
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Run time: 87 minutes
Awards: SXSW Official Selection 2025
Connect: @mallorysghost
Meet the Filmmaker
Arabella Oz wrote "Mallory’s Ghost" while working as a mental health counselor in Manhattan, after a circular road from film school to therapy and back again. Her work explores psychological patterns (the ones that don’t seem to quit) while honoring that life is also strange, funny, and beautiful. Her favorite pastime is laughing with her husband and collaborator, Nick Canellakis.
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