Louisiana’s Evans’ “MUSE” To Screen At NOLA Horror Film Fest Saturday
NEW ORLEANS – Director John Burr is bringing his debut independent feature film “Muse” to New Orleans, as an official selection of the 2017 NOLA Horror Film Fest.
The film features Louisiana native Elle Evans in the title character role. Evans grew up in Blanchard, Louisiana before relocating to Los Angeles, where she became an internationally-recognized supermodel and actress known for her role in Robin Thicke's music video "Blurred Lines" featuring Pharrell Williams. She is also one of the faces of NYX Cosmetics.
The movie, from Desert Wind Films and Watchmakers Entertainment, was filmed primarily in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles and premiered on Sept. 9, at the world-renowned FilmQuest Film Festival in Utah. “Muse” will mark Burr’s first time at the prestigious NOLAHFF as a young director, and it will be the film’s Louisiana Premiere.
The 88-minute “Muse” will screen on Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Castillo Blanco Art Studios, 4321 St Claude Ave., at 7:45 p.m., and it will be followed by the opening weekend gala celebration. Director, writer and producer John Burr will be in attendance for the screening, and he will be hosting an open Q&A after the showing. Lead actor Riley Egan will also be attending the screenings and the events.
Burr describes the opportunity to play at NOLA Horror Film Fest as a dream come true. “We are a team of young filmmakers, and having made quite a few trips to New Orleans while growing up relatively nearby in Dallas, I have grown incredibly close with the local community, both the filmmakers and the film fans,” said Burr. “This movie was inspired in part by my journey as an artist, and that was influenced, in part, by my experiences here. To be able to screen at the such a marquee genre film festival is an honor and a privilege so early in my career as a director.”
Influenced heavily by films such as “Let Me In” and the “Ring,” “Muse” is based on the Gaelic legend of the leannan sì – a sort of fairy-demon that inspires an artist while violently protecting him. The narrative follows Adam (Egan), a struggling young painter that lives in a dilapidated loft, who finds himself captivated by a mysterious young woman played by Evans. As they fall into a torrid love affair, his artwork flourishes, while the body count around him builds. When he realizes that his lover is the cause of the violence that has inspired his art, Adam must choose between his morality and his muse, a decision made more complicated by the involvement of his innocent next door neighbor Maria (daytime Emmy winner Kate Mansi).
“Muse” is gearing up for its first big festival run, currently slated to play at half a dozen festivals across North America this Fall, and NOLAHFF will give Louisiana audiences an opportunity to be among the first to see this twisted love story that Nikki Von Frankenstitch of NightmarishConjurings.com calls "a mixture of supernatural with a couple jump scares, and a really well done film. The storyline was great, with twists towards the end that threw me off and had me second guessing myself. If you have the opportunity – See. This. Movie."
