MONSTERS WITHIN may not satisfy the lust of every patron of the WORD gasping for fear and terror to distract from them from those real-world terrors stalking them. But those open to a character-driven, crafty and savvy thematically layered experience, it’s a must-see. The monsters aren’t just in the woods; they’re in the scars of memories, the silence between family members, and the compromises of small-town survival – just to name a few.
Director-Writer-Actor Devin Montgomery blends figurative reality with a no-holds veraciousness of bleak reality to tell a tale of a military veteran who, after years away from home, returns to reconnect with his sister who has Down syndrome. His destination home, Cooper, Texas is a land of decaying buildings and disintegrating infrastructure, the kind where everyone knows everyone else’s secrets but no one dares speaks them aloud – and probably doesn’t give a damn.
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MONSTERS WITHIN was executive produced by Curtis Gardner and also stars Kendall Cavener (The Last Rodeo), Skeeta Jenkins (Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich, Jakob’s Wife, Satanic Panic), Daniella Montgomery, Brandon Stewart (Sovereign) who was also the DP, and Samuel French (Killers of the Flower Moon, Fear The Walking Dead) in his final starring role before his tragic death.
French won several Best Supporting Actor awards for his intense performance in MONSTERS WITHIN and the film is dedicated to him. The character of “Elle,” the the main character’s sister and the heart and soul of the movie, is played by Devin Montgomery’s actual sister Daniella Montgomery. She has performed at several events for the Down Syndrome Associations and Special Needs choir in Oklahoma.
The story of the bond between a brother and sister, with one having special needs, being portrayed as authentically and as real as cinematically possible was very important to both Devin and Daniella Montgomery.
This award-winning film has screened at numerous film festivals including: WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival – WON BRONZE for BEST FIRST FEATURE FILM, Edinburgh Independent Film Festival – WON BEST LEAD ACTOR (Devin Montgomery), Stockholm City International Film Festival – WON BEST ACTOR (Devin Montgomery), Cowpokes International Film Festival – WON BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (Samuel French), Bare Bones International Film Festival – WON AUDIENCE CHOICE FOR BEST FEATURE FILM and BEST ACTOR (Devin Montgomery), Red Dirt International Film Festival – WON BEST FEATURE FILM, Indie Vegas Film Festival – WON BEST HORROR/THRILLER FEATURE FILM, Massachusetts Independent Film Festival – awarded an OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR FIRST FEATURE FILM, among many other festivals.
the WORD Editor, Gregg W. Morris