Brazilian Action Horror-Sci-fi “Beyond The Grave”

Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro’s “Beyond The Grave” has won 6 awards and been the official selection for 70 festivals internationally. The film is still making a festival run but is currently available on VOD via  Netflix Instant for U.S. and Latin America. “Beyond The Grave” stars Rafael Tombini, Alvaro RosaCosta, Ricardo Seffner, Amanda Grimaldi, Luciana Verch, Leandro Lefa, Tatiana Paganella and Adriano Basegio. "Beyond the Grave" is a very unusual art-house horror that borrows influence from the spaghetti westerns and the experimental cinema from the 70's. It is the first feature by Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro who directed the short The Soul Detective, starred by David Lynch. Also in his filmography is the short film Back to Room 666, starred by Wim Wenders.

In a devastated post-apocalyptic world where the rules of reality are transformed by magic and madness, a vengeful police officer searches for a possessed serial killer. He finds in his way groups of survivors. Some violent, some struggling to get by in this new place full of mystical dangers where humanity seems on the brink of extinction.

Shooter and Nina, a couple of teenagers, are the first living souls to cross paths with the Officer on his quest for the Dark Rider, a mystical man who has cost the life of several. The Officer and the Teenage Couple bond and go forward in this empty world. Always following the Returners, the living dead, who travels toward the places where The Rider has been, they find themselves at the risk of slaughter.

The first signs of humanity they encounter are Franco, Adriene and Ashley, a trio that managed to survive in a school far from any civilization. The Officer, Shooter and Nina take place among the new survivors for a few days, until conflict arises between Ashley and the Officer and they decide to continue their quest for the Dark Rider.

They find the Dark Rider in a Psycho Ward. The battle that ensues is the re-encounter of two old enemies, The Officer and the Rider, settling old debts older than time. In a final duel, they fight a battle of the not-so-good versus absolute evil.

“Beyond The Grave” has received some pretty powerhouse reviews from the international community. Read some of the reviews below, then watch the trailer before heading to the film’s Facebook page to learn more. Stay tuned in the coming days for my personal review of “Beyond The Grave”.
“BEYOND THE GRAVE is an extremely inventive film. Like Jodorowsky, writer/director Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro fills his story will all sorts of colorful characters; (…) At times poetic. At times stoic. At times completely energized. BEYOND THE GRAVE is a unique experience in the theater of the weird.” (Mark L. Miller, Aint It Cool News)

"El Mariachi meets 'The Dark Tower' series. (...) the film itself is incredibly well shot in general.  2/10 Add in some choice music – edited again in a way that hits hard – and the film flows in such a manner that indeed makes it memorable." (Lauren Taylor, Bloody Disgusting)

"Zombies, demons, cowboys and indians, samurai swords and muscle cars, this film has f***ing everything. (...) It’s Dawn of the Dead, Stake Land, Fallen, Once Upon A Time in the West and Road Warrior, spliced together with scotch tape and soaked in LSD." (Annie Riordan, Brutal As Hell)

"BEYOND THE GRAVE is the stunning voyage through a mesmerizing world full of magical mysteries and strangely alluring places, created by a team of young, visionary and highly talented filmmakers. I loved it!" (Maynard Morrissey, Horror Movie Diary)

"Without the million dollar budgets of the US or UK films-- I have to say Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro (writer and director) created something pretty great, with stark and intimately filmed scenes and obviously patiently framed shots." (Dave Marks, Blog of the Living dead)

"Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro has come up with a movie that manages to hit marks and beats that others out there don’t. BEYOND THE GRAVE is an impressive, original and cautious movie that deserves your attention. After all, innovative horror from Brazil may rise once again." (Jason Meredith, CiNEZiLLA)