In Irish folklore and literature dating back to the 1500s, writers from the island nation have written about mythical beings known as “Fetches” that haunt people whose days are numbered. According to legend, Fetches take on the physical form of the humans they visit — and if your own creepy doppelganger visits you in the evening, it means your death is imminent. But if they visit you in the morning, you can prepare yourself for a long life ahead of you.
That mythology is set to come to life in “The Fetch,” a new horror movie debuting at the Austin Film Festival that promises to fuse Irish folklore with modern day scares. According to an official synopsis, the film follows a grieving father who finds himself haunted by the Fetch as he mourns the death of his only son.
“The Fetch” marks the feature directorial debut of J.C. Doler, who has previously released six short films. Doler co-wrote the screenplay along with Taylor Bracewell and Chris Alan Evans.
“The Fetch” stars Logan Donovan, Robert Longstreet, and Aleksa Palladino. The film is produced by Donovan, Doler, Alexander Jeffrey, Paul Petersen, Brittany Fallow, and Chris Alan Evans. Jaime Schwartzberg, Andrew Schwartzberg, Ben Hoeller, Holger Fuchs, Christian Jantscha, and Tamra Corley Davis serve as executive producers on the project.
2024 has proven to be a fruitful year for fans of Irish folk horror. “The Fetch” joins previous titles in the sub-genre such as “All You Need is Death,” Paul Duane’s self-funded directorial debut that features “Mandy” actress Olwen Fouéré; and “Oddity,” Damian McCarthy’s SXSW hit that ended up taking the top prize at the Overlook Film Festival.
“The Fetch” makes its world premiere at the Austin Film Festival on Sunday, October 27 at 9pm. Watch the teaser, an IndieWire exclusive, below.
