CHILDREN OF THE PINES
Looking for a film that has carved out a place for itself on the festival circuit and is now finding a wider audience on Amazon Prime?
Then check outCHILDREN OF THE PINES, written and directed by Joshua Morgan. It’s a slow‑burn psychological thriller that blends emotional realism with supernatural unease — the kind of story that rewards patience and lingers long after the final frame.
Set during a winter break visit that spirals into something far darker, the film follows Riley, a college junior, who returns home to find her estranged parents entangled in a ritualistic “healing” practice that feels equal parts therapeutic and occult. What begins as a family drama deepens into a meditation on inherited trauma, belief, and the dangerous comfort of myth.
Morgan builds tension with precision — through atmosphere, character, and the creeping sense that something ancient is stirring just beyond the tree line.
CAST
- Danielle J. Bowman — Kathy
- Kelly Tappan — Riley
- Richard Cohn‑Lee — John
- Vas Provatakis — Gordon
- Joshua Morgan — Marc
- Donna Rae Allen — Lorelei
- David Raizor — Leon
- Stephanie Kirves — Marie
- Justin Deavers — Rob
- Carson Jean Holley — Young Zoe
- Sylvie Mohr, Vivian Hunter, Ryosuke Sekoguchi, Mateo Taylor — Young versions of the central characters
CREW
Written & Directed by:
- Joshua Morgan
Producers:
- Danielle J. Bowman
- Lucas A. Ferrara
- Eric R. Polins
- Jenna Skeen
- Cole Blaskovich (Associate Producer)
Cinematography:
- Ben Bach (Director of Photography)
- Graham Zielinski (Second Unit DP)
Editing:
- Jackson Ring
- Joseph Sandoval
Original Score:
- Sune Wagner
Casting:
- Hannah Lehrer (Casting Director)
- Savannah Lee (Casting Assistant)
Art Department:
- Cole Blaskovich (Storyboard Artist)
- Kiara Vazquez (Original Artwork)
- Alex Webber (Mask Artist)
“Children of the Pines” has also made an impressive mark on the festival circuit.
The film captured the Audience Award for Best Focus on Florida Feature Film at the 2024 Gasparilla International Film Festival, a testament to its resonance with viewers. It went on to win Best Thriller Feature Film at the Indo French International Film Festival, followed by another major honor — Best Horror — at the International New York Film Festival. The film’s originality was further recognized at the Romford Film Festival, where it earned a nomination for Best Original Concept. Together, these accolades underscore the film’s growing reputation as a standout in contemporary independent genre cinema.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR — JOSHUA MORGAN
Joshua Morgan is an emerging writer‑director whose work explores the tension between personal history and collective myth. His films lean into atmosphere, emotional truth, and the uncanny — the places where memory and folklore blur. Children of the Pines is his most ambitious feature to date, produced in collaboration with D.A.M.E. Media, Midnight Justice Films, Topbox Productions, and Lucas A. Ferrara.
Morgan’s filmmaking is patient, deliberate, and rooted in the belief that horror is most powerful when it reflects something true about the human condition. He recently noted:
“I’m drawn to stories where the supernatural isn’t an escape from reality — it’s a mirror held up to it.”
If you’re looking for a thriller that trusts its audience, rewards attention, and builds dread through character rather than spectacle, CHILDREN OF THE PINES deserves a spot at the top of your queue.
Now streaming on Amazon Prime.
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