Desire captured by Paul Risker
Australian director Adrian Chiarella has plunged audiences into the unsettling world of queer supernatural horror with his feature debut, Leviticus.
The film centers on Naim (played by Joe Bird), who embarks on a life-altering journey when he relocates with his mother, Arlene (Mia Wasikowska), following the death of his father. Amidst this upheaval, Naim begins to navigate complex emotions, developing deep feelings for Ryan, a teenager at his new school.
The emotional landscape quickly shifts into something far more volatile when Naim witnesses a secret romantic embrace between Ryan and the preacher’s son. This discovery ignites a powerful sense of jealousy, driving Naim to expose what he perceives as a forbidden secret.
The fallout is immediate and intense. The homophobic community reacts strongly, calling for a deliverance healer to intervene and expel homosexuality from the two boys. But instead of offering spiritual release, the intervention unleashes something far more terrifying.
As the narrative progresses, the attempt to expel the feelings triggers the awakening of a dreadful entity. This entity manifests physically, taking the form of the person each boy most desires, weaving the personal drama directly into a supernatural nightmare.
Naim’s carefully guarded secret is inevitably exposed, and with his mother’s tacit blessing, he too is condemned to face the same inescapable fate.
Buy on Amazon
Credit
