In 2017, Executive Producer Maritza Brikisak chose to release a shorter, MPAA-rated version of The Lurking Man to make the film more accessible to festival audiences.
The decision proved successful. Rated PG-13 by the MPAA, the Festival Version went on to receive 54 nominations and 95 awards at film festivals around the world.
In 2023, The Lurking Man: Uncut was released.
Presented unrated and newly remastered, this version is the closest to the writers' original vision, restoring material that had been removed from the Festival Version.
Writers Keith Rommel and Maritza Brikisak are delighted that audiences can now experience the film as it was originally intended.
'Cailean' started drinking very young in an effort to forget a childhood trauma. She became a functioning alcoholic. Had a happy family and life until one day an accident in the playground took her control away. Her drinking is now destroying her and her family. Her attempts to recovery continue to fail, the last one sends her to the ER and is now on her deathbed. Death has been watching her all her life and now sees this as an opportunity, breaking the rules he takes her soul before she dies hoping that by exposing the forces that manipulated and consumed her soul will concede her to accept his offer.
Official Poster
Maritza Brikisak was searching for a challenging leading role. Novelist Keith Rommel, whom she connected while working on the film 'The Cursed Man' by Jim Perry, suggested she read the role of 'Cailean' from a draft he had written based on his Novel of the same name. Maritza fell in love with the character of 'Cailean' and knew she had to make the film.
Keith and Maritza refined the script, which received a Best Screenplay award from Zed Fest Film Festival. She hired a company to film it. Eleven days later she received a hard disk and she proceeded to edit for the next 8 months. Post Production was a true collaboration: the music was composed by a family friend, Tom Rizzo. College friends did sound design. Kristine Rommel, Alex Cavalleri and David Botrill provided the official song 'The Storm'. Filmmaker friends offered valuable suggestions and producer Frank Krueger was instrumental in the development of the film from origin to completion.
Multi award winning film brings awareness to the human struggle through supernatural imagery. A powerful message, 'feeding the negative will eventually consume you'.
This picture is rated PG-13 by the MPAA, for disturbing thematic content and some bloody images.
Bonus Features Not Rated.
2:30 - Our Official full length Trailer.
64 secs - Our 1 Minute Promotional Teaser.
1:12 - A blend of Christmas music with trailer feel.
4:00 - Multi award winning song 'The Storm'.
15 secs - Canada China International Film Festival.
34 secs - Additional scene, very cute!
38 secs - Mini outtakes clip. No spoilers.
0:56 - Our first 2017 announcement.
1:06 - Designed by Keith Rommel.
Maritza Brikisak stars as Cailean, a woman haunted by childhood trauma whose battle with alcoholism has devastated her family. As her life nears its end, she is confronted with one final opportunity for redemption when she comes face to face with Death.
Beyond her leading performance, Maritza served as Executive Producer, Co-Writer, and Editor of The Lurking Man. Determined to devote her full attention to the emotionally demanding lead role, she entrusted principal photography to an independent production company, allowing her to focus entirely on her performance.
An award-winning American-Canadian actress and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, Maritza has appeared in productions for CBS, FOX, NBC, Lifetime, Oxygen, Netflix, Amazon, Estrella TV, and YouTube. Fluent in English and Spanish, she has earned recognition for portraying strong, intelligent, and emotionally complex women.
The Lurking Man has received numerous international festival awards, including multiple Best Actress honors for Maritza's performance, as well as awards recognizing her work as Writer, Editor, and Producer.
He helps souls with their passing. His existence is nearly over and he needs to find his successor. All his attempts have failed, when he becomes aware of 'Cailean', a broken soul, in his desperation he breaks the rules and brings her to limbo to try and coerce her before she dies.
Daniel was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. A chameleon-like actor, Daniel Lench has worked extensively in film, television, commercials and Equity theatre.
A loving husband and dad. Fully aware of Cailean's difficult past, his frustration grows as he feels helpless over her progressing addiction. With his desire to bring his family together he reluctantly agrees to let 'Beau' and 'Cailean' spend a fateful day together.
Frank is an accomplished Actor and Producer. He has a BA from the College of New Jersey. He has directed and produced numerous theatre productions for both The Sanford Meisner Center in North Hollywood and The Hollywood Fight Club in Los Angeles. Founder of 'The Annex Film Group. Owner of 'Blue Dragon Entertainment'.
Getting over the loss of his wife, 'Emerson' meets and finds in 'Cailean' a distraction and in his attempt to get close inadvertently enables her alcohol addiction.
Dorian is best known for his role as Detective 'Darryl Morris' on the TV series 'Charmed'. He is involved in various humanitarian programs. A spokesperson/advocate with the American Diabetes Association, he is an educator and motivational speaker for the disease. He is also an accomplished musician playing in the group "MD Says" with his sister.
'Cailean' and 'Wilson's son. A victim of the forces that have pushed 'Cailean' into self-destruction, his life is being held as a bargaining chip by 'Sariel' to breaking 'Cailean' into accepting his offer.
Jentzen has appeared in the Lifetime movie 'Babysitter's Black Book', 'Star Wars: Generations', 'The Terror' and 'Special Unit' with Christopher Titus.
'Mr. Haggen' is the cantankerous neighbor of 'Cailean' when she was a child. He grew evergreen trees. He is the catalyst of the tragedy that haunted 'Cailean' throughout her life.
Chuck will appear in an upcoming film with Dolph Lundgren.
Cailean's Father. His crops have not been doing as well as his neighbor's Mr. Haggen. He is on the brink of losing everything... including his control.
Joel has BA in Theater and trained at The Groundlings, with extensive work in television, film, new media and theater. Co founder and member of the award-winning comedy duo 'Deven & Joel", they have performed at a variety of venues and have headlined at top comedy clubs. Has a new TV series 'You are Nothing' co starring with Henry Winkler.
Cailean's mom. She has never been able to reconcile her daughter's change in behavior. Losing everything, she succumbs to alcohol addiction.
Carmen is an Army Veteran, an award winning actress, a musician, and singer/songwriter. Known for her role as 'Captain Vasquez' in 'Lucha Underground'.
Her dad's crops aren't doing as well as the neighbor's, Mr. Haggen's, she develops a plan to try and help the family and it backfires.
Tessa recently appeared in the new YouTube teen-horror web series 'Strings', also appeared in Disney's "Bizaardvark" and Nickelodeon's "The Thyndermans".
What audiences and critics are saying about The Lurking Man.
"At the California premiere of THE LURKING MAN. Co-written and produced, edited, and starring the lovely and mega talented Maritza Brikisak as the troubled, multidimensional protag. Chills, laughs, and even an unexpected sympathy for the devil in this thought provoking tale of incomplete redemption. Look for the creepy demonic wing effect, underplayed and sinister. You’ll see what I mean!"
At the Love International Film Festival
"Now I understand where all the accolades and acclaim are coming from! What a tremendous, tremendous achievement!!! And what was MOST impressive to me, even more than your tour de force performance, was the fact that you edited and produced the work! Inspired me beyond belief! Continued success n inspiration on your journey, mi amiga! Congratulations!!"
At the International Love Film Festival
"Your movie taught me that the genre can have a lot of variety and depth, it was sometimes painful for me to watch, but it was so good and so powerful. I cried a lot during the movie, because you did such a great job."
At The International Horror Hotel Film Festival
"Maritza is a true Renaissance woman of the horror genre. She co-wrote, executive produced, played the lead role, edited the film, designed the poster, and did an incredible job at all of it. This film continues to rack up the festival awards, and rightly so. And, as she says, it's the only horror movie that makes people cry!"
At The Love International Film Festival
"Everyone had very strong performances, the scenes y'all did together were magic...There was a special something in the scenes you (Maritza) did together with Daniel, you really did carry the entire movie!"
At the Love International Film Festival
The Lurking Man achieved an incredibly successful international festival run, accumulating a total of 95 Wins and 54 Nominations.
Full collection of the Posters exclusively designed for each of our Festival Premiere Screenings and events.
* Due to an overwhelming number of requests, we can no longer provide free posters. If you would like a physical 13x19 copy for your collection, you may order one below.
Printed on premium gloss paper. Price includes packaging, postage, tax, and an official RMR Productions authenticity seal.
