‘What Happened to Dorothy Bell?’ Teaser Introduces Found Footage Chills Ahead of Fantastic Fest Premiere

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master and A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child star Lisa Wilcox appears in an eerie new teaser for upcoming found footage film What Happened to Dorothy Bell? The coming-of-age horror film from writer/director Danny Villanueva Jr. is set to make its premiere later this month at Fantastic Fest 2024.

Watch the exclusive new teaser below.

The found footage film “follows Ozzie Gray, who, after uncovering disturbing revelations from her early childhood involving her late grandmother, Dorothy Bell, sets out to video document her investigation into these events. Seeking answers, she visits the library that Dorothy died in to try to communicate with her spirit. As her attempts become increasingly desperate, Ozzie unwittingly awakens something far more malevolent than she could have ever imagined.”

Asya Meadows and Michael Hargrove (Nia DaCosta directed and Jordan Peele produced Candyman) star alongside Lisa Wilcox. Steven Alonte (The Cathedral), Sargon Odicho, Arlene Arnone, Yera Constable, and J. Anthony Ramos also star.

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve had an obsession with ghost stories,” said Villanueva Jr. “I wanted to play in the found footage realm because it’s such a powerful format to explore the paranormal. Those supernatural elements feel much more accentuated when set in a reality grounded, diegetic world.”

“The film has gore, thrills, and a touch of mystery, but what truly drew me to this project was the relationship between Ozzie and her grandmother, Dorothy Bell,” said Meadows. “My grandmother was my best friend and hero growing up, so I resonated deeply with that bond. Ozzie’s inner journey of making peace with her traumatic past, rectifying her grandmother’s name, self-discovery, and forgiveness all struck a chord with me.”

“I’m delighted to share this film with an audience and especially at such a beloved event as Fantastic Fest,” said Villanueva Jr. “Their deep respect for genre and great community of fans that embrace peculiarity makes it such a perfect space for the world premiere of our film, What Happened to Dorothy Bell?”

The film was produced under Danny Villanueva Jr.’s independent production company, How Bizarre Pictures, with Villanueva Jr. serving as Editor and Producer, Tim Shircel as Executive Producer, and Michael Thomas Determan as Cinematographer and Co-Producer. Production design was done by Jody Sekas.