Private Project

Rat King

An isolated man shuts himself out from the outside world after his emotionally abusive mother’s suicide. Tormented by her ghost and the demon she leaves behind, Daniel Ernst rejects his sister, Emily's attempts at connection and dives into the occult as a means to contact his mothers demonic muse, the Rat King. When Emily forces herself into his apartment and discovers his ritualism she decides to cut herself from him completely, leaving Daniel with his self destructive grief and rage. In his loneliness, he is finally reached out to by the Rat King, as he collapses into the demon's arms, we’re left to wonder if the demon ever existed at all.

  • Ayush Senanayake
    Director
  • Ayush Senanayake
    Writer
  • Michael Florizone
    Producer
  • Jared Magale
    Key Cast
  • Sheyda Navidi
    Key Cast
  • Zander Smith-Pauls
    Key Cast
  • Kael Gough Johnson
    DP
  • Sahil Grewal
    DP2
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    20 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    June 28, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    3,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Shooting Format:
    RED R3D
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - GW Graham Secondary
  • Chilliwack Independent Film Festival
    CHILLIWACK
    Canada
    November 23, 2024
    BC
    Best Fraser Valley Film - win, Best Score - nomination
Director Biography - Ayush Senanayake

Ayush Senanayake left Sri Lanka for Canada at age 10 and experienced a transformative cultural shift that sparked his passion for film and storytelling. He studied at GW Graham Film Production Workshop Class where his early exposure to films shaped his ambition and helped create impactful projects such as a documentary for the Salvation Army and two professionally made, school-funded films. Ayush has won multiple academic and film-related awards and gained recognition from film festivals like Chilliwack Independent Film Festival, BC Student Film Festival and Reel2Reel Film Festival. He is pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Film Production at Capilano University’s Motion Picture Arts Program. Ayush aims to craft meaningful films that connect with people, innovate change, and express unique perspectives about the world.

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