Private Project

The Hill and the Hole

Working one last job for the Bureau of Land Management, archaeologist TOM DIGBY finds a strange mound on an old ranch in a remote corner of the American southwest. Trouble is, Tom cannot stop digging into the mound's history- uncovering a bizarre secret protected by the locals - that might cost him his life. Or something worse.

  • Christopher Ernst
    Director
  • William Darmon
    Director
  • William Darmon
    Writer
  • William Darmon
    Producer
  • Ryan Darmon
    Producer
  • Liam Kelly
    Key Cast
    "Tom Digby"
  • Adam Gorightly
    Key Cast
    "Roger Person"
  • Brandt Adams
    Key Cast
    "Gabriel Caster"
  • Kristen Brody
    Key Cast
    "Layne Meade"
  • Chris Dunlop
    Key Cast
    "Ben Shelly"
  • Ricardo Burgos
    Key Cast
    "Joel"
  • Matt O'Donnell
    Key Cast
    "Michael"
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    arthouse, indie, supernatural, horror
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 20 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 31, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    250,000 USD
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:66
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Christopher Ernst, William Darmon

Bill Darmon is a screenwriter, producer and director based out of Boston, Massachusetts. He studied American independent cinema and screenwriting under Ray Carney at Boston University and has since worked as a producer and filmmaker for a wide range of brands, start-ups and tech firms. Chris Ernst is an experimental filmmaker based out of Baltimore, Maryland. He completed his MFA in Media Study studying with Tony Conrad at SUNY Buffalo and has since worked as a producer and director for MTV as well as a cinematographer for feature films such as the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival selection BURIED LAND, and the hybrid docu-drama AUDITION.

In 2015, Ernst and Darmon co-founded the independent micro-studio BRIGHT RECTANGLE FILMS, a moving image production collective dedicated to independent cinema, DIY filmmaking practices, visionary imagery and the art of filmmaking. Their experimental adaptation of Robert W. Chamber’s “The King in Yellow,” entitled CORPSE, premiered at the 23rd annual H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival and Anthology Film Archives in New York in 2018, as well as winning a Spotlight Horror Film Award.

THE HILL AND THE HOLE is their first feature film.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

THE HILL AND THE HOLE is expanded from renowned sci-fi/fantasy author Fritz Leiber's short story published in the collection "Night's Black Agents." Shot on location in New Mexico with a skeleton crew and a gonzo production schedule, the film weaves together elements of cult cinema, b-movie horror, and conspiracy culture and features a standout performance by famous author and "crackpot historian" Adam Gorightly.