Private Project

The Woods are Lovely, Dark and Deep

The Woods are Lovely, Dark and Deep follows Anjelica as she reluctantly returns to her childhood haunt under grim circumstances. Her estranged Aunt Fern lies unconscious in a hospital, forcing Anjelica to stay in her aunt's secluded cabin nestled among towering trees on an island near Seattle. Roarke, a friend from her past, remarks on how the relentless forest would reclaim everything if not constantly cut back. As days pass, Anjelica begins experiencing eerie visions and sounds that blur the line between reality and delusion. With her aunt's condition deteriorating, the encroaching forest seems to mirror Anjelica's own unraveling sanity, threatening to consume her entirely.

  • Mykel Salazar
    Director
    Dear Judith, Quiet on Set, Mary Margaret Road Grader
  • Lindsay Jaeger
    Writer
    All Good Things, Dan in Real Life, Perfect Stranger
  • Keagan Karnes
    Producer
    Little Brother, Sunlight, Dear Judith
  • Kelsey Landon
    Producer
    Big Sky, Department of One, Days of Our Lives
  • Alexandra Renzo
    Key Cast
    "Anjelica"
    Liz, Soulmate(s), Queen of Knives
  • Morningstar Angeline
    Key Cast
    "Roarke"
    Marvel's Echo, Westworld, Frybread Face and Me
  • Cassidy Freeman
    Key Cast
    "Dr. Stevens"
    Longmire, Righteous Gemstones, Smallville
  • David Carlos Valdez
    Editor
    Dr. Death, The Mandalorian, BlacKkKlansman
  • James Kwan
    Director of Photography
    Sunlight, Bleeding Love, Night of the Cooters, Frybread Face and Me
  • Sarah Loeppke
    Production Designer
    Sunlight, Canyon Del Muerto, The Marksman
  • Nicholas Roche
    Sound Design
    Liz, The Wrong Guy
  • Shayne Hartigan
    Casting Director
    Barbie, Oppenheimer, Westworld
  • Ryan Halsey
    Gaffer
    Poker Face, Bleeding Love, Jane
  • Alec Brown
    Assistant Editor
    Liz, Omega Mart, Meow Wolf: Origin Story
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Psychological thriller, drama, thriller, Experimental
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 55 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 17, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    12,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, RED Komodo, Sony FX3
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.0 & 1.3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Chelsea Film Festival
    New York City
    United States
    NY Premiere
  • Nvision Latino Film and Music Festival
    Palm Springs
    United States
    October 12, 2024
  • Santa Fe International Film Festival
    Santa Fe
    United States
    October 19, 2024
    NM Premiere
  • Guadalajara Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    November 1, 2024
  • Madrid Shorts Film Festival
    Madrid
    Spain
    Best Sound Design
  • Seattle Film Festival
    Seattle
    United States
  • ARFF Berlin
    Berlin
    Germany
  • Belgrade International Film Festival
    Belgrade
    Serbia
Director Biography - Mykel Salazar

Mykel is a queer Indigenous filmmaker from the Pueblo of Laguna in New Mexico, graduated from Haskell Indian Nations University in 2012 and later attended Washington University School of Law. When her father was diagnosed with terminal leukemia, she returned home to care for her family. Following his suggestion, she explored acting but discovered her true passion lay behind the camera. In 2016, she began her career as a production assistant and joined the Directors Guild of America as a 1st assistant director in 2020.

In February 2020, Mykel was recognized as a “Rising Star” by the New Mexico Film and Television Hall of Fame. She has directed five short films and has won 15 awards at international festivals, including Best Female Director and Best Cause-Driven Film.

Among her notable projects, "Notch" (2024) is a thriller about a woman’s dark journey after accepting a ride from a stranger, while the “Untitled MMIW doc” (2024), created in collaboration with AMC’s Dark Winds, addresses the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. "The Woods are Lovely, Dark and Deep" (2023) is a psychological thriller currently making waves on the festival circuit, and "Dear Judith" (2023) is an award-winning short about love, loyalty and betrayal between two women. "Quiet on Set" (2021) is another powerful, award-winning short inspired by Mykel’s traumatic experience.

Mykel has worked on over 50 productions as a 1st Assistant Director, including 15 as a DGA 1st AD and work on high-profile advertising campaigns. Noteworthy among these 50 productions are “Ralph Lauren Artist in Residency/Naiomi Glasses” (2023), a documentary shot on Navajo Nation in Arizona, "Mary Margaret Road Grader" (2022), a short film produced by George R.R. Martin, and "The Last Manhunt" (2019), a western feature produced by Jason Momoa.

A passionate advocate for social change, Mykel supports the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement, Native American sovereignty, human rights, and equality. As a lesbian woman of color, she strives to be a voice for marginalized communities and filmmakers.

Living in New Mexico with her wife, Lena, Mykel enjoys woodworking, experimenting with antique film cameras, and caring for their five goats.

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Director Statement

"The Woods are Lovely, Dark and Deep" is a journey into the intricate and often dark tapestry of memory, grief, and the supernatural. This film is deeply personal, resonating with the idea of returning to a place that once held safety and comfort, only to find it transformed by the passage of time and the haunting nature of unresolved trauma.

In creating this film, I aimed to explore the thin veil between reality and the supernatural, using the lush, encroaching nature of the island and the eerie, almost sentient forest as metaphors for the inescapable and often overwhelming presence of our pasts. Anjelica’s journey back to the island and her childhood home is not just a physical return, but a psychological and emotional confrontation with her deepest fears and memories.

The character of Anjelica is central to this narrative. Her exhaustion, stress, and gradual unraveling reflect the weight of her past and the burden of her present. The film's atmosphere, from the misty ferry ride to the claustrophobic forest and the decaying cottage, is designed to mirror Anjelica's internal state. The supernatural elements – the persistent thumping heart, the black roots, and the ghostly figures – serve as physical manifestations of her inner turmoil.

Music and sound play crucial roles in building this world. The music is haunting and deep as to get into the psyche. The creaking trees, the eerie sounds at night, and the persistent heartbeat are all designed to immerse the audience in her unsettling experience.

The relationships in the film, particularly between Anjelica and Roarke, offer a glimpse of hope and human connection amidst the darkness. Their interactions are imbued with a mix of nostalgia, unresolved tension, and a desire for closure. Roarke's presence, both real and possibly imagined, serves as a guide and a reminder of Anjelica’s unresolved past.

Visually, the film draws inspiration from the rich, shadowy aesthetics of gothic literature and classic horror. The encroaching forest, the dimly lit cottage, and the stark hospital room create a sense of isolation and entrapment, emphasizing Anjelica’s struggle to find clarity and peace.

Ultimately, "The Woods are Lovely, Dark and Deep" is a story about confronting the past and the supernatural elements that linger in our memories and our environments. It's a tale of resilience, the search for understanding, and the haunting beauty of the unknown. Through Anjelica's journey, I hope to evoke a sense of empathy, reflection, and a deeper appreciation for the complex interplay between memory, reality, and the supernatural.