A disgraced puppeteer (Sean Harris) returns to his childhood home, where he is forced to contend with his horrific stepfather. He carries with him a disturbing puppet named “Possum,” which features an array of spider legs underneath a replica of a man’s head. As the puppeteer must confront trauma that has followed him since childhood, he also experiences visions in which Possum is coming terrifyingly to life.

Possum was directed and written by Matthew Holness, who created and starred in the cult classic horror parody series, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace. Here, Holness trades horror comedy for something far more grave, flexing his arthouse chops in this steely, minimalist take on a psychological horror film. The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised in particular the unnerving performance by Harris, the chilling atmosphere and striking cinematography.