Film made by Hersey High librarian to hit Chicago Horror Film Fest
A librarian by day and filmmaker by night, Bruce Janu’s short horror film is heading to the Chicago Horror Film Festival next month. With over 222 films screening over the three-day fest on May 16-18 at the historic Logan Theater, The Chicago Horror Film Festival is now considered to be the largest in the world for the horror genre.
“Say My Name” is chilling tale of vengeance and justice showcases the collaborative talents of Maria Puga, a Woodstock resident and current help desk technician at Rolling Meadows High School, and Bruce Janu, an educator with over 30 years of experience teaching social science and is the current librarian at John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights.
Written and directed by Janu, “Say My Name” follows a serial killer haunted by the horrifying return of one of his victims. She appears with her glowing, lava-like wounds and fiery eyes. She carries a demonic doll with a chilling laugh, and has only one request: “say my name.”
“’Say My Name’ is more than a horror film. It is a story about a ghost, for sure,” said Janu, who plays serial killer Mason Oliver Reed. “But it is also about how justice can be as terrifying as the crimes it avenges.”
Maria Puga, who not only plays the spirit but also designed the makeup for the character, expressed her excitement about the project’s completion.
“We wanted to create something that was scary but also gets the audience thinking about who is the true villain. It’s been an incredible journey, and I can’t wait for audiences to see it,” Puga said.
Recently, “Say My Name” received a “Best Cast Award” at the Couch Film Festival in Toronto.
Bruce David Janu is no stranger to impactful storytelling. His filmmaking credits include the critically acclaimed documentaries “Facing Sudan” (2007) and “Crayons and Paper” (2008), both of which explore genocide and the impact on victims and those who work tirelessly to stop the carnage. “Facing Sudan” was awarded the Best Documentary Award at the Illinois International Film Festival in 2007. His 2020 release, “This Sacred Place: The Story of Old Lynn Concerts,” tells the story of a rural Pennsylvania church that became a home for world-renowned singer-songwriters, earning Janu a Best Director award at a Canadian film festival.
“Say My Name” was shot entirely on location in Illinois, with scenes filmed in Cary, Woodstock, and Oak Park. The stunning visuals were brought to life by Andrew Zilch, the film’s director of photography. A 2022 graduate of Cary-Grove High School, Zilch has a passion for filmmaking and took a break from working on his own short film, “Blue Hotel,” to lend his expertise to this project.
Tickets for the Chicago Horror Film Festival can be purchased at www.chicagohorrorfilmfest.com.
For more information about “Say My Name,” visit www.bellbookcamera.com.
About the filmmakers:
Maria Puga, a Woodstock resident and 2006 graduate of Woodstock High School, makes her acting debut in “Say My Name.” Cary resident Bruce David Janu, a librarian at John Hersey High School in District 214, is an award-winning filmmaker dedicated to fostering creativity and innovation among students. Andrew Zilch, currently a student at Harper College, brings a passion for filmmaking to his role as director of photography, stepping away from his own project, “Blue Hotel,” to work on this film.
Productions stills and other Images can be found at www.bellbookcamera.com.