Alex Russell Makes a Stunning Directorial Debut with "Lurker"
Los Angeles, CA - When 34-year-old writer-director Alex Russell arrived on set for the first day of shooting his feature directorial debut, "Lurker," he admitted to feeling like he had the least on-set experience of anyone involved.
Despite his initial unease, Russell quickly found his footing after filming the first scene, a tense moment where Théodore Pellerin and Archie Madekwe's characters meet. "That was the only day that I teared up," Russell recalled. "I was like, 'OK, we have a movie.'"
His instincts were right. "Lurker" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2023 to rave reviews and industry buzz. Russell describes the experience as a "fantasy come true."
The film follows Matthew (Pellerin), a retail employee who becomes entangled in the exclusive world of Oliver (Madekwe), a rising pop star. As their relationship deepens, it takes a chilling turn.
Russell drew inspiration from his own experiences in the L.A. music scene and enlisted the help of friends like rapper Zack Fox and producer Kenny Beats to craft the film, which was four years in development.
After a competitive bidding situation at Sundance, "Lurker" landed a mid-seven-figure distribution deal with Mubi. Russell credits the company's understanding of the film's unique tone and complexity for their partnership.
Russell is currently working on writing his next project. He aims to evolve the sensibilities he explored in "Lurker" while embracing a similar tone. "I found my tone with this," Russell said. "I think the next one would be probably an evolution of a similar sensibility."
"Lurker" will make its international debut at the Berlin Film Festival on Friday, February 10th, 2023.