The Shadows Factory and Wild Filmmaker are proud to announce that Samantha Casella’s new film, Tetélestai, is currently in production, with release planned for 2026.
The third and final chapter of the Trilogy of the Subconscious—which began with Santa Guerra and continued with Katabasis—Tetélestai explores the hidden landscapes of the human psyche, blending horror, poetry, and dreamlike imagery to bring Casella’s vision to full expression.
The story follows two women, portrayed by Samantha Casella and newcomer Gina Rose Pieri, bound by an intense and almost morbid relationship. Casella plays an ambiguous and disturbing woman, taking on the form of a modern, female Nosferatu. Pieri, in her feature debut, brings a luminous vulnerability that conceals hidden depths, creating a striking contrast with Casella and transforming their bond into a whirlwind of desire, obsession, and psychological complexity.
The film also marks the return of Italian cinema icon Laura Trotter after thirty years, inspired to rejoin the screen after seeing Katabasis in theaters. Trotter is celebrated for her work in the films of Dino Risi, Marco Ferreri, Damiano Damiani, and Tinto Brass, as well as for her unforgettable appearance in Umberto Lenzi’s cult horror Nightmare City.
Filming is underway across evocative locations in Italy and France, including Faenza, Meldola, Sarsina, Riolo Terme, and Deauville, with a talented ensemble cast featuring Bruno Bilotta, Francesca Rettondini, Angela Tuccia, Vanessa Marini, Barbara Bovoli, Vincenzo Amoruso, Roberto Rizzoni, Rossella Ambrosini, Massimiliano Nocco and Michael Dallender.
Bruno Bilotta, an actor of remarkable versatility, is known for his work alongside international stars such as Denzel Washington, Anthony Hopkins, Ben Kingsley, and Stanley Tucci, bringing a commanding presence to the screen.
Francesca Rettondini, a familiar face on Italian television and an actress of great emotional depth and impact, further enriches the film’s intense psychological atmosphere.
In the coming months, new actors and actresses will join the cast, expanding the immersive and symbolic world of Tetélestai.
A strong visual dimension is added through original sculptures and artworks, prominently featuring young talent Cristian Cimatti, alongside pieces by Giovanni Scardovi, Federico Severino, Martino Neri, Domenico Baccarini and reproductions of masterpieces by Holbein, Magritte, Schiele and Böcklin executed by Claudia Drei, enriching the film’s dreamlike, symbolic universe.
The mystical and spiritually sensitive score is composed by Kim Allen Kluge and Kathryn Kluge, known for their work on Martin Scorsese’s Silence, perfectly complementing Casella’s poetic cinematic world.
With Tetèlestai, Samantha Casella puts a mark on the completion of her Trilogy of the Subconscious — a visionary exploration of the human psyche that confirms her singular presence in contemporary indie cinema.
