Press & Festivals

Slasher Terror, Cartel Nightmares and a British Folk Monster Join Black Mandala’s New Horror Slate (EXCLUSIVE)

"Babybacks,” written and directed by Geno Marx and co-written by Kent Rodricks, stars Viridiana Márquez, Melissa Chambers, Ray Acevedo, Ryan Rathbun, Alfred Gonzales and Peter Lucas. The survival horror film, produced by Tara Tovarek, centers on a young couple on the run from cartel hitmen through the Sonoran Desert who take shelter with an outwardly kind older couple – who turn out to be predators of their own. The film has been selected for the 2026 International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival."

Read Full Article

Babybacks horror film featured in a Variety exclusive about Black Mandala’s international horror slate.

From The Border to Hell

"Combining the social unease of GET OUT, the claustrophobic psychological menace of MISERY, and the relentless survival horror of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, BABYBACKS takes audiences on a disturbing journey from the unforgiving heat of the Sonoran Desert into the increasingly sinister confines of a rural American home."

Read Full Article

Equal parts road thriller and backwoods nightmare

"Everything about the introduction screams 1990s, right down to the retro title treatment and credit font. It immediately establishes a grimy, throwback atmosphere that fits the film's blend of road thriller, survival horror, and backwoods nightmare."

Read Full Review

Darkly Humorous!

"Babybacks is a film that deals with a lot of very prescient subject matter for us here in the deadly desert of Arizona because it deals with a couple that is trying to get across the border."

Watch Video Review

BABYBACKS IS A GRISLY STANDOUT

"Part of what makes BABYBACKS so impressive is its ability to both maintain and consistently ratchet up the tension in a scenario that seems at once all too plausible and remarkably outlandish. It feels the same cocktail of dangerous and near ridiculous as something like Tobe Hooper’s TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE."

Read Full Review

A meal worth eating…even when you know the ingredients.

"Babybacks works as a locked door thriller before it ever gets to its appropriately gory climax. Carol and Wayne are great antagonists. Zoe and Mateo are likable protagonists. The dynamic simply works."

Read Full Review

A very solid one location horror film

"Babybacks wastes no time getting started and stays entertaining throughout. Way more humor than I expected."

Watch Video Review

Audience Reactions

Letterboxd

Slide 1 of 10

Babybacks is an amazing horror film! It played with my expectations and kept me on my feet the whole time! I was lucky enough to see this on the big screen with a group of fellow filmmakers and we all loved it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Louis Alvarez

Good Watch! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Aideezyy

The subject matter is controversial but relevant and serves as the perfect backdrop to a very well balanced story of people. Twisted and depraved and desperate people, but people all the same. Excellent watch! A throwback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

Alex Trusk

This was a tasty and twisted treat. Strong recommend for when it gets a wider release. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Chris Duck

Loved it. Also the guy who plays Mateo is super dreamyyyyy. More of him pls ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

ricothefrog

Holy smokes the casting for the main two villains was insane, I was incredibly unnerved the whole time I was watching. As well as our main two, who do an amazing job portraying the fear their characters go through. Our main quartet give it their all in this performance and they really do deserve their flowers. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jordan

For fans of low-budget horror with a taste for gore and grindhouse sensibilities, Babybacks offers plenty to chew on. It may stumble in its early moments, but by the time the credits roll, the film delivers exactly what its blood-soaked premise promises: a messy, brutal spectacle that proudly wears its influences on its sleeve. ⭐⭐⭐

Zachary

So fun in a crowded theater. Excellent cast, excellent crew!! Esp Mateo and sound gahdamn! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

aparkerb

This movie was wild! Lot more gory and bloody than expected and it was a surprise and this movie reinforces that old people are scary! ⭐⭐⭐✨

biggoobz041

I may never eat ribs again. A committed performance by Melissa Chambers is a bit much for even this scenario. If Trump knew about this movie he’d give it to ICE as a propaganda video to deter illegal immigration. ⭐⭐⭐✨

stueygeorge

Babybacks is an amazing horror film! It played with my expectations and kept me on my feet the whole time! I was lucky enough to see this on the big screen with a group of fellow filmmakers and we all loved it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Louis Alvarez

Good Watch! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Aideezyy

The subject matter is controversial but relevant and serves as the perfect backdrop to a very well balanced story of people. Twisted and depraved and desperate people, but people all the same. Excellent watch! A throwback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

Alex Trusk

This was a tasty and twisted treat. Strong recommend for when it gets a wider release. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Chris Duck

Loved it. Also the guy who plays Mateo is super dreamyyyyy. More of him pls ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

ricothefrog

Holy smokes the casting for the main two villains was insane, I was incredibly unnerved the whole time I was watching. As well as our main two, who do an amazing job portraying the fear their characters go through. Our main quartet give it their all in this performance and they really do deserve their flowers. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jordan

For fans of low-budget horror with a taste for gore and grindhouse sensibilities, Babybacks offers plenty to chew on. It may stumble in its early moments, but by the time the credits roll, the film delivers exactly what its blood-soaked premise promises: a messy, brutal spectacle that proudly wears its influences on its sleeve. ⭐⭐⭐

Zachary

So fun in a crowded theater. Excellent cast, excellent crew!! Esp Mateo and sound gahdamn! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

aparkerb

This movie was wild! Lot more gory and bloody than expected and it was a surprise and this movie reinforces that old people are scary! ⭐⭐⭐✨

biggoobz041

I may never eat ribs again. A committed performance by Melissa Chambers is a bit much for even this scenario. If Trump knew about this movie he’d give it to ICE as a propaganda video to deter illegal immigration. ⭐⭐⭐✨

stueygeorge

Babybacks is an amazing horror film! It played with my expectations and kept me on my feet the whole time! I was lucky enough to see this on the big screen with a group of fellow filmmakers and we all loved it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Louis Alvarez

Good Watch! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Aideezyy

The subject matter is controversial but relevant and serves as the perfect backdrop to a very well balanced story of people. Twisted and depraved and desperate people, but people all the same. Excellent watch! A throwback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

Alex Trusk

This was a tasty and twisted treat. Strong recommend for when it gets a wider release. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Chris Duck

Loved it. Also the guy who plays Mateo is super dreamyyyyy. More of him pls ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

ricothefrog

Holy smokes the casting for the main two villains was insane, I was incredibly unnerved the whole time I was watching. As well as our main two, who do an amazing job portraying the fear their characters go through. Our main quartet give it their all in this performance and they really do deserve their flowers. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jordan

For fans of low-budget horror with a taste for gore and grindhouse sensibilities, Babybacks offers plenty to chew on. It may stumble in its early moments, but by the time the credits roll, the film delivers exactly what its blood-soaked premise promises: a messy, brutal spectacle that proudly wears its influences on its sleeve. ⭐⭐⭐

Zachary

So fun in a crowded theater. Excellent cast, excellent crew!! Esp Mateo and sound gahdamn! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

aparkerb

This movie was wild! Lot more gory and bloody than expected and it was a surprise and this movie reinforces that old people are scary! ⭐⭐⭐✨

biggoobz041

I may never eat ribs again. A committed performance by Melissa Chambers is a bit much for even this scenario. If Trump knew about this movie he’d give it to ICE as a propaganda video to deter illegal immigration. ⭐⭐⭐✨

stueygeorge

Official Selections

🏆 Best Actress, 13Horror 2026
🏆 Best Supporting Actress, 13Horror 2026
🏆 Best Editing, Catacombs 2026
🏆 Best Sound Design, Catacombs 2026
🏆 Best Actress, NoHo CineFest 2026
Nominated Best Director, NoHo CineFest 2026
Nominated Best Film, NoHo CineFest 2026
🏆 Best Cinematography, Houston Horror 2026
🏆 Best Actress, Studio City 2026
Nominated Best Director, Studio City 2026
Nominated Best Film, Studio City 2026
🏆 Best Indie Feature, LA Sun Film Fest 2026
Nominated Best Director, Atlanta Horror Fest 2026
🏆 Best Feature, Atlanta Horror Fest 2026
Nominated Best Gore, Atlanta Horror Fest 2026
🏆 Best Special FX, Indie Horror Film Festival 2026
Nominated Best Cinematography, Indie Horror Film Festival 2026
Nominated Best Music, Indie Horror Film Festival 2026
Nominated Best Editing, Indie Horror Film Festival 2026
Nominated Best Actor, Indie Horror Film Festival 2026
Nominated Best Actress, Indie Horror Film Festival 2026
Nominated Best Director, Indie Horror Film Festival 2026
Nominated Best Feature, Indie Horror Film Festival 2026
Nominated Best US Feature, SOHO Int'l Film Festival 2026
Nominated Best Actress, SOHO Int'l Film Festival 2026
Nominated Best Feature, Terror in the Bay Film Festival 2026
Nominated Best Supporting Actress, Terror in the Bay Film Festival 2026