Giallo fanatics are sure to be familiar with the words of Giuseppe ‘Pupi' Avati, famed director, producer, and screenwriter behind the likes of The House with Laughing Windows and Zeder. Since the release of Balsamus the Man of Satan in 1968, Avati has become one of the most celebrated creatives in Italian cinema, with several Golden Palm nominations under his belt and nods from festivals worldwide. Following the release of The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time in 2023, Avati brought his latest film, The American Backyard, to FrightFest Glasgow 2025.
Inspired by the true crimes of The Monster of Florence, The American Backyard begins during the 1945 Italian Liberation and follows young writer Lui (Filippo Scotti) who falls in love with American army nurse Barbara after a chance meeting. He moves to America and finds himself living next door to Barbara's family home, but he learns from her bereft mother that Barbara has gone missing, with her sister Arianna travelling to Italy to track her down but returned empty-handed. Driven by his emotions, Lui embarks on a mission to track Barbara down, guided by mysterious voices into Barbara's family's backyard to discover an unusual jar with a horrifying secret.
Shot entirely in black and white, The American Backyard is a striking piece of unsettling cinema that veers from horrific discoveries and imagery drained of all hope to melodramatic interactions so wildly it plunges the audience into a constant state of discomfort – all set to Stefano Arnaldi's piercing score. The horror of the film lies in the crimes of the serial killer terrorising a small Italian village, with the descriptions of his slaughters sufficient enough to chill viewers without the need for explicit gore. As the investigation twists and turns, The American Backyard somewhat loses its focus, with the devastatingly disturbing final act lacking some punch. But its central performances – notably from Filippo Scotti, Rita Tushingham, Roberto de Francesco, Chiara Caselli – keep the bizarre flick from completely derailing.
The American Backyard is sure to be one of the most unusual films on this year's festival circuit, offering something truly unique among its peers. Avati once more showcases his expert grasp of creating a palpable sense of dread and doom through the most simple of images, with his latest offering embodying the malevolence and unsettling energy that has run throughout his filmography.
The American Backyard had its UK premiere at FrightFest Glasgow on 9 March
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