Despite the world being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, we haven't seen a boom in infection films in the years that have followed. Maybe it is that the pain and devastation still feel too raw, or perhaps filmmakers are reluctant to explore the subgenre that is so overrun. However, this year's Grimmfest lineup featured Bari Kang's Itch!, a unique apocalyptic thriller exploring paranoia and the human condition in the face of a terrifying disease.

Itch! follows grieving widower Jay (Bari Kang) and his daughter Olivia (Monica De Oliveira), who will not speak and communicates only through writing messages. Jay seeks solace in his family's department store, while in the outside world, a mysterious outbreak likened to Scabies sweeps the nation, with reports blaming everything from immigration to failing healthcare. The infection spirals out of control at the same time Jay's department store is held up by armed robbers, with the country being plunged into lockdown. Forced together, the group is faced with not only keeping themselves free of the deadly disease, but also rising paranoia and dwindling resources.

Kang makes use of a stripped-back premise and singular location to hammer home the horror of the dark depths humans will reach when faced with a crisis. Itch! is far less about the fate of those infected and more about how humans deal with the prospect of the end of the world, and their fragility in the face of certain doom. With frantic camerawork and a razor-sharp script, Kang successfully highlights that shuffling zombies or the rage-filled infected are not the most terrifying thing when facing the apocalypse – it's what those closest to us will do to survive.

While Itch! sometimes sags in its pacing, Kang's powerful central performance as Jay is enough to keep the audience gripped. His plight to protect his daughter in the escalating outbreak is heartbreaking, as is his fear, confusion, and stubbornness when faced with the reality of his situation. The ensemble cast – featuring the likes of Patrick Michael Valley and Ximena Uribe – manages to feel realistic despite not being as fleshed out as Jay and Olivia, a testament to the strength of the script and vision.

Itch! excels in its dedication to its central themes and ability to execute them with a quiet confidence that doesn't rely on a big budget. The creeping sense of dread and paranoia oozes through every scene, culminating in an emotional final act that feels devastatingly timely.

Itch! had its international premiere at Grimmfest 2025 on 10 October