Possum (film)

Possum
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Matthew Holness
Screenplay by	Matthew Holness
Based on	Possum by Matthew Holness
Produced by	Wayne Marc Godfrey James Harris Robert Jones Mark Lane
Starring	Sean Harris Alun Armstrong
Cinematography	Kit Fraser
Edited by	Tommy Boulding
Music by	The Radiophonic Workshop
Production companies	BFI Film Fund Dark Sky Films
Distributed by	Dark Sky Films
Release dates	25 June 2018 (2018-06-25) (Edinburgh International Film Festival) 26 October 2018 (2018-10-26) (United Kingdom)
Running time	85 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Box office	$33,271[1]

Possum is a 2018 British psychological horror film written and directed by Matthew Holness in his feature film debut, starring Sean Harris and Alun Armstrong. It centres on a disgraced children's puppeteer who returns to his childhood home and is forced to confront trauma he suffered there.

Possum is an adaption of Holness' short story of the same name, published in the horror anthology The New Uncanny: Tales of Unease, and partially inspired by the theories on the uncanny by Sigmund Freud. Holness soon forgot about the idea of adapting the story until he had begun working on developing a possible horror film. As a fan of the horror genre, Holness stated he much preferred horror films that resonate with the audience and force them to reflect on the experience afterward. Possum's visual style was inspired by public information films Holness saw in his youth. Other inspirations include Dead of Night (1945), George Romero's Martin (1978), and German Expressionist films. Filming began in Norfolk, with additional filming taking place in Great Yarmouth and Suffolk. The film's score was composed by sound effects and experimental electronic music studio The Radiophonic Workshop, which marked their first soundtrack purposely constructed for a feature film.

Possum premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on June 25, 2018, and later screened in the United States at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival on October 12, 2018. It was later given a limited theatrical release in the United States, opening in five theatres on November 2, 2018; finishing its limited theatrical run with a gross of $33,271. Later, it was given a home media release. In addition to garnering multiple awards and nominations, it was generally praised by critics for Harris' performance, the film's atmosphere, score, and unsettling imagery, though the story prompted some criticism.