Just ahead of its premiere on June 10, 2022, at the Tribeca Film Festival 2022, Collider can exclusively reveal the brand-new poster and stills for the upcoming drama film Next Exit, which gives audiences a small peak at Mali Elfman‘s upcoming feature film directorial debut.
The upcoming drama film takes place in a world where the afterlife has been confirmed to be real, a new study known as Life Beyond, created by Dr. Stevenson, played by Karen Gillan, which provides volunteers with a painless suicide. The story follows two characters named Rose and Teddy, played by Katie Parker and Rahul Kohli, respectively, who are two strangers who partake in a cross-country drive together to their Life Beyond appointments. On this journey, the two grow close and build a connection that helps them confront their traumas with each passing day bringing their deaths closer and closer. The stills and poster reflect this journey of reflection in the face of death, with the poster showing the two leads walking on a road, in a shattering circle, Rose on top with a star-laden sky behind her, and Teddy is shown walking on the same road as her reflection with a blue sky behind him.
Elfman serves as both writer and director on the film, though she is most recognized as a producer, having been nominated for a BAFTA in 2018 alongside Gillan as well as R. Andru Davies and Claire Mundell for their work on Gillan’s The Party’s Just Beginning. Other films she has produced include Mike Flanagan’s 2016 film Before I Wake as well as several other films, short films, and TV series. While this marks her feature film debut, this is not Elfman’s first foray into writing and/or directing, having served in at least one of the roles in four short films with the latest one being Locker Room Z, which was released on Amazon and Alamo Drafthouse theaters. Another upcoming project from Elfman includes being an executive producer for the Gary Shore-directed horror film, The Queen Mary. “The adrenaline in my brain isn’t allowing me to properly describe what it feels like, after a decade of working on this film, for it to finally premiere this week at Tribeca Film Festival,” said Elfman. “For me, this film has always been a balancing act; between dark and light, fears and needs, hope and despair. It’s all of me at once and watching Katie Parker and Rahul Kohli bring all of those emotions to this film was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. I can’t wait to share our funny, dark ghost story with you!”
In addition to serving as both writer and director on the project, Elfman is also a producer for Next Exit alongside Derek Bishé, Narineh Hacopian, Lindsay Helms, and Joel Nevells. Helms and Nevells also serve as executive producers on the film. Along with Gillan, Parker, and Kohli, the film also stars Rose McIver, Tongayi Chirisa, and Diva Zappa. XYZ Films will be overseeing the sales of the film at the Festival.
Next Exit will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 10, 2022. You can see the brand-new poster and new stills for the upcoming film as well as real its official synopsis down below.
When a research scientist makes national news proving she can track people into the afterlife, Rose sees a way out and Teddy sees his chance to finally make it. These two strangers, both harboring dark secrets, race to join the doctor’s contentious study and leave this life behind. While Rose is haunted by a ghostly presence that she can’t outrun, Teddy is forced to confront his past. As these two misfits humorously quarrel their way across the country, they meet people along the way who force them to reckon with what is really driving them.
