A new voice in horror sets her sights on the institutional racism at universities across the country in the academia-focused thriller Master. Regina Hall (Scary Movie), Zoe Renee (The Quad), and Amber Gray (The Underground Railroad) star in Mariama Diallo’s debut feature film, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
The official synopsis for the feature reads:
Professor Gail Bishop (Hall) has recently been promoted to “Master” of a residence hall, the first time at storied Ancaster College that a Black woman has held the post. Determined to breathe new life into a centuries-old tradition, Gail soon finds herself wrapped up in the trials and tribulations of Jasmine Moore (Renee), an energetic and optimistic Black freshman. Jasmine’s time at Ancaster hits a snag early on when she’s assigned a dorm room that is rumored to be haunted.
Things get worse when Jasmine clashes in the classroom with Liv Beckman (Gray), a professor in the middle of her own racially charged tenure review. As Gail tries to maintain order and fulfill the duties of a Master, the cracks begin to show in Ancaster’s once-immaculate facade. After a career spent fighting to make it into Ancaster’s inner circle, Gail is confronted with the horrifying prospect of what lies beneath, her question ultimately becoming not whether the school is haunted, but by whom.
Master also stars Talia Ryder and Talia Balsam, and is produced by Joshua Astrachan, Brad Becker-Parton, and Andrea Roa.
Following Master’s debut at Sundance, The A.V. Club’s Katie Rife wrote, “The obvious precursor to Master is the 2017 Sundance sensation Get Out, but this is one of the few ‘social thrillers’ to live up to Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning debut in terms of horror craft and incisive commentary on liberal racism. The film has more to offer than mere imitation... Diallo has an eye for composition as well, announcing her as a director to watch.”
Master will arrive in select theaters and on Prime Video starting March 18.
