Thank you for your consideration in contribution to Skoptsy!, a short body horror film, critiquing and examining the misogynistic and hateful ideologies perpetrated by the modern blackpill incel community.

You can watch the full uncensored trailer on Youtube at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob4CKUiY2l4

Contained in, and central to the heart of this film, is an open critique of the blackpill incel community. Understanding the following definitions is important in understanding this film.

Incel: an abbreviation for "involuntary celibate" which is an online subculture group of people who state they are unable to find a romantic partner despite desiring one. 

Blackpill Incel: Refers to a member of the incel community whose beliefs are characterized by resentment and hatred, misogyny, misanthropy, self-pity and self-loathing, racism, a sense of entitlement to sex, and the endorsement of violence against women and sexually active people.

The blackpill community’s ideologies do not necessarily represent those of the incel community, with the latter consistently denouncing the former as extremist and fringe. This film does not necessarily target the incel community. This film targets the blackpill community.

These days, you’d be hard pressed to scroll through social media and not come across some garishly dressed man, with something like “dating guru” or “pick-up artist” in their bio, spouting deranged advice on how to become irresistible to women. Perhaps you’ve encountered a version of  this man in your life, on the street or in a bar.

For many it feels easy to give them and their rhetoric no thought, to pass them off as deranged individuals with little-to-no self-awareness. You might even feel bad for them before quickly scrolling on. 

But imagine for a moment that you are an awkward, lonely, and perhaps slightly troubled, cisgendered heterosexual young man who spends most of his free time on the internet. And perhaps your entire life you have had a particularly difficult and embarrassing relationship with women. Perhaps you feel hopeless, depressed.

And imagine that one day cruising the internet you stumble across a man who looks like you, who talks like you, a man who promises you solutions to what you see as the great problem of your life. What do you do? You would listen, wouldn’t you? At least hear them out. What do you have to lose?

This is how it begins. Relatively innocuously and innocently at first. But there is something seriously sinister underneath this veneer of self-help. There’s a pipeline pulling you directly down towards a very dangerous set of beliefs. A specific set of beliefs designed to radicalize and manipulate disenfranchised young men into acts of verbal, physical, and ideological violence and hate. 

A reclusive delivery driver is thrust into a desperate fight for his life after being abducted by an ancient cult leader determined to rid the world of original sin.

On his last delivery of the day Bill enters an abandoned convenience store and meets Jeb, the charismatic owner and Destiny, a mysterious sex worker. Over the course of one evening, throughout the store and it's hidden backrooms, Jeb and Destiny use every tool at their disposal in a bloody and thrilling battle for control over Bill's fate. 

Film in general, but specifically the horror film genre, is an incredibly effective tool for social critique. We figure if we can throw light on the inner workings and intentions of deeply harmful things, it might help folks see them coming down the line. 

Skoptsy’s narrative structure is designed to dramatize and examine the three ideological “phases” of the blackpill pipeline. 

1. The “pick-up artist” community as a gateway

2. Introduction to misogyny propoganda

3.  Psychological impacts of complete detachment from the sexual marketplace

The film’s title is a reference designed to compare the blackpill community’s actions and rhetoric to the actions and rhetoric of an old radical (and very real - look them up) Christian cult best known for practicing the castration of men in accordance with their teachings against sexual lust.

In 2022 I went through a phase of obsessing over cults, trying to learn as much as I could about the various different kinds and how they form. I learned about everyone from Jim Jones to Bagwhan Shree Rajneesh. Even going as far as watching the entire Marshall Applewhite tape. 

The more I read the more I caught myself thinking “how the fuck did these people fall for this” and I think this is a big part of the allure of learning about these cults, their leaders, and their members. It makes you feel superior and smart. It’s like reality TV in that way. Good for the ego.

And then I started to see it all around me. Especially on social media. The charming personalities, the sneaky language, the tactics of manipulation. It was different now, more modern and largely taking place on the internet, but essentially the same. 

I saw cults forming in real time. And one that always stuck out to me was the one this movie is about. So I packaged up all my anger and frustration at the state of things and used what I had learnt to try, in the only way I know how, to take as big a stab as I could at the heart of the problem. 

Skoptsy falls into the body-horror genre. A genre commonly associated with the works of Julia Ducournau, David Cronenberg, and Clive Barker (to name a few). These directors, among their many talents, all share the ability to take the human body and morph and distort it into grotesque forms and patterns that ultimately end up teaching us something about ourselves and those around us. 

Skoptsy does this by asking the question: Would it all still be true if your carefully curated internet identity was made real in your flesh?

It’s going to be dark, fast-paced, bloody and unforgiving. And it’s not going to be for everyone. That’s the nature of these things - we hope those who are interested can share in our excitement!

Director: Cam Saville 

Cam is the writer/director/producer of several short films and music videos. His first film - Death and Taxes (2019) has been screened across North America - winning the award of distinction at Canada’s Short Film Awards. He’s also the founder of Soft Power Video Productions. 

Producer: Ivy Bregman

Ivy is an up and coming Toronto-based producer who has spent the last two years immersing herself in both long and short format, gaining ample experience at all levels of production. With a degree in business, keen attention to detail and love for making connections, she is wholeheartedly dedicated to her career and feels most fulfilled when helping bring her friends’ creative visions to life.

Principal Photography of Skoptsy will take place over 2-3 shooting day in the early Spring – while the overall budget is of course heavily weighted on crowdfunding, here are key elements to the budget: 

Casting/Talent: funds will be allocated to sourcing and paying the perfect dynamic of non-union actors who will bring life and personification to our characters

Location/Production Design: setting is an essential motif in bringing this story to life and funds will be allocated accordingly to secure the right location and create the subsequent atmosphere 

Equipment: a high quality camera, lenses and lighting rentals to do justice to the world we intend to capture on screen 

Labour: we firmly believe in fairly compensating all for their time and efforts 

Healthy Set Environment: adequate facilities and ample food will be provided. Shooting over two days will allow for a parsed out shooting schedule as not to rush shots and overwork crew.

Jan + Feb: Crowdfunding + locking Key Creatives

March: Prep – casting, lock locations, crew up 

April: Principal Photography – 2-3 day shoot 

May: Post

July - October: Delivery + Festival Submissions 

Thank you for your time and consideration in helping us make our film a reality. We appreciate every contribution and hope and ask only that you contribute what you can.