Family Demons

Billie, a teenage girl, endures a miserable existence with her alcoholic mother. She is cruelly punished every day, both physically and emotionally just for being born. She has never been to school, she is not allowed to get a job, and she is not permitted to leave the house…. ever.

As such, Billie’s bizarre upbringing has resulted in her becoming a virtual prisoner in her own home. No friends, no outside contacts, just her drunken mother.

During one of mum’s three day drinking binges, a starving Billie sneaks out of the house in search of food as there are no groceries. Billie finds her way to the local store and buys food, but on her way back home she is attacked by a gang of thugs.

Seeing Billie outnumbered and in trouble, Sean (next door neighbour) tries to protect her while she makes her escape and Billie runs home. Unfortunately, her mother catches her coming in the house and she is chained to the laundry sink as punishment.

Hearing Billie’s cries for help, Sean breaks into the house and frees her. The two of them plan to run away but her mother uncovers the plan and refuses to let Billie go. A violent struggle ensues and during this, Billie’s repressed anger is unleashed and in her fury she kills her mother.

Burying the body in the backyard, Billie hides all traces of the crime. As she waits for Sean to arrive, it soon becomes clear that her mother’s evil, vengeful spirit remains and still does not wish for her to leave. Even in death, the mother is hell bent on denying Billie her freedom.

Family Demons is similar in tone to The Sixth Sense and The Others with thematic and visual references harking back to Brian de Palma’s horror classic, Carrie and contemporary Japanese ghost stories, such as The Grudge and Tale of Two Sisters.