Did you know that praying mantises are coital cannibals? Aka the females eat the males during the mating process, not as an act of violence, but as a means for survival.

Our film "Praying Mantis" is, at its heart, a survival story.

a note from the writers:

December 2022. A typical night for us: trying to take the edge off through a little too much wine and the dulcet tones of Sir David Attenborough during Planet Earth. Until, we watched an episode on mating rituals where every single male creature seemed to knock his mate up then peace out while the female was left behind to raise the kids alone. The mother even had to protect the newborns from the father because in many species, the male came back to EAT his children. (Not the pleasant distraction we were hoping for David!) Yet somehow it was comforting to realize that, at the end of the day, we’re just animals too. Humans are part of the animal kingdom. Our species isn’t so different.

But then, the praying mantis appeared. We lost our damn minds watching a female fearlessly court a male only to devour his head mid-coitus. And she did so, not because she felt threatened or vindictive, but simply to survive. She and her offspring require the nutrients from the male or else they’d perish. How unlike our own species - where women give their own lives metaphorically and sometimes, literally, to birth a new one. How unlike the stories usually told on screen of women who start off weak and must work hard to become powerful. So we asked ourselves, what would it look like if our world reflected that of the praying mantis? What if a man had to give up his life to birth new life for a change? Thus, our story was born.

We open on a man trudging through the dark woods. Starved. Injured. In desperate need of shelter. Suddenly, he spots a cabin in the distance, illuminated by the dim moonlight. With his musket in hand, he makes his way there, it's seemingly deserted. He shatters a window, forcing his way in, stumbling around looking for food and wound care. But then...CREAK. He whips his musket around to find a lone woman, standing petrified. The man flies towards her, knocking her down, fearful someone else is here. Another soldier perhaps. He opens the lone door to find another person in bed, but it's a younger woman. A pregnant younger woman. He drops his gun, smiling to himself. There's no threat here. He tells the women he just wants a hot meal then he'll be on his way. A man's gotta eat after all. The terrified women stare at his musket, what choice do they have?

If only we had a dollar for every time we've found ourselves venting about how our society treats young women on a daily basis whether it's at a job, in the dating world, or truly from just walking down the street. There's a frustration, an anger, an injustice that permeates us all. One that fuels us but equally discourages us. And it's one that we all wish we could see onscreen.

The story of Praying Mantis showcases imbedded injustices of living in a male-dominated world and flips the narrative by exploring the suffering of women but through a man's perspective. Horror films like The Babadook, It Follows, and Relic are fantastic examples of films that use horror to investigate complex issues in an allegorical sense. We hope Praying Mantis not only excites our audience but, as they leave the theater, causes them to think critically about the society we all live in and the hand we each play in upholding the social norms. It is therapeutic and necessary for this film to be written by women, directed by women, and watched by women. Although it is a thrilling horror short, the message goes much deeper - it is not only meant to entertain, but to empower.



Because our story is a period piece, our location, costumes, and hair and makeup most be historically accurate. Most of our budget will be spent on paying for an authentic Civil War cabin we found in Tennessee, transportation and lodgings our cast & crew, and renting authentic costumes & props. In order to really sell the horror, we want to invest in (spoiler alert) high quality blood prosthetics and special effects as well as a seasoned sound designer in post. We also value paying our cast & crew fair wages and want to honor their time and commitment to the project. LINK TO BUDGET.