Under the Midnight Sun

Under the Midnight Sun is a surreal horror comedy about Emily, a deeply bitter and alienated young woman who becomes obsessed with a glamorous country singer named Mandy Fandangle. Emily is convinced by the demonic voice of her Svengali-like rubber chicken purse, Chickenbag (Kevin Corrigan), that Mandy possesses everything she lacks- beauty, talent, and fame. Desperate, Emily abducts Mandy and does the unthinkable: she consumes her heart and attempts to become her. The film then spirals into a grotesque fantasy of celebrity, social media and artistic ambition, as Emily reinvents herself as “Fandy Manhandle” and discovers that the world may actually reward her insanity if she can convince people it's art. Director Biography - Lisa Hammer "Lisa Hammer: queen of midnight movies, fusing punk chaos, gothic romance, and campy apocalypse..." Lisa Hammer is an independent filmmaker and musician whose work has become a cornerstone of underground cinema. Emerging from the DIY energy of the 1980s and 1990s, her films blend surrealism, German Expressionist influences, and gothic-punk aesthetics into a distinctive cinematic language. Hammer’s cult classics, including "Pus$Bucket" (1991), "Empire of Ache" (1996, with Dame Darcy), and "Pox" (2012), embody the raw, no-budget ethos of indie filmmaking while embracing goth carnival grotesquerie, biting satire, and campy splendor reminiscent of Ed Wood. Her work has been recognized by institutions such as MoMA, the Getty Museum, and the Duolun Museum in China. She has had numerous solo shows at festivals and art galleries worldwide and has been honored with screenings at Nighthawk Cinema, Anthology Film Archives, and The Egyptian Theatre. Featured in Heidi Honeycutt’s "I Spit on Your Celluloid: The History of Women Directing Horror Movies", Hammer stands as both a pioneering female filmmaker and a cult icon whose influence continues to resonate in feminist and countercultural cinema worldwide.