Ian Tuason's debut horror feature 'Undertone,' distributed by A24, has premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, earning acclaim as the scariest movie of 2026. The low-budget found-audio horror blends visual and aural terror to deliver chilling experiences. It is set for theatrical release on March 13, 2026.
Fear often stems from the unseen, a principle that director Ian Tuason harnesses masterfully in his debut feature 'Undertone.' Premiering at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, the film combines found-footage realism with innovative sound design to create what critics are calling the year's most terrifying cinematic experience.
Set and shot in Tuason's native Canada, 'Undertone' follows Evy (Nina Kiri), a young woman who has paused her life to care for her mute and comatose mother (Michèle Duquet). Evy co-hosts a podcast titled 'The Undertone' with her friend Justin (Adam DiMarco), who lives in London. Due to the time difference, recordings occur around 3 a.m. The podcast's format pits Justin's belief in the supernatural against Evy's skepticism, with each episode featuring Justin presenting supernatural evidence for Evy to debunk.
In one episode, Justin shares an anonymous email containing ten audio files about a newlywed couple, Jessa (Keana Lyn Bastidas) and Mike (Jeff Yung). The couple began recording their sleep after hearing mysterious nighttime sounds. Sound designer David Gertsman crafts extraordinarily creepy aural setpieces, where audiences see Evy listening alone in her home while hearing the couple's harrowing ordeals.
Tuason draws from personal inspiration: his experiences caring for his ill parents during the COVID-19 pandemic, as noted by producers at the Sundance premiere. This infuses the film with emotional depth, exploring Evy's internal conflict as a skeptic raised by a deeply religious mother—a dynamic reminiscent of Dana Scully from 'The X-Files.' Nina Kiri delivers a standout performance, carrying the film despite its audio-heavy elements.
The movie incorporates real-life supernatural lore, including a demon reference akin to that in William Friedkin's 'The Exorcist,' and employs backmasking to reveal hidden messages in reversed audio. While not strictly analog horror, these techniques heighten its tangibility and terror. Long, lingering shots of empty dark spaces complement the sound, justifying the visual component over an audio-only format.
'Undertone' not only scares but also evokes universal fears, blending personal loss with the supernatural for a genuinely upsetting narrative.
