American Dollhouse, a new independent horror film, premiered at South by Southwest this year with additional screenings at the Overlook Film Festival in New Orleans.
Writer and director John Valley created the modern slasher, which follows a young woman named Sarah who returns home after her mother's death. Neighbor Sandy emerges as an unhinged figure with strong opinions about changes to the property.
The film remains in search of distribution while continuing its festival run. Valley drew inspiration from real-world feelings of paranoia in everyday spaces.
"The idea that sidewalks or our streets in broad daylight are these places where terror is looming at any hour of the day, it’s crushing to me," Valley said. He emphasized using classic slasher tropes while reflecting contemporary American life in 2025.
Valley, originally from Iowa, has experience across multiple film departments and encourages collaboration on set. He mentioned future projects including a monster movie set in West Texas.