The filmmaking duo of Nick Toti and Rachel Kempf have released an exclusive trailer for their new indie feature Homebody via Variety. The clip introduces a story about grief and the supernatural: a young widow encounters a woman who claims to speak with the dead, and what follows is an intimate, increasingly fraught relationship that mixes ghost story elements with body horror. Alongside the trailer the filmmakers continue to shape an irregular plan for how audiences will first see the film and what might come after.
Homebody was written, produced and directed by Kempf and Toti and features performances from Julie Linnard, Elizabeth Joanne, Eric Stevenson, Meredith Sladek, Shane Mullen, Avery G. Tillett and Bob Mielke. The movie was edited by Matt Latham, scored by the band Pocket Vinyl, and includes special effects makeup by Jeffrey Sisson. Visual materials accompanying the trailer include a poster by Evan Jordan with a painting by Lindsey Dunnagan. The release and promotion choices reflect the pair’s broader approach to independent cinema.
Story, themes and narrative intent
Homebody centers on Meg, a recently widowed woman trapped in the life she and her husband planned. After meeting a street woman who claims to channel the dead, Meg invites her into the home on the condition that she continue to communicate with Meg’s late husband. The relationship evolves into a struggle for power that traverses tenderness and exploitation, while the presence of the husband’s ghost hovers with its own designs. The film deliberately explores grief, depression and interpersonal breakdown, presenting viewers with an experience that asks them to remain with uncomfortable feeling rather than look away.
Tone and intended audience
The filmmakers describe Homebody as a slow-burn ghost story that leans into discomfort and psychological unease rather than jump scares. It was conceived as a counterpoint to their earlier, more manic work, and it rewards a patient viewer willing to sit inside heavy emotions. Fans of intimate, unsettling cinema and those attracted to visceral body horror imagery are likely to connect with the film’s mixture of subtle dread and explicit physical transformation. If you prefer brisk, cathartic resolutions, this film may instead intentionally withhold easy relief.
Production approach and visual style
Toti and Kempf leaned into a handmade aesthetic during production. The film was shot primarily on miniDV, with a few in-world camera moments captured on iPhone, and then the footage was transferred to VHS to add another layer of degradation and texture. Presented in black and white, the look nods to classic Gothic templates while remaining distinctly modern through its analog artifacts. The crew was extremely small, sometimes two or three people, and several cast members were not trained professionals, a choice that intensifies the movie’s raw, confessional feel.
Location challenges and practical effects
The majority of the feature was filmed in the same duplex used for the filmmakers’ previous feature, a location that posed logistical challenges because it reportedly lacked running water and electricity. Those constraints shaped choices both aesthetic and practical, from lighting setups to the reliance on in-camera solutions. Practical special effects by Jeffrey Sisson add a tactile, physical element to the horror, and the filmmakers say the overall result feels like an intimate demo of their artistic vision rather than a polished studio product.
Distribution philosophy and future plans
Known for unconventional distribution moves, the pair previously released their film It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This only in theaters in 2026 and have subsequently organized more than a hundred screenings worldwide without traditional distribution or major PR. That strategy turned a profit for them and informed how they are thinking about Homebody—they continue to prioritize curated experiences over streaming or immediate home-video saturation. Alongside this approach, they are openly discussing the idea of remaking Homebody as a larger-budget project in the $3–5 million range to explore what a “studio” version of the film might reveal.
Remake and collector ambitions
The filmmakers envision a future package that could include both the original low-budget version and a potential remade edition on Blu-ray, inviting viewers to compare the two. They pitch it as an experiment in artistic interpretation: would a bigger budget amplify the concept or dilute the intimacy they captured the first time? Anyone interested in supporting that possibility is encouraged to contact their management at Writ Large, represented by Lauren Dinely and Matthew Dartnell, to open discussions about exhibition and financing.
Where to start
The new trailer, released exclusively with Variety, is the public’s first extended look at Homebody. The filmmakers also point to their short film Dead Grandma, a festival-recognized piece that won a jury award at Slamdance and has been widely viewed online, as a companion view that illustrates their thematic and tonal territory. For now, audiences can watch the trailer, study the poster art, and decide whether they want to follow Kempf and Toti as they continue to experiment with how independent films reach viewers.
