**** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ****
LOCAL TALENT BRINGS VENGEANCE TO THE SCREEN IN CHILLING SHORT FILM, SAY MY NAME
Woodstock, IL – The haunting short film Say My Name has completed production and is making its way to film festivals worldwide. This chilling tale of vengeance and justice showcases the collaborative talents of Maria Puga, a Woodstock resident, and Bruce David Janu, an educator with over 30 years of experience teaching social science and is the current librarian at John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights.
Written and directed by Janu, Say My Name follows a serial killer haunted by the horrifying return of one of his victims. She appears with her glowing, lava-like wounds and fiery eyes. She carries a demonic doll with a chilling laugh, and has only one request: “say my name.”
“Say My Name is more than a horror film. It is a story about a ghost, for sure,” said Janu. “But it is also about how justice can be as terrifying as the crimes it avenges.”
Maria Puga, who not only plays the spirit but also designed the makeup for the character, expressed her excitement about the project’s completion. “We wanted to create something that was scary but also gets the audience thinking about who is the true villain. It’s been an incredible journey, and I can’t wait for audiences to see it,” Puga said.
Bruce David Janu is no stranger to impactful storytelling. His filmmaking credits include the critically acclaimed documentaries Facing Sudan (2007) and Crayons and Paper (2008), both of which explore genocide and the impact on victims and those who work tirelessly to stop the carnage. Facing Sudan was awarded the Best Documentary Award at the Illinois International Film Festival in 2007. His 2020 release, This Sacred Place: The Story of Old Lynn Concerts, tells the story of a rural Pennsylvania church that became a home for world-renowned singer-songwriters, earning Janu a Best Director award at a Canadian film festival.
Say My Name was shot entirely on location in Illinois, with scenes filmed in Cary, Woodstock, and Oak Park. The stunning visuals were brought to life by Andrew Zilch, the film’s director of photography. A 2022 graduate of Cary-Grove High School, Zilch has a passion for filmmaking and took a break from working on his own short film, Blue Hotel, to lend his expertise to this project.
The 30-minute short film is a testament to the power of independent filmmaking and what can be accomplished on a shoestring budget. The film is currently being submitted to film festivals, with hopes of captivating audiences and critics alike. Plans are underway for a local screening of the film.
For more information about Say My Name, including upcoming screenings, visit https://www.bellbookcamera.com
About the filmmakers:
Maria Puga, a Woodstock resident and 2006 graduate of Woodstock High School, makes her acting debut in Say My Name. Cary resident Bruce David Janu, a librarian at John Hersey High School in District 214, is an award-winning filmmaker dedicated to fostering creativity and innovation among students. Andrew Zilch, currently a student at Harper College, brings a passion for filmmaking to his role as director of photography, stepping away from his own project, Blue Hotel, to work on this film.
Productions stills and other Images can be found at https://www.bellbookcamera.com
Say My Name at IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34276117
Contact:
Bruce Janu
info@bellbookcamera.com
224-357-6214
