An electrifying take on the rules of the afterlife, celebrity culture, and our fear of being forgotten, John Hsu’s Dead Talents Society is a horror comedy warming the hearts of audiences at this year’s Fantastic Fest.

Bringing a much lighter and more comedic tone than Hsu’s previous film, Detention (2019), Dead Talents Society follows The Rookie (Gingle Wang) and her friend Camilla (Bai Bai) as they navigate the afterlife. With Taiwanese horror only recently coming into broader conversation with other recent horrors like The Sadness or Incantation, this film’s approach to deconstructing supernatural horror tropes is refreshing.

To stick around, ghosts must audition and be accepted into the Dead Talents Society and given a license to haunt. There is an entire world built around the need to haunt the living, with certain ghosts earning a level of celebrity from the viral recordings of their scares and subsequent accolades at the Golden Ghost Awards. Influencers and online journalism outlets play an important role in sharing the stories of these hauntings and keeping certain ghosts relevant enough to maintain their haunting license—allowing for a pointed commentary on fame in the digital age. These hauntings make references to iconography present in films across the Eastern world like the white gown-wearing yūrei from films like Ringu, celebrity icons dressed like Mima from Perfect Blue, and many more easter eggs that fans of the genre can feast upon.

Something else intriguing about the world Hsu has constructed is the role that ancestor worship and cultural ideas surrounding spirituality play in the lives of those who have passed on. Because of the importance of leaving offerings at an altar, inconveniences like not having money to spend or dinner to eat are the small ways in which feeling forgotten by your family can manifest. More devastatingly, ghosts will start to glitch and eventually disappear once the personal possessions that tie you to your life have been discarded—and this is the predicament The Rookie finds herself in.

The story of the life and death of The Rookie will hit home for many of us who fear never amounting to anything important, those who are just trying to find their way through this confusing world, and those who fear being forgotten or forced out as the world around us continues to evolve. Through this sadness, the film leaves its audience with a message about the importance of found family and showing up for the people who chose to be in your circle when others have moved on.While there is no shortage of touching moments, this film still manages to revel in its absurd and dark sense of humor, making it one of the most reinvigorating and fun experiences across 2024’s Fantastic Fest, and has even earned the festival’s Audience Award. Dead Talents Society is a film with a lot of heart and John Hsu is an actor to keep your eye on.

Grade: A

Oscars Prospects:
Likely: None
Should be Considered: None

Release Date: TBD