Carl Medland is no stranger to surreal cinema. The British filmmaker and actor has made a career out of creating psychologically unnerving films aimed at pushing boundaries. 2017’s Paranormal Farm featured Medland as a documentarian exploring the disappearance of a woman on a rural farm. Shot in the found footage vérité-style of The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Farm mixed its mystery plot with the supernatural, black comedy, and folk horror-inspired cultism.
Medland followed-up Paranormal Farm with 2018’s The Spiritualist, which dealt with the spiritual world and the idea of possibly contacting loved ones who’ve died, and the repercussions of such an act. That same year also saw the release of Paranormal Farm 2: Closer to the Truth, a meta-heavy sequel that flipped the rug on audiences by suggesting the first movie was in fact just a movie and its characters were all in on the joke, but with dire consequences. Paranormal Farm 3: Halloween followed a year later and concluded the found footage trilogy with a bang.
Medland returns this year with Aiden, a sci-fi-infused psychological drama that tackles abusive relationships within same-sex couples, toxic masculinity, hyperarousal, and post traumatic stress disorder. Collaborating with his long-time filmmaking partner, Mumtaz (Taz) Yildirimlar, Medland directs and stars in Aiden as the title character, who’s recent separation from an abusive relationship with an obsessive man named Ivan (Ivan Alexiev) has forced Aiden to participate in a rural experimental therapy program. Operated by the mysterious Dr. Williams (Darren Earl Williams), the isolation at first appeals to Aiden, until strange noises at night and the feeling of being watched set in.
As with Paranormal Farm, the less you know about Aiden the better. What you should know is the film is a thoughtful piece on real-life topics that are addressed within the context of a sci-fi mystery. It’s refreshing to see a story dealing with a gay relationship that doesn’t feel fake or stereotyped, but a relationship created by authentic people, no matter how bad the situation is. Aiden should also get kudos for having the courage to explore its abusive same-sex couple scenario, a subject rarely seen in the LGBTQ+ film community.
The characters are well-written and acted (Paranormal Farm fans will get a kick out of seeing Darren Earl Williams back in action). Medland and Alexiev have undeniable chemistry—many will swoon over Alexiev’s bedroom scenes. But the real strength of Aiden is the intimate experience the viewer shares with Aiden himself; we feel like we’re taking the journey with him. And that’s a testament to Medland’s understanding of human emotions, or in some instances, a lack thereof.
Whether heightened horror is your cup of tea or not, Aiden is an engaging existential experience, and a great addition to Medland’s growing body of smart genre films.
Aiden is written and directed by Carl Medland, and produced, photographed, and edited by Mumtaz Yildirimlar. It will be available to rent through MSIVOD (an app is also available for download) starting October 11. The Paranormal Farm trilogy as well as The Spiritualist are currently streaming on Tubi.
Below is an interviewed I had with Carl via Zoom in 2021. The trailer for Aiden is also available below.