Religious rituals have long inspired horror films. From genre classics such as The Exorcist and The Omen right up to forthcoming British sizzler Saint Maud, the links between organised religion, a belief in the supernatural and a damn good scare are clear.
Often, stories derived from Christianity inform horror. With The Vigil, debut writer-director Keith Thomas offers a new perspective by delving into an esoteric practice from the Jewish faith.In Brooklyn, unemployed Yacov (Dave Davis from Bomb City and The Walking Dead) is offered $400 to act as a shomer for the night, a job which requires him to guard the dead body of Holocaust survivor Rubin Litvak until dawn.
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