Kandisha trailer: Julien Maury, Alexandre Bustillo summon a Moroccan legend

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Inside and Leatherface directors Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo are back with a new genre film, Kandisha, which is coming to the Shudder streaming service on July 22nd. With its Shudder debut just ten days away, a trailer for Kandisha has arrived online and can be seen above.

Based on a Moroccan legend, the film has the following synopsis:

It is summer break and best friends Amélie, Bintou and Morjana hang together with other neighborhood teens. Nightly, they have fun sharing scary stories and urban legends. But when Amélie is assaulted by her ex, she remembers the story of Kandisha, a powerful and vengeful demon. Afraid and upset, Amélie summons her. The next day, her ex is found dead. The legend is true and now Kandisha is on a killing spree — and it’s up to the three girls to break the curse.

Mathilde Lamusse, Suzy Bemba, Samarcande Saadi, Nassim Lyes, Sandor Funtek, and Walid Afkir star.

Here's information on the legend that inspired the film, as shared by Designing Life: 

In Northern Africa, such as Morocco, people hesitate to say her name. Aisha Kandisha is a demon that goes after men. Locals say you can summon her by pouring boiling water down the drain. The legend varies depending on the region.  Some say she’s a mermaid while others say she has the legs of a goat. Regardless of which version you hear she is always taking the lives of men. 

This demonic entity or Succubus seduces men and possesses them. She usually appears as a tall beautiful, topless woman with the legs of a goat. Other people say she turns into an ugly hag before possessing you. The possessed become impotent, unhygienic and depressed. If you’re ever alone and you hear the sounds of rusty chains dragging on the ground, you know Aisha Kandisha is nearby.

Locals say she lives under the rivers and around bodies of water. Some people claim to see her reflection as they look in the river.

Kandisha was produced by Delphine Clot and Guillaume Lemans for Esprits Frappeurs alongside Wassim Béji of WY Productions. SND and Scope Pictures co-produced. 

Although I wasn't a fan of Leatherface, the original Inside was so mind-blowing that I will always be interested in anything Maury and Bustillo make. I look forward to checking out Kandisha.