Tallinn Premiere: 'Henry's Ebb' Blends Southern Drama With Psychological Horror
The debut feature from Thomas Mendolia stars Kingston Rumi Southwick and Banks Repeta, exploring a boy's journey through the 1990s American South with an imaginary companion.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
Thomas Mendolia’s debut feature, Henry's Ebb, receives its world premiere at the 26th Youth and Children’s Film Festival in Tallinn, Estonia, on Wednesday, Nov. 11. The film is part of the 30th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. It follows a boy named Henry and his imaginary friend Ebb as they travel through the Southeastern United States in the 1990s. The story begins as a drama about a struggling family and evolves into a psychological horror narrative.
Kingston Rumi Southwick, known for his role in Widow’s Bay, plays Henry. Banks Repeta, who appeared in Armageddon Time, portrays Ebb. Ashley Shelton and Will Holland round out the cast. The film features cinematography by Chaochen Li and editing by Tyler Ten Haken. Lucas Ford and Joey LePage serve as producers, while Tony Tehle and Irina Slepneva are co-producers. Bridge Independent handles international sales.
Mendolia conceived the story from a simple visual image of two boys riding bikes through the South. He wanted to explore why a character would need an imaginary friend rather than revealing the twist at the end of the film. He stated, “What if we rip that band-aid off in the very beginning and we explore the reasoning, the why?” The plot centers on Henry’s need to shed childhood coping mechanisms as he grows into adulthood.
The director drew on his own upbringing for the setting. Born in Brooklyn to an Italian-American family, he was raised in the American South. He wrote locations from memory, including his hometown of Elkin in the Appalachian region of North Carolina. He described the writing process as a form of hyper-nostalgia. He cited Jeff Nichols as a primary influence, noting that Nichols often films in the South. Mendolia believes that specific regional details create a universal emotional connection for audiences.
The film uses horror elements to externalize Henry’s internal fears. Mendolia explained that Ebb represents the coping mechanisms humans create to feel safe. However, these mechanisms can eventually hinder personal growth. He compared the horror set pieces to the monster in Cloverfield, stating that Ebb acts out of fear of losing Henry. Each scary moment is designed to reflect what Henry is afraid of in that specific moment.
Mendolia selected Southwick and Repeta for their contrasting personalities and on-screen chemistry. He noted that Repeta’s audition for Ebb showed a vulnerability that stood out from other performers who played the role as abrasive. Repeta is from Wilmington, North Carolina, which is local to the film’s setting. Southwick’s audition for Henry was immediate, as he understood the character’s maturity and vulnerability without extensive direction. The director described the two actors as having a dynamic similar to Sherlock and Watson.
