Barker-praised VINDICATION finds DVD deal

By Michael Gingold

Cinematographer turned writer/director Bart Mastronardi gave Fango some comments and details on the DVD release of his fright feature VINDICATION. The movie, which has won awards at festivals and praise from genre giant Clive Barker, has been acquired by up-and-coming distributor R-Squared Films for DVD, on-demand, podcast, etc.

“It took three years to make VINDICATION,” Mastronardi tells us, “and the recognition it is receiving is rewarding. My cast and crew are ecstatic as we only envisioned that we could get this far, and we did. Having Clive Barker, the most respected man in the horror genre, write the most supportive review of them all helped to open the door for the film, and the awards and generally very positive reviews only keep proving that the sacrifices and dedication paid off. I am happy and hopeful that VINDICATION will become a movie that FANGORIA and horror fans alike will continue to value in the horror genre.”

VINDICATION deals with the horrific torment and mental downward spiral of Nicolas (Keith Fraser), an art student who has survived a suicide attempt. “We’re putting lots of extra features together for the DVD,” which is tentatively slated for an April release, Mastronardi adds. The supplemental lineup as of now includes:

• Audio commentary by the cast and crew, moderated by filmmaker and Fango scribe Jeremiah Kipp

• VINDICATION short film

• Deleted scenes

• Photos

“R-Squared, which supports independent movies and releases them worldwide, has made it easier for filmmakers working on low budgets to get their films out there,” the writer/director adds. “The world of movie theaters is changing, as the studios certainly own them, and the independents need to keep seeking other venues and outlets to showcase their work. R-Squared is one of them, and I know VINDICATION is in great hands with them. It took a long time to get this point, but I wasn’t going to just hand VINDICATION over to anyone. I was ready to self-distribute it, but I know it has a great home now.”

You can find out more about VINDICATION at its official website, and become a fan at Facebook. Look for a story on VINDICATION in Fango #292, on sale in March.