The Buildout

{{Infobox film

| image = The Buildout poster.jpg

| caption = Official poster

| director = Zeshaan Younus

| writer = Zeshaan Younus

| producer = {{Plainlist|

Trevor Dillon
Sailor Larocque
Nicholas Thurkettle
Zeshaan Younus

}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

Jenna Kanell
Hannah Alline
Natasha Halevi
Michael Sung Ho
Danielle Evon Ploeger
Ariel Barber

}}

| cinematography = Justin Moore

| editing = Matt Latham

| distributor = Ethos Releasing

| released = {{Film date|2024|02|24|13th Oceanside International Film Festival|2025|02|25|VOD}}

| country = United States

| language = English

}}

The Buildout is a 2024 American psychological horror found footage film written and directed by Zeshaan Younus in his feature film debut. It stars Jenna Kanell, Hannah Alline, and Natasha Halevi. The film won four awards at the 13th Oceanside International Film Festival.

Plot

Two women embark on a road trip through a desert where unexplainable events take place.

Cast

{{cast listing|

Jenna Kanell as Cameron
Hannah Alline as Dylan
Natasha Halevi as Cleric Kanner
Michael Sung Ho as Cleric Barrow
Danielle Evon Ploeger as Dakota
Ariel Barber as Barrow's Vision

}}

Production

The project was crowdfunded and is the feature film debut of Younus.{{Cite web |last=Navarro |first=Meagan |date=2025-02-06 |title='The Buildout' Trailer Invites You on a Genre-Bending Odyssey in the Desert |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3853693/the-buildout-trailer-invites-you-on-a-genre-bending-odyssey-in-the-desert/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Bloody Disgusting! |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-02-25 |title=OIFF 2024 SCHEDULE - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH - Oceanside International Film Festival |url=https://osidefilm.org/oiff-2024-schedule-saturday-february-24th/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225015058/https://osidefilm.org/oiff-2024-schedule-saturday-february-24th/ |archive-date=2024-02-25 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Oceanside International Film Festival}} Principal photography took place over seven days in the Anza-Borrego Desert.{{Cite web |title=The Buildout: Free Screening + Q&A w/ Cast & Crew |url=https://thefridacinema.org/movies/the-buildout/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250213072749/https://thefridacinema.org/movies/the-buildout/ |archive-date=2025-02-13 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Frida Cinema |language=en-US}}

Release

The film premiered at Oceanside International Film Festival on February 24, 2024{{Cite web |last=Accomando |first=Beth |author-link=Beth Accomando |date=2024-02-19 |title=Oceanside Film Fest showcases films, music and more |url=https://www.kpbs.org/news/local/2024/02/19/oceanside-film-fest-showcases-films-music-and-more |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=KPBS Public Media |language=en}} with later dates at Chattanooga Film Festival, Panic Fest, and a Frida Cinema screening hosted by Sean Gunn. It released on video on demand on February 25, 2025 as the inaugural release from Ethos Releasing.{{Cite web |last=Mack |first=Andrew |date=2025-01-24 |title=New Distributor Ethos Releasing Announces Inaugural Slate of Genre Titles For 2025 |url=https://screenanarchy.com/2025/01/new-distributor-ethos-releasing-announces-inaugrual-slate.html |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=ScreenAnarchy}}

Reception

= Critical response =

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|{{RT data|score}}|{{RT data|average}}|{{RT data|count}}|ref=yes|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}}

Dread Central scored it 4 out of 5 saying it "is cosmic horror that lands among the stars."{{Cite web |last=Collins |first=Chad |date=2024-04-12 |title='The Buildout' Panic Fest 2024 Review: A Touching and Cosmic Look At Friendship |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/500452/the-buildout-panic-fest-2024-review-a-touching-and-cosmic-look-at-friendship/ |access-date=2025-02-12 |website=Dread Central |language=en-US}} Bloody Disgusting said it is a 4 out of 5 that "is a stunning, genre-bending odyssey into the unknown that skillfully blends themes of mysticism, grief, and the paranormal into a film where reality and the supernatural blur."{{Cite web |last=Swope |first=Michelle |date=2024-06-24 |title='The Buildout' Review – A Stunning, Mystical Odyssey into the Unknown |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3817730/the-buildout-review-a-stunning-mystical-odyssey-into-the-unknown/ |access-date=2025-02-12 |website=Bloody Disgusting! |language=en-US}} Video Librarian says it "stands strong currently as a 3.5 out of 5 star film that is a must watch for those who love independent cinema, and suspenseful tales."{{Cite web |date=2024-12-30 |title=The Buildout |url=https://videolibrarian.com/reviews/film/the-buildout/ |access-date=2025-02-12 |website=Video Librarian |language=en-us}}