The true story of the University of Idaho killings gets an innovative cinematic treatment
Cinema Epoch, the acclaimed distributor and studio behind such cult hits as Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance and Mad Cowgirl, has begun production on its newest thriller, THE IDAHO COLLEGE KILLER, based on the upcoming trial of Bryan Kohberger. In the tradition of previous Cinema Epoch films like Laserium and Butchered by Sundown (both of which can be viewed for free, among other titles, at the Cinema Epoch YouTube Channel), writer-director Jamie Grefe brings a creative new take on the reality based, true-crime genre.
On November 13, 2022, shortly after 2:00 a.m., four University of Idaho college students sharing a rental home were stabbed to death by a man clad in black, wearing a mask over his nose and mouth. On December 30th, police arrested Bryan Christopher Kohberger, a former Ph.D candidate in criminology, who had been dismissed as a teaching assistant 11 days earlier based on his behavior and performance. Kohberger remained silent in court when asked to plead; the judge entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf.
Kohberger’s trial is set to begin on August 11, 2025, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty.
THE IDAHO COLLEGE KILLER will focus on the night of the massacre with a unique split-perspective, courtesy of veteran Cinema Epoch cinematographer Louis DeStefano (Amityville Emanuelle, Blood of La Llorona), allowing the audiences to see through the eyes of the killer and the students in the house on that fateful night. The feature will explore the dimensions of unease and psychological horror experienced in such a harrowing and senseless crime.
Writer-director Grefe will also star in the lead role of Bryan, with further casting announcements coming. At present, Joey LaFleur (from the Hate Watch Podcast) and Chris Spinelli (A Christmas Love, Shadow Death) have been cast in investigative roles. Says Grefe, “I want to respect the authenticity of what happened while giving voice and artistic expression to the experience of horror, to the wounds that linger, and to the devastating emotional toll that occurs in the midst of such sudden and unexplained violence.”
Adds producer Gregory Hatanaka, “This case has fascinated me from the moment contradictory facts were presented, making the ideas of what actually happened that night more fantastical and bizarre. Under Jamie Grefe’s strong artistic vision, I am certain that he will bring added dimensions to this case which is playing out in real-time. This is a type of ‘reactionary’ cinema that we are excited about.”
About Jamie Grefe: A prolific director of over 20 films, and a writer and actor in even more, Jamie Grefe made his feature directing debut for Cinema Epoch with the supernatural thriller Love Hurts. Subsequent movies have included the Spanish-language viral hit Blood of La Llorona, and the Sorority Girl Massacre trilogy – Ritual Examination, Black Static at the Moment of Death, and Guts of Ecstacy. The Idaho College Killer marks his first foray into true crime drama.
About Cinema Epoch: Founded by veteran distributor Gregory Hatanaka in 2001, Cinema Epoch has become a boutique distribution label for cult classics like the 1959 House on Haunted Hill and 1981’s Private Lessons, as well as the works of acclaimed international directors like Claude Chabrol and Linton Semage, and obscurities like Takashi Miike’s Gozu and Sonny Chiba’s Yellow Fangs. Cinema Epoch continues to bring an eclectic mix of entertainment to new generations of audiences around the world. The company distributes feature films to the theatrical, DVD and digital markets. In addition to presenting genre films to audiences, it also plans to release a slate of international arthouse films under its Cinema Epoch Classics label. Partners include Amazon Video, ITunes, GooglePlay, TubiTV, Hulu, Vudu, Comcast, Showtime, XBox and MVD Visual. The company also produces a slate of original film productions annually; previous originals include Hatanaka’s own Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance, the cult hit starring Matthew Karedas (Samurai Cop) and Tommy Wiseau (The Room); and Mad Cowgirl, starring Sarah Lassez (Nowhere), Walter Koenig (Star Trek), and James Duval (Independence Day, Donnie Darko). Learn more at cinemaepoch.com and watch many Cinema Epoch titles on their Cinema Epoch Official Youtube Channel.