A once acclaimed investigative journalist struggles for redemption after a scandal, until an anonymous tip sends him to a breaking story where women and children are disappearing, only to discover that he’s been set up to face his demons.

SYNOPSIS:

"Whistle-Stop" is a folk horror psychological thriller exploring guilt, self-punishment, the cost of ambition, and the tension between redemption and exploitation.

ORSON MILLER (40s) was once an elite investigative journalist, renowned for his fearless reporting and political access. After being exposed for unethical methods of getting stories, he was blacklisted. His career collapsed, his marriage ended, and he lost contact with his children. Spiralling into alcohol and drugs, Orson committed the ultimate sin one night: while drink driving, he struck a young woman and did not stop. He has carried that weight ever since.

When reports emerge of disappearances in the remote village of HAVEN, Orson receives an anonymous call: “We need you. Women and children are going missing.” He sees this as a chance to rebuild his career and also a way to feel needed again.

Haven seems idyllic at first. Polite villagers greet him. A faceless statue dominates the square. The phone signal is non-existent. When Orson discovers his car tires have been slashed, he is forced to stay overnight at a local B&B run by SAM (20s), who strangely knows him by name. That night, faceless shadows watch him from the corners of his room.

The next day, Orson investigates the fenced compound where a mysterious group recently moved in. Villagers track him with silent, synchronized attention. Sam later vanishes, leaving only a handwritten note: “You know where to find me. Heed his call.” As night falls, anxious and unable to sleep, Orson returns to the compound and slips inside.

He is confronted by SIMEON (30s), the group’s charismatic leader, who welcomes him into a gathering. Orson is unknowingly drugged with hallucinogens. Sam appears before him, her face bruised and mangled. She is the woman he hit with his car and abandoned. Simeon exposes his guilt and offers him a final chance at repentance. He tells Orson to run.

A nightmarish chase unfolds through the dark village. Orson is tormented by visions of people he has harmed or exploited. Voices condemn him. Hands push and strike him. Finally, headlights appear through the darkness and the car hits him. As he lays, Orson smiles. His fate ambiguous.

In the final scene, a WOMAN arrives in Haven and answers the same anonymous call: “We need you.” As her car pulls in, Orson’s burnt-out vehicle sits hidden in the undergrowth. The cycle of Haven continues.

WHISTLE-STOP