Filmmaker Spotlight
Isaac Ingle
Love, Mike!
Director: Isaac Ingle
Country : USA
Runtime: 16:45
Genre: Queer Horror
Language: English
Completion Year: 2026
Links: https://www.isaacingle.com/
Synopsis
After a series of unfortunate life events, Dunty finds himself moved back home with his parents. A surprise gift basket from his 'determined' ex-boyfriend casts him into a downward spiral; however, he is quickly rescued by the kind words and sweet demeanor of an unexpected guest.
About the Director
Isaac Ingle is an actor, writer, filmmaker, and artist currently based in Dayton, Ohio. His previous short film "Mask4Mask" played in LA, New York, and Ohio, and won Best Short at the Short Shorts Film Festival in Brooklyn. He has performed both on stage and onscreen, and can be seen as a recurring gay, Tyler, in season 3 of HBO's "The Other Two".
Director Statement
“Love, Mike!” originated with my one-person show in college back in 2018. The story looked somewhat different, but the primary message around recovery remained the same. The story picks up as Dunty moves home after a seemingly traumatic breakup. A place that should represent safety and comfortability for our protagonist develops a more sinister guise as Dunty’s paranoia takes hold. Accompanied by themes of guilt, starvation, and regression, we see Dunty struggle to confront his past. As the story furthers, we see Dunty directly (even if unintentionally) address the situation that brought him home. As we see in the finale, these things can nearly tear you apart; however, sometimes absorbing them is what is needed to move forward.
Heavily inspired by Silent Hill, Dunty’s past manifests in unlikely ways. I am very drawn to the concept of an ‘otherworld’ or a ‘purgatory’ of sorts. A place that exists to torment but also to teach. Dunty’s descent into this ‘purgatory’ takes a technicolor turn, furthering the notion of regression as his environment takes on a nearly Nickelodeon aesthetic.
I strive to create protagonists within a horror-adjacent genre that, although still leaning into the ‘haunted’ or ‘brooding’ tropes, lead with fragility, humility, and softness. Despite being a queer centric horror film, I think that “Love, Mike!” can appeal to people of any demographic.
I am extremely proud of “Love, Mike!” and look forward to sharing it with the world.