A Silver Spring-based filmmaker has brought the eerie folklore of Trinidad and Tobago to life in her debut feature film, Douen, a supernatural horror story rooted in the childhood tales she heard from her family. Directed and written by Alyscia Cunningham, the PG-13 film—named after the mischievous douen, a Trinidadian spirit believed to lure children into the forest—premieres at the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring on November 1, followed by festival submissions.
Cunningham, a first-generation American of Trinidadian descent, drew inspiration from her father’s storytelling, blending generational trauma with Caribbean mythology. The film follows Sania, a woman haunted by a supernatural entity tied to her grandmother’s curse, as she confronts her family’s dark past. The project began as a short film in 2020, expanded into a feature after encouragement from the actress who portrayed the grandmother, and was crowdfunded through Seed&Spark.
Filming took place over seven days in Montgomery County—including locations like Gaithersburg, Takoma Park, and Bethesda—with two additional days in Trinidad and Tobago. The production featured 45 actors and 68 crew members, including Trinidadian actress Diann Marshall, who delivered a pivotal monologue that left the cast in awe. For lead actress Kike Ayodeji, the experience was both challenging and rewarding, particularly during a pool scene filmed just one month postpartum.
Douen represents a rare fusion of Caribbean folklore and contemporary horror, offering a fresh perspective on Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural heritage. Cunningham’s work, supported by organisations like Brown Girls Doc Mafia and Women in Film & Video, underscores the growing diversity in independent cinema.
