Zodiac Killer Project
Directed by Charlie Shackleton
2025Documentary92 minUnited StatesPG
A film about a film that was never made: Charlie Shackleton's playful anti-true-crime essay about our obsession with the Zodiac Killer and the genre itself.
Synopsis
A film about a film that was never made, this boldly original essay begins as an exploration of one man's obsession with catching the Zodiac Killer but quickly unfolds into an anti-true crime investigation into our cultural obsession with the genre. Against the backdrop of sun-drenched landscapes, deserted hallways and empty homes, T/F alumni Charlie Shackleton guides us through the film his team would have made, projecting a speculative narrative into our imaginations with irreverent humour and razor sharp precision. Zodiac Killer Project subverts the visual shorthand of evocative b-roll, “back-tors” and slow zooms to dissect and playfully turn the now pervasive genre on its head. A distinct and singular vision, this meta rollercoaster ride of a film is a richly layered examination of documentary ethics, implicating both filmmaker and audience.
The director
Charlie Shackleton
Charlie Shackleton is a British filmmaker known for inventive essay films about cinema, including Beyond Clueless and Fear Itself. Zodiac Killer Project premiered at Sundance in 2025.
Press
“If you’re a cineaste, a movie buff, or a true crime fan, I think you’ll like this one”
“a riveting film”
“From the ashes of his abandoned documentary rises a fascinating exploration of the genre itself”
“self-aware, sharp, critical, and unexpectedly comforting”
On screens
Already played at 10 cinemas in Calgary, Picton, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Halifax.
