Evan Showalter (CDM ‘24) was a film student at the School of Cinematic Arts when he and his friends decided to produce their first feature-length film, "The Leaching." The film was written and directed by Showalter with a cast and crew comprised almost entirely of DePaul students.

"The school gave me the framework to experiment and hone my craft to the point that I felt confident my team and I could pull off making a feature film,” says Showalter.

Shot across Michigan, Illinois and Kentucky, "The Leaching" blends supernatural horror, psychological suspense, and creature-feature thrills into a haunting tale of fractured identity and family secrets. It stars  Reese Parish and DeVaughn Loman, alumni from The Theatre School, in the lead roles.

“'The Leaching'" is an exploration of faith, the loss of self, and the monsters (literally) that emerge when people surrender themselves to something greater than they can understand,” says Showalter. “It’s an isolating horror film that plays with a very uncomfortable question: Can you trust your family?”

The film was released on digital and on-demand platforms by Dark Star Pictures and Uncork’d Entertainment on July 7, and is available to watch now.

"While at DePaul I made many connections that would go on to be my most trusted collaborators and friends," reflects Showalter. "I'll always be grateful."