She can get in, but can she get out?
In a world that seems to be constantly changing faster and faster, and sometimes feels upside down, filmmaker Mitesh Patel (House of Quarantine, Instant Karma) knew he wanted to create a unique movie based on the idea of change and struggle. Aware of the deep and complicated mystery of Jerome as “The Largest Ghost Town in America”, he knew he had to base the story of Woman in the Maze there. “The deep and sordid history of the area inspired me to create a supernatural mystery thriller,” he offers. “Woman in the Maze is something that I believe is unique, classic, and can be enjoyed year round.” With the success of Patel’s recent films, he knew he needed to cast powerful actors and create strong visuals with a mixture of practical and special effects in order to bring this frightening story to life, thrusting viewers into a truly thrilling experience. Intricate plot twists and turns will keep the audience engaged with real visceral reactions right to the very end.
The story of Woman in the Maze follows Gabriella “Gabbi” Reynolds (played by Meredith VanCuyk), a typical city real estate agent, who jumps at the opportunity to travel to Arizona and scout some properties. She books a few nights to stay in a large beautiful home in Jerome, Arizona. She doesn’t believe in ghosts, but while staying in the large house all by herself, she becomes a bit skittish when things begin to happen that she can’t explain. The house then appears to come alive or awaken, and seeks to destroy her. Is the house haunted? Is it under a curse? She doesn’t know, but she does know that she’s trapped inside it like a maze and even worse, it keeps changing. Battling to stay alive and one step ahead in the illusive maze, Gabbi – along with the audience – desperately tries to discover what is happening to her and why, and struggles to find a way out. When she finally sees someone else in the house, she thinks she’s home free … or is she? The audience will be right with Gabbi until the shocking finale.
Before Jerome got its nickname as “America’s largest ghost town” it was a booming mining town that was rich with copper and precious metals. The origins of Jerome’s haunting comes from its notorious hospital; it was built in 1926 and opened shortly after in 1927. Over 9000 people were estimated to have died there and stories of ghosts quickly surfaced. Doctors, patients, and nurses had all reported hearing screams from vacant rooms, witnessing doors opening and closing on their own, and even claimed to have seen the spirits of dead children and former miners. As time went on, the building eventually closed in 1950. Despite the closure of the hospital, the sightings continued. Residents of Jerome claimed they witnessed ghosts in their houses and around the town at large. In 1996 the Hospital was reopened and turned into a hotel. Today, the population of Jerome has dwindled from being a small booming mining city to a quaint town with a population of 600 people, but sightings of paranormal activity have continued to this day. Woman in the Maze is just a taste of the wildly unnerving stories to be inspired by the town of Jerome.
