OGUN ORU by Christopher Rucinski Premiere at LA Shorts

Los Angeles, CA (July 30, 2026). Christopher Rucinski’s haunting horror short Ogun Oru starring Lauren E. Banks (Lawmen: Bass Reeves) and Sam Huntington (Being Human) will compete for Oscar qualification at the 30^th LA Shorts International Film Festival on August 3^rd at 5:30PM, at the Laemmle Noho 7.

Ogun Oru is a proof-of-concept for Rucinski’s relationship horror feature script of the same name. Banks plays Michaela, a divorced US Marine veteran whose sleepless nights blur the line between trauma and the supernatural. In her fight to protect her young son from a ruthless sleep demon known as Ogun Oru, she begins to lose grip on reality. Sam Huntington, as her ex-husband Ryan, adds the grounded frustration of a co-parent trying to desperately reach a loved one.

Writer-director Rucinski (Northern Shade) joins Liz Holland to produce. Oscar-nominated director-editor Luke Doolan (Miracle Fish, They Will Kill You) executive produced with Steven E. Davis at Fascino Films. Lauren Bates at Octopus line produced. The film also stars Bayo Akinfemi (Bob Hearts Abishola) who acted as the film’s Yoruba consultant, Rose Marie Guess (Recruitors: Mission First) and Zee Dastigar. Julianne Gabert served as the project’s casting director.

Rucinski’s directorial debut crime-drama Northern Shade premiered at Phoenix Film Festival where it won Best Screenplay and closed at Fargo Film Festival, winning Best Narrative Feature and Best Actor for Jesse Gavin. It enjoyed a Los Angeles theatrical run and is now steaming and on Blu-ray. Rucinski has editorial credits on Fight For ’84, Wrecking Crew, Ford V Ferrari and War For the Planet of the Apes.

Ogun Oru will have its Los Angeles Premiere at LA Shorts Fest on Aug 3rd at 5:30pm at Laemmle Noho 7. The New England Premiere will be at Woods Hole Film Festival on July 29th. It was nominated for Best Horror at Atlanta Horrorfest and Atlanta Shortsfest.

Banks is represented by Peter Levine at CAA. Huntington is represented by Ben Gorman at Prototype and Jared Schwartz at Industry Entertainment.

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