The official trailer has been released for 'THE COMPLETE HOWARD FRENCH COURSE', a 2026 American supernatural horror feature directed by Gustavo Sampaio and written by Paul Parducci.
The trailer arrives ahead of the 2026 American Film Market (AFM) in Los Angeles, where the filmmakers say the film will be represented by distributor California Pictures.
AFM takes place from November 10–15, 2026 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, bringing together international buyers, distributors, sales companies and independent filmmakers.
'THE COMPLETE HOWARD FRENCH COURSE' follows four young seekers whose strange encounter at a used bookstore leads them to an old video course from the 1980s.
On the tapes they are introduced to Howard French, a hypnotic and increasingly malevolent teacher offering a path to enlightenment known as The Framework to Truly See.
Over the course of a single night, Howard's lessons take the group steadily deeper into a nightmare, confronting them with increasingly disturbing choices.
The film combines supernatural horror with a distinctive retro-VHS and analogue aesthetic, with Paul Parducci starring as Howard French alongside Lara-Olivia Scott, Paula Velasquez, Gabriel M. Ramirez, Will Smart and William Utay.
The film has already completed an international festival run and won Best Supernatural Feature at the 2026 New York Sci-Fi Film Festival.
California Pictures is handling distribution, with the film now heading to AFM as it moves into the next stage of its international sales and distribution campaign.
Director: Gustavo Sampaio
Writer: Paul Parducci
Producers: Paul Parducci, Gustavo Sampaio
Starring: Paul Parducci, Lara-Olivia Scott, Paula Velasquez, Gabriel M. Ramirez, Will Smart, William Utay
Composer: Nga Weng Chio
Cinematography: David M. Parks
Editor: Gustavo Sampaio
Genre: Supernatural Horror / Analog Horror / Mystery
Country: United States
Distributor: California Pictures
Award: Best Supernatural Feature – 2026 New York Sci-Fi Film Festival
Market: American Film Market 2026 – Los Angeles
🎞️ Watch the trailer
