Ian Kimble’s Dead Giveaway Premieres at the Philadelphia Film Festival: A Sharp Blend of Horror, Humor, and Philly Grit

Writer, director, and producer Ian Kimble makes his feature film debut with Dead Giveaway, a horror-comedy that had its world premiere at the 34th Philadelphia Film Festival (PFF) in October 2025. Screening under the Filmadelphia category, the movie celebrates both Philadelphia’s unique energy and Kimble’s own long-standing connection to the city.

The 87-minute film stars Ruby Modine (known for Shameless and Happy Death Day) as Jill, and Mikaela Hoover (seen in Guardians of the Galaxy and Superman: Legacy) as Lia, her ride-or-die best friend. The story kicks off when Jill wakes up hungover, covered in blood, and next to a corpse she doesn’t recognize. Lia rushes over to help her figure out what happened—while they also try to make it to brunch. Between the dark humor and growing panic, the film unfolds into a twisted and fast-paced morning-after mystery where friendship and chaos collide.

Kimble describes Dead Giveaway as a movie that keeps audiences “on their toes”, blending sharp comedy and escalating horror through unpredictable characters. He explains that real people aren’t consistent—someone can be shy in one setting and completely wild in another—and he wanted to capture that human complexity on screen. Whenever things get too steady, he says, it’s time to “throw another little element in there and keep the audience off balance.”

When asked about his stylistic inspirations, Kimble cites films like Ocean’s Eleven, Pulp Fiction, Heathers, and Jawbreaker, aiming for a tone that’s slick, darkly funny, and rhythmically precise. He intentionally avoided overloading his team with other horror-comedy references, wanting the film to have its own unique flavor rather than mimic genre favorites.

Casting was a major focus. Kimble says he looked for “kind people, funny people, and movie lovers.” Modine brought a musician’s sense of rhythm to her comedic timing, while Hoover—surprisingly a huge horror fan—instantly connected with the script. Their chemistry was obvious before they even rehearsed together, and Kimble says directing them was “a cakewalk.” The result is a dynamic duo that recalls iconic film friendships like Cher and Dionne from Clueless or Romy and Michele, as highlighted in the PFF guide.

Kimble also admits that the characters are heavily inspired by his two older sisters. He often asked himself how they would respond to a bizarre or tense situation—and that natural teasing, sibling humor, and loyalty became central to the movie’s voice. His sisters have already seen early cuts of the film and “laughed pretty good,” though they might only now realize they were the inspiration.

As a filmmaker raised in South Jersey and now living in Philadelphia for over 15 years, Kimble says the city’s grittiness, humor, and rhythm shaped both the story and its tone. He views Dead Giveaway as “a Philly movie through and through,” full of local personality.

The film also sneaks in a nod to Silk City, one of Kimble’s favorite brunch spots, with the director admitting he’s a loaded-omelet guy who always guilts someone into splitting French toast or pancakes.

Dead Giveaway premiered on October 17, 2025, with an encore screening on October 26, drawing strong attention for its chemistry, originality, and perfect balance between tension and laughs.