Unholy Night

A violent attack on Christmas Eve on an Italian/American household leaves one survivor Lucia (Morgan Saunders).

Jumping forward many years and its Christmas Eve with Lucia (Toni Ellwand) now middle-aged and hosting the meal. With husband Giuseppe (Ron Lea) a staunch one for Italian tradition they have gathered friends and family around them.

Brothers Gino (Marc Bendavid) and Franky (Olivier Renaud) have a spikey relationship that borders on the bitter. The appearance of Gino’s ex Rene (Shailene Garnett) adds another dimension.

However it’s the appearance of grandmother Pina (Jacqueline Robbins) who has been long dead and now happily working in the kitchen that baffles the outsiders. The explanation of an ancestral curse brough over from Italy doesn’t help much and are less concerned about that when the initially social zombies suddenly turn manically violent.

This debut from director Michael Gabriele, co-written with Jef Burnham is frustrating. The idea is good and for the first act setting up the family, the curse and the introduction of the undead the film looks assured. But it gradually runs out of steam as the undead settle into whatever they are destined to do.

Unholy Night is littered with stereotypes but all so absurd and outlandish that it’s unlikely anyone could take any great offence. As a comedy it’s not about belly laughs more a constant smile and chuckles. There’s a very Italian slant to it that may well play better with those who are familiar, though it’s not so parochial that it could exclude others. As to the horror there’s enough blood and violence to keep people happy though falls way short of being a comedy horror.

Unholy Night had its UK Premiere at Tubi Halloween FrightFest 2026.