In a city pulsing with the surreal chaos of an urban rodeo, Ava (Maika Monroe) is fresh out of prison and ready to take back what’s hers. But just as she sets her plan in motion to reclaim her drug empire, she witnesses the unthinkable: the brutal murder of her brother.

Forced to flee into a nightmarish underworld where allies are scarce and enemies multiply by the minute, Ava must fight to stay alive — and figure out who set her up — before the killers find her first. With the clock ticking and danger around every corner, survival means outsmarting the city’s most violent players while confronting the ghosts of her own past.

Shot in nearly real-time, In Cold Light is a relentless, edge-of-your-seat thriller that blends raw intensity with artful precision. Director Maxime Giroux infuses the film with a gritty vintage aesthetic, transforming its neon-lit streets into a dreamlike battleground. Monroe delivers a powerhouse, physical performance, matched by a supporting cast including Troy Kotsur and Helen Hunt.

With its hypnotic visuals, razor-sharp pacing, and immersive soundscape, In Cold Light is a visceral crime story of vengeance and survival.—Jarod Neece

Maxime Giroux