Edgar Allan Poe poem Annabel Lee adapted into indie suspense feature film |

In this, the 200th anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allan Poe, a feature film adaptation of his renowned macabre poem “Annabel Lee” will have its world premiere on Thursday, June 11, as the closing night selection of the Dances with Films independent film festival. It will screen at the Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in West Hollywood, California at 9:30 pm.

Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee brings together suspense, romance, tragedy and the supernatural in a gothic thriller set in contemporary time. The independent film was written and directed by Michael Rissi (Soultaker, Up Against Amanda) and stars newcomers Kristen Hagen, Jon Woodward and Bill Bordy. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of the enigmatic author Edgar Allan Poe and Annabel Lee is considered one of the author’s most celebrated poems, the last he wrote before his mysterious death.

The adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee tells the story of Jack Blythe, an artist who rents a summer house in a quiet seaside town to find creative inspiration. He gets more than he bargained for when he meets a captivating but hauntingly mysterious woman who offers to be his subject for a painting. When Jack discovers that his seductive stranger resembles a woman presumed dead for 18 years, he becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth. Soon, Jack is caught up in a terrifying struggle that will unravel a mystery and reveal a horrific secret.

Dances with Films runs from June 5-11, 2009 and more information on the event can be found at www.danceswithfilms.com.