Debut filmmaker Cyril Abraham Dennis’s film Watusi Zombie! premiered at the 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) 2024. The film appeared in the Malayalam Cinema Today category. Originally a short film planned with a handheld camera, it grew into a full feature. Set in pre-pandemic Kochi, Watusi Zombie! tells the story of Grindset Gabriel, a regular open mic performer. Gabriel, played by Abdul Ahad, faces accusations of badmouthing a fellow artist. The film uses Gen Z slang, offering an absurd satire in chapters. Due to some technical issues with distribution rights, the team decided to make the film available on YouTube in December 2025 to reach a wider audience. Cyril says, “We had a hard time finding distribution due to some technical problems with the rights involved. So, we thought putting it out on YouTube would make it accessible and give it maximum visibility.” Cyril wrote the script while still in school, using an instinctual approach. He shares, “More than the plot, I gave importance to moments. The plot is not this film’s appeal. It’s about experience and the characters.” The film’s structure evolved throughout editing. The cast and crew were all 25 years old or younger. The film’s visuals have a retro feel, inspired by the photochemical film texture seen in American New Wave movies of the 1970s. Cyril and the director of photography designed a film emulation look to capture this timeless quality. The movie opens with the surf rock song “Watusi Zombie” by Jan Davis, tying the colors of the film to the song’s album cover. Cyril notes a longing for simpler times and critiques social media’s focus on identity. Renowned Malayalam writer NS Madhavan praised the film, saying, “Watusi Zombie! announces itself frame by frame with confidence that feels native to Gen Z: digitally fluent, visually alert, rhythm aware. Nothing feels tentative; the craft is instinctive.” Cyril is thrilled by the response and didn’t expect such wide reach. "It's very encouraging to see people like NS Madhavan writing about the film and calling it the arrival of something new," he says. Watch Watusi Zombie! now streaming on YouTube on the Watusi Zombie! channel.