Pathogen (film)

Pathogen is a 2006 zombie horror independent film written, directed, and produced by Emily Hagins, who was twelve at the time of the film's production. The film was released on March 25, 2006, and focuses on several middle school students who discover that an infection is turning people into zombies.

Plot
Fourteen-year-old Dannie (Rose Kent-McGlew) is horrified when a waterborne disease caused by bacteria begins to spread, but believes that the disease is somehow linked to her recurring dreams. As the disease becomes an epidemic, it's revealed that the disease not only kills those it infects but also turns them into zombies. As Dannie and her friends try to find the solution to the disease, they come across researcher Sue, who might hold the key to both the zombie disease and Dannie's dreams.

Cast

 * Tiger Darrow as Christine
 * Rose Kent-McGlew as Dannie
 * Alec Herskowitz as Sam
 * Tony Vespe as Cameron
 * Alex Schroeder as Stacy
 * Rebecca Elliott as Researcher Sue
 * Estrella Gonzales as Jen
 * C. Robert Cargill as Janitor
 * Joy M. Furman	as Dannie's Mom
 * Ben Gonzalez as News Reporter
 * Amanda Haight	as Chloe
 * Jim Hurley as Health Department Official
 * Dannie Helen Loraine Knowles as School Nurse
 * Harry Jay Knowles as Voice Actor
 * Melissa Martinez as Pharmaceutical Rep
 * Natalie Nooner as Ashley
 * Jay Giovanni Ramirez as Davey, Zombie Kid
 * Jose Ramirez as Doctor
 * Sebastian Rosas as Zombie
 * Ernest Rosas Roze as Math Teacher / Zombie

Production
Hagin completed the film's script in 2004 and filming took place in Austin, Texas. In 2005 she received a grant from the Texas Filmmakers Production Fund for post-production work, which she used to partially replace equipment necessary for post-production work that had been stolen during the shooting. A documentary entitled Zombie Girl: The Movie followed Hagin's filmmaking process.

Release
The film was released on Blu-ray on March 29, 2022.

Reception
Dread Central gave Pathogen four out of five blades, commenting that "Although this film was seen as a learning experience, many indie film-makers could learn a few things from it."