IFC and Shudder have released the official trailer for Forbidden Fruits, a cult horror comedy set inside a shopping mall where sisterhood comes with rules and consequences. Starring Lili Reinhart, Laura Tung, Victoria Pedretti, and Alexandra Shipp. Watch the trailer above and read about what’s happening inside Free Eden.
Mall store with very dark basement
Forbidden Fruit, the feature debut from writer-director Meredith Alloway, who co-wrote the screenplay with Lily Houghton, is set inside Free Eden, a boho-chic shopping mall with high price tags and an aggressively curated atmosphere.
Reinhart plays Apple, a Free Eden employee who, along with her fellow “fruits” Cherry (Pedretti) and Fig (Shipp), secretly run a witch-like femme cult in the store’s basement during off-hours. When Pumpkin (Tung), a new employee from Sister Salt’s pretzel shop, is drawn into their orbit, cracks begin to appear in the sisterhood.
Lili Reinhart leads the ensemble.
Reinhart, Tan, Pedretti, and Shipp form the central quartet, with Emma Chamberlain appearing as a Free Eden shopper. Gabrielle Union also appears in the film, but her role is kept largely secret in the trailer.
Off-screen, the film also has Jennifer’s Body screenwriter Diablo Cody on board as a producer, which fits right in with the film’s tendencies. All in all, it’s a gritty horror-comedy and a clear concern with the messy politics when the “sisterhood” turns into rule.
Beyond the trailer, IFC and Shudder are having fun with the Free Eden concept, offering a tongue-in-cheek “application” experience where fans can “apply” to join the “family.” You can check out the Shop Free Eden site here and fill out the form to become a “Boho Babe” here.
Release date and SXSW premiere
“Forbidden Fruits” will have its world premiere on March 16th at the 2026 SXSW Film and TV Festival. IFC and Shudder will release the film in U.S. theaters on March 27th.
