Director: James Ashcroft

Cast: Geoffrey Rush, John Lithgow, George Henare, Nathaniel Lees, Thomas Sainsbury

The Rule of Jenny Pen is a 2025 New Zealand psychological horror film directed by James Ashcroft, starring Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow. Set inside a remote care home, it follows a stroke-impaired retired judge who must confront a terrifying fellow resident wielding a child's puppet as a weapon of control and fear.

What is The Rule of Jenny Pen about?

Stefan Lowenstein, once a commanding presence on the judicial bench, finds himself stripped of authority and mobility after a debilitating stroke lands him in an isolated rest home. His world narrows to the ward's routines and the quiet desperation of aging residents — until a fellow patient named Davey arrives. Davey harbors something deeply wrong beneath his frail exterior, and his cherished puppet, Jenny Pen, becomes the instrument of a calculated reign of cruelty. As Davey's grip on the ward tightens and the staff remain oblivious, Stefan must find a way to resist from within a body that no longer obeys him. The film builds dread slowly, drawing power from confined spaces, institutional helplessness, and the question of how much resistance is still possible when nearly everything has been taken away.

Cast & crew

Director James Ashcroft brings a measured, suffocating tension to the film, demonstrating strong control of atmosphere in what is only his second feature. Geoffrey Rush delivers a largely physical performance as the silenced, watchful Stefan, while John Lithgow — unrecognizable beneath the film's character work — portrays the villainous Davey with unsettling calm. The supporting ensemble, including New Zealand veterans George Henare and Ian Mune, grounds the rest home world in quiet authenticity.

Context & significance

Iranian diaspora audiences who enjoy slow-burn psychological horror will find The Rule of Jenny Pen a gripping watch. The film explores themes universally resonant across cultures: the vulnerability of aging, the abuse of power within closed institutions, and the dignity of resistance when physical strength fails. New Zealand cinema has quietly developed a strong tradition of intimate, character-driven genre films, and this entry stands among its more unsettling offerings. The title is available on K-Time with Persian dubbing, making it fully accessible for Farsi-speaking viewers who prefer to follow the tension in their own language without reading subtitles.

Where & how to watch

The Rule of Jenny Pen is available on K-Time with Persian dubbing and Persian subtitles. Watch on the web, on your TV, or on your phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, no extra download required. Start or cancel anytime.