Paradise Hills trailer: Emma Roberts, Awkwafina are trapped inside a sinister, candy-coloured island

The official trailer of surreal-drama Paradise Hills has dropped and it introduces us to a utopian island that belies the evil lurking underneath. Directed by debutante Alice Waddington, Paradise Hills stars Emma Roberts, Danielle Macdonald, Awkwafina, Eiza González, Milla Jovovich, and Jeremy Irvine in leading roles.

A still from Paradise Hills. YouTube screengrab

Emma plays Uma, a girl who finds herself on a mysterious island one day on waking up in the morning. She learns that the facility, called Paradise, is a special home where “high-class families send their daughters to become perfect versions of themselves.” The facility is run by a mysterious Duchess, played by Jovovich, where women take etiquette classes, vocal lessons, beauty treatments, learn gymnastics, and are put on a restricted diet in order to render them without any "physical and emotional shortcomings" within a span of two months.

With white, flamboyant dresses, high-tea parties, dance balls, and training sessions, Paradise comes across as a magical land. But Uma soon realises that Paradise's "correctional" classes are nothing but candyfloss-coated nightmares. She befriends two other such students — Chloe (McDonald), Yu (Awkwafina) and Mexican popstar Amarna (Eiza Gonzalez).

"It’s a race against the clock as Uma and her friends try to escape Paradise Hills before it consumes them all," says the official description.

The script has been penned by Brian DeLeeuw, Nacho Vigalondo, and Sofia Cuenca.

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on 26 January. Upon its screening, the film received positive reviews from critics.

The film will hit screens in the US on 1 November.

Apart from Paradise Hills, Roberts will also feature in political action-thriller The Hunt, starring Hilary Swank and Justin Hartley, Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story: 1984, Netflix's romantic comedy Holidate as well as an ice skating drama series titled Spinning Out.

Watch the trailer here