Please introduce yourself.
First, thank you for the invitation! My name is Anouk Whissell, I’m a writer-director based in Montreal, Canada. I graduated in Traditional Animation, worked in animation studios for 10 years while making short films within the RKSS Films Director Triforce with François Simard and Yoann-Karl Whissell. Together, we’ve made our feature debut TURBO KID, which premiered at Sundance in 2015, where we returned a few years later with our follow-up film SUMMER OF ’84. As a director, I thrive on passion, my love for genre and character-driven stories.
What is it that attracts you the horror genre for your chosen field of creative work?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been attracted to ghost stories, aliens and all things spooky – my spirit animal was Wednesday Adams. I’m the youngest of two siblings, so I’ve been exposed to horror films way too young, and I like to blame my older brother for not being easily scared in horror movies anymore. There is something about horror that triggers such an intense emotional response in the body and mind. Fear is powerful, and horror movies give you a taste of fear in a controlled and safe area and when played well, it can have the same entertaining effect a rollercoaster would. Horror and genre are so versatile and creatively inspiring, you can twist and bend the rules, you can play with tension, pain and humor and it’s been one of the most powerful vehicle for social commentary. It’s just the perfect canvas in my opinion.
Who inspires you in your work and in life?
My biggest inspirations come from the directors and movies who left an everlasting mark in my heart and mind when I was a kid. And though I also appreciate the modern approach, there was a way to tell stories back then that was typical of the period, this, the colors and textures, combined with the use of practical effects made everything so real, so tangible and unsettling. To name a few, John Carpenter, Steven Spielberg, Kathryn Bigelow, Peter Jackson & Sam Raimi are all parts of why I became a filmmaker.
Women in horror have made great strides, but it’s clear that a lot of work is still needed to make it a most inclusive genre. To you, what is the importance of a movement like Women in Horror Month?
What I appreciate from incentives such as Women In Horror Month, is that it’s a moment we take to acknowledge the work we’ve done and showcase new talents – and I’m sure a lot of people discover through these incentives that some of their favorite films have been directed by women and they just didn’t know about it.
What would you tell an up-and-coming creative in the world of horror who sees that being a woman/ identifying as a women as something that makes it so much more difficult at times?
Being an emerging filmmaker is a tough position in itself, you’ll need to work hard, make sacrifices, accept compromise and fight for your dream. I’ve never been put in that specific situation, and I’m glad I didn’t, but the advice I would give, is that if someone is reluctant to giving you your shot based on the sole fact that you’re a woman, then you probably don’t want to work with them. Making a movie is tough, and you want to surround yourself with the right team and partners – because you’re going to spend an awful lot of time with them and you want this time to be fun and exciting!
What are your favorite bits of helpful advice that you have received about your work or your field?
The most helpful advice I’ve been given was by Jason Eisener, just before driving to set on the first day of TURBO KID. They were simple words, but important ones: Be confident and act now, don’t regret later!
In honor of celebrating Women in Horror Month, who do you believe viewers should keep an eye on in terms of the creative ladies in horror?
There are so many of them, and in so many fields of activities! I’m going to name three, but there are a lot more and I encourage you to look for them, but I’m keeping an eye out for Ana Lily Amirpour, Jennifer Kent and Lee Paula Springer.
What do you have coming soon that you can talk to us about?
I’ve got multiple projects in different stages of development with RKSS, one of them being TURBO KID 2 and I’m currently in soft-prep on our next movie and I so wish I could tell you more about it, but it hasn’t been announced yet!
Pop them links to follow your work here:
Instagram: @deathbypancake
Twitter: @anoukrkss
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rkssfilms