Founder of Southern Gothic Film Festival, writer, and director Brooke Edler Hebert has a passion for horror.
Please introduce yourself:
My name is Brooke Edler Hebert. I am a writer/director/lover of horror films. I also founded my hometown’s first horror film festival Southern Gothic Film Festival in Lafayette, Louisiana.
What is it that attracts you the horror genre for your chosen field of creative work?
I really couldn’t explain in words why I am so attracted to the horror genre of films. I have always been drawn to weird and dark things ever since I was a kid. Horror films were always a sense of escape for me. It’s comfort food. I find beauty in dark things.
Who inspires you in your work and in life?
Some people that inspire me in my work are John Waters and RuPaul Charles. I love that these individuals are unapologetic about who they are. They authentically live their lives as their true selves. As a shy introvert, I wish I could be more like them and allow that extrovert inside of me to break free. I’m inspired by music especially when I’m writing and in pre-production for a film. Fashion is also a big inspiration in work and in life. Some of my fashion icons are Tilda Swindon, Annie Lennox, and David Bowie. I gravitate towards the androgyny look.
What are your passions, cinematic or otherwise?
My passions, other than filmmaking and horror, are music, writing, fashion, spending time with family and friends, and caring for my pets.
Considering this is 2022, why do you think we still need a movement like Women in Horror Month?
Even though it’s 2022, filmmaking is still a man’s world. Women still have to try a little bit harder to be seen and heard in the filmmaking world. But the Women in Horror movement gives us another platform for our voices to be heard.
What would you tell an up-and-coming creative in the world of horror who sees that being a woman/identifying as a woman as something that makes it so much more difficult at times?
I would let them know, that they are right. It IS difficult to be a woman in the film business. But it’s absolutely NOT impossible.
What are your favorite bits of helpful advice that you have received about your work or your field?
The best advice I have ever gotten in my field of directing is that it’s important to make sure you say exactly what you want. Don’t second guess yourself. You know what you want, so say it.
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?
I’ve had the honor of attending some amazing film festivals that showcase women in horror. Some ladies that caught my eye and who others should look out for are Kelsey Bollig director of ‘Asking for a Friend’ and ‘The Fourth Wall’, Synde Horton director of ‘Meta’, Rozalyn Mattocks director of ‘Kid Free Weekend’, and the ladies of Monstrous Femme Films.
What do you have coming soon that you can talk to us about?
I just wrapped on my 6th short film ‘Violet Butterfield: Makeup Artist for the Dead’ which is a dark comedy about a mortician that does more than just beautify her clients. The film’s esthetic is inspired by the late 1960’s. We shot it on actual film and I am dying to see how the footage came out! I’m also writing the script for our first feature film entitled ‘The Cramps’ which is a horror film about menstruation. It’s a period piece ;)
What do you hope to leave behind in your legacy as an artist?
I would like to be remembered as a person who did something to change their community and the world of horror films for the better.
Pop them links to follow your work here:
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