Meet the multi-talented Ashes Homon-Rahall:
To start, please introduce yourself:
Hello! My name is Ashes Homon-Rahall and I am a Writer, Director, Actor, Producer, and budding SFX artist. I co-own Magenta Manor Productions along with my husband, and am the Assistant Creative Director for Dead of Winter Entertainment and the Dead of Winter Horror Festival. My first short film, Sweet Dreams, premiered last year and my second short film, Multi-Level Massacre (It’s a Pyramid Scream!), is currently beginning its festival run.
What is horror to you, what makes a work of art one in the horror genre?
I love this question so much! Horror is everywhere. There are so many things that straddle the line of this genre, I find it to be all-encompassing. Anything that makes you uncomfortable, gives you nightmares, makes your skin crawl, gives you a sense of uneasiness or dread, makes you queasy – that’s horror.
What made you want to work in horror?
It’s not a want, it’s a need. I NEED to work in horror. The horror genre has given me so much – entertainment, a sense of belonging, friendships, purpose, a community, and it’s the first thing my husband and I bonded over when we met. Working in horror and making contributions to the genre is my way of giving back and saying “thank you”.
Where do you get your inspiration?
From the everyday horrors of being a woman in America, which is getting scarier by the second.
What would you like your legacy to be in the genre (or elsewhere)?
I think I would like my legacy to be my love for the New England Independent Horror scene and everything we’re doing with the Dead of Winter Horror Festival and Dead of Winter Entertainment. There are so many talented individuals in this scene who deserve to have their creations showcased and seen, I’d like to be known as someone who helped give these creators a platform for their work.
What is Women in Horror Month to you and why is it still important this many years later?
Horror is vastly underrepresented when it comes to other genres (especially in film), and women are the underrepresented of the underrepresented. Women are out there, working hard, creating art, and making incredible contributions to the genre while combating the blatant misogyny that still plagues the industry. They deserve to be given their flowers.
Who are some of the Women in Horror who you look up to and who do you want to bring attention to in your field or others?
Most recently, it’s Coralie Fargeat. I love horror from the female perspective, and The Substance was nothing short of a masterpiece. She stuck to her guns when it came to getting the film made and never backed down to producers telling her otherwise. She didn’t shrink herself or change her story to make it more palatable, and ultimately made the film she had intended – a beautiful, disgusting, funny, yet horrific piece of commentary.
Speaking of horror from the female perspective, I encourage everyone to seek out the films of Erica Stockwell-Alpert, Diana Porter, and Bridgette Cannell. These talented ladies have been making waves in the New England Independent Horror scene for years and their work is extraordinary. Some of the most incredible horror I have seen have been from these three women. They are complete powerhouses in the genre and deserve to be celebrated.
What are you currently working on that you can tell us about?
I am currently in the writing stages of my next two short films: one is body horror commentary on women’s healthcare in America, and the other is a feminine rage slasher. I’m also working on a bunch of other projects, including being in front of the camera for the upcoming feature Stakes: A New England Vampire Story, written and directed by James Lamond of It Came From the 508 Productions.
Where can readers keep up with you?
To keep up with everything Magenta Manor Productions, go to magentamanorproductions.com
For everything Dead of Winter, go to deadofwinterentertainment.com
I had the honor to work with Ashes. Not only is she super talented but she is also incredibly kind and brilliant. I encourage everyone to watch her films.