Please introduce yourself.
My name is Lee Ann Kurr, and I’m a film writer-director based in Burbank CA, with a background in classical theatre. My work is female-forward with intentionally diverse character ensembles, and uses genre to heighten a coming-of-age narrative.
Author Archives: Emilie Black
Interview with Latinx Author and Director, Violet Castro [Women in Horror Month 2021]
Please introduce yourself.
My name is Violet. I am a Mexican American woman from Texas but now residing in the UK. I write horror, science fiction, erotica and erotic horror.
What is it that attracts you the horror genre for your chosen field of creative work?
I have been a horror fan since childhood. We have so many scary folktales in my culture it is hard to escape the supernatural. I’ve always embraced it and have been fascinated by the role it plays in my culture. Aztec mythology is also full of horror.
Interview with Edda Manriquez, Founder of Les Femmes Underground International Film Festival [Women in Horror Month 2021]
Please introduce yourself.
My name is Edda Manriquez and I am a Latinx experimental horror filmmaker. My work has been featured in various film festivals and screenings all around the world including the REDCAT: Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater. I am also the founder and director of Les Femmes Underground International Film Festival, which is a womxn’s traveling film festival whose prime focus is on diversity and equity for filmmakers across the cinematic spectrum. I obtained my M.F.A. in Film and Video at the California Institute of the Arts and my Bachelors in Visual Arts, Communications, and Stage Management from the University of California, San Diego. I currently work at a prestigious Archive in Los Angeles where I provide access to materials to researchers and cinematheques all across the globe.
Interview with Jill Gevargizian, Director of “The Stylist” [Women in Horror Month 2021]
Please introduce yourself.
I’m Jill Gevargizian, I’m a director, producer, sometimes writer, and hairstylist! My feature film debut, The Stylist, just released!
What is it that attracts you to the horror genre for your chosen field of creative work?
I’ve always loved horror. I love that it’s exciting, adventurous, and challenging. I really love working in the genre because it is an incredibly entertaining way to confront more serious ideas, themes, and issues.
Swan Song (2021) [SXSW 2021]
An aging hairdresser is called back into action for one last hurrah. As he crosses his small town on foot, the viewer (and himself) find out who he is and what he is meant to do.
Echoes of Violence (2021) [CineQuest 2021]
A real estate agent meets a woman in the worst circumstances she could possibly be in. With some coaxing, they both travel to Los Angeles so that she can take revenge on those who have put here where she was when he found her.
Interview with Filmmaker Ashley Maria [Women in Horror Month 2021]
Please introduce yourself.
I’m Ashley Maria, I’m located in Los Angeles, and I recently launched my first feature film, Pioneers in Skirts, a documentary which follows my own journey as a director in Hollywood and the obstacles women confront in their careers. I started out in the genre space – horror, comedy, action – but quickly saw how I would be treated in my career as “just a woman-director,” even after winning a Directors Guild of America award for my first short film, “Friday Night Fright.” So, I had to make a movie to find solutions to create real change. That is Pioneers in Skirts which was released in 2020, now screening worldwide. I’m now coming back to horror, developing my next feature – and very excited!