PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Two weeks ago I attended a press junket for the highly anticipated film, His House (read our review –HERE), a horror thriller about a refugee couple fleeing their home in war-ravaged South Sudan to seek asylum, and start a new life in England. What happens to them next is what nightmares are made of. The film was released on Netflix on October 30, 2020, and you need to watch it ASAP. It’s truly scary, and will hit all of your emotions. I was lucky enough to speak with stars Wunmi Mosaku (Rial Majur), Sope Dirisu (Bol Majur), and director Remi Weekes, and we discussed the film, and what they have coming up next.
PopHorror: Loved the movie so I’m really excited to hear more about it. This question is for Remi. I want to know, what inspired you to write the screenplay for His House, and why did you choose to implement the horror element of it? This couple had already gone through the horrors of their country, why submit them to even more horror?
Remi Weekes: What I like about the horror genre is that it enables you to go into the psychology of someone, and to go into someone’s head in a very literal way that you often don’t get to do in filmmaking. I like the idea of being able to be subjected with someone’s emotions and how someone feels and to put out what they’re feeling into visual and literal form. That’s why I like the genre.
Wunmi Mosaku: Can I say something?
PopHorror: Absolutely.
Wunmi Mosaku: The horrors don’t end just because you’ve escaped war. The horrors don’t end just because you’ve survived the journey to get to safety. The horror is what we people do to other people. And so, to me that’s one reason why I absolutely love the film because it just made me see it differently like, oh yeah. They’re still going through it, they’re still experiencing horror. Horrors daily. And they will have those traumas and those scars forever, and they have to live with it. And they have to come to a place of peace with it, where they can still maybe one day thrive, and feel in control of it. That’s what I really felt, especially at the end of the film with what Remi wrote? They’re still carrying it.
PopHorror: How does it feel to have your film go straight from festivals to such a huge platform like Netflix, where it will reach a wide audience?
Remi Weeks: I’m terrified everyday. It’s bananas. I haven’t really understood it emotionally in my head yet. I’m going to find out.
PopHorror: This film has made me really excited for what’s up next for all of you. You’re all insanely talented. I know that Covid has made it hard, but what is next for you?
Sope Dirisu: What can I talk about? I have a Christmas film coming out at some point in the near future. And when I say sometime in the near future, you would think a Christmas film would come out at Christmas. It’s called Silent Night. I’m currently on sent for a period feature called Mothering Sunday, which is being directed by Eva Husson, and starring Odessa Young, Josh O’Connor, Olivia Coman and Colin Firth. What else is coming up? I did a German film called Haven, which has disappeared. I don’t know when that’s coming. And hopefully will go on to make Mr. Malcolm’s List in the spring, if you know about that at all. A romantic comedy set in the regency era of the UK. And then Gangs of London 2 will hopefully come around as well.
Wunmi Mosaku: Sorry, I have no answer to that.
Sope Dirisu: Oh, no!
Wunmi Mosaku: I don’t know what’s coming next. I’m working on something now, but I can’t say anything.
Sope Dirisu: Can’t talk about that yet!
Wunmi Mosaku: But after that, I don’t know. Rest and enjoy.
Remi Weekes: I am exactly the same. I don’t know. I always say that this is my moment of discovery. I’m just reading stuff, learning about stuff, trying to explore topics that I’m interested in. A lot of history stuff. I’m discovering
Thank you so much to Wunmi, Sope and Remi for taking the time to speak with me. You can watch the terrifying His House, now on Netflix.
