Last year during festival season, I reviewed the dark fairy tale, KRATT (read it – HERE) and now it’s available on Digital HD and Cable VOD. I recently had the opportunity to chat with the mastermind behind this wondaful and magical film, Rasmus Merivoo.
Synopsis:
Children are left at Grandma’s without smartphones. Real life seems boring, working feels hard. Luckily they find instructions for Kratt – a magical creature from old Estonian mythology who will do whatever its master says. All they have to do now is buy a soul from the Devil! Life stops being boring in a bloody way…
PopHorror – I reviewed KRATT last year for Fantastic Fest and loved it. I’m glad it’s still receiving lots of love. What inspired you to make this film?
PopHorror – I love it. The film has great cast. How did the casting process come about?
Rasmus Merivoo – Actually, there wasn’t so much casting but writing the script for the people I already knew. Some of them were well known actors, some of them were just friends from other fields of life. For example, Paul Purga who played Lembit – father of the twins, is actually a choir conductor.
It all started with Mari Lill – the actress who plays granny. She is well known in Estonia for playing witch in children tv-show in the 70s. When I met her during a tv-series I directed I knew I had to write something for her. She has this magical ability to be cute and terrifying at the same time. I wanted to make a film she could shine in so I found her before I started writing. Ivo Uukkivi – actor who plays the governor came to me at a party and asked for a role so I wrote it to him 🙂
PopHorror – That’s awesome. There’s so many great scenes. Any favorite ones for yourself?
Rasmus Merivoo – I love the atmosphere in the scene before exorcism.
PopHorror – What was your ultimate goal when making this film?
Rasmus Merivoo – It’s always the same – to be the best I can be doing the thing I love the most. And to get a movie done after a long pause was a goal also.
PopHorror – That’s a good goal to have. Are you pleased with how people have reacted to this film and what do you hope people take away from this film?
Rasmus Merivoo – There are people who like it and that makes me happy. I hope the audience finds the joy we had making it.
PopHorror – What inspired you to come a director?
Rasmus Merivoo – As a kid I wanted to be archeologist until I saw a documentary on how they made the film “Raiders of the lost ark”. I found out there is something even more fun than archeology – making films.
PopHorror – Any upcoming projects?
Rasmus Merivoo – We are in the middle of a shooting period and if all goes well my new feature might be ready in the end of next year. I don’t feel good talking about something I’m in the middle of doing, but it feels right now that it is going to be a romantic tragedy.