PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Extreme horror is a divisive subgenre usually suited for more seasoned horror audiences and delivers fans buckets of blood and violence. With FUKT, a new anthology that premiered at Nightmares Film Festival this year, the bloodshed is brought on by a new set of storytellers focusing on extreme horrors seen through the female perspective. Spearheaded by filmmaker/programmer/FX artist Devotion’s Jessie Seitz (our last interview), FUKT aims to showcase the talents of several ladies as they take on toxic friendships, bullies, predatory males, and more.
Here, we have filmmakers Brooklyn Ewing (She Was So Pretty 2016 – our review), Sydney Clara Brafman (The Only Thing I Love More Than You Is Ranch Dressing 2018 – our review) and Jessie Seitz herself discussing women and extreme horror, how they became a part of this anthology, which is premiering at Nightmares Film Festival 2021! You can read our interview with fellow FUKT creators Dixie Gers, Ashley Faulkner, and Megan Beck HERE.
PopHorror: First of all, congratulations to every one of you for contributing to a female-focused extreme horror anthology. How did FUKT come to fruition, and how were each of you approached for this project?
Sydney Clara Brafman: Thank you! FUKT was the brainchild of Jessie, who’s worked as a producer, filmmaker and SFX artist for many years. After noticing it was increasingly hard to find films made by women in the extreme space, she took it upon herself to create her own anthology with all these amazing filmmakers! She had originally just cold-emailed me, which was such a delight to have in my inbox. I learned later that we had a lot of mutual connections, which is often the case in this small horror world of ours. I knew I wanted to be a part of FUKT, so we made it happen!
Brooklyn Ewing: Thanks so much! I remember Jessie Seitz posted that she was hoping to produce a female-centric extreme horror project. I immediately asked her about it, and she invited me on board. I have been wanting to make a short for a while, so this gave me the push I needed.
Jessie Seitz: The concept for FUKT came while Marcus Koch and I were collecting interviews for our documentary, Beyond Horror. We found that a good portion of the people we talked to didn’t consider women to be an integral part of the extreme cinema genre. As both a fan and creator, that didn’t sit well with me, because I felt there were plenty of examples to prove otherwise. I eventually realized that the misconception was partly coming from women not being extended the same opportunities or getting the same type of exposure in this specific realm. To be clear, it’s not that men were keeping women out, they just weren’t actively including or pursuing them on a directorial level.
I think that extreme cinema has a lot to offer both audiences and creators. There is so much room to expand the genre and fold in narratives that we haven’t seen in the past. It is a really important part of the film world, because there aren’t any rules or faux pas as far as content goes, and you can create a piece for a much lower budget, making it much more accessible to creators. I put out a call out for women specifically looking to contribute to an anthology and encouraged them to be very open with the theme and concept. The result is something I’m very proud to have produced and contributed to as a director.
PopHorror: Each segment of FUKT highlights horrors experienced by countless women. How did everyone nail down their segment and their theme? What were you each adamant about delivering for FUKT?
Sydney Clara Brafman: Horror can mean so many things to so many different people, and I love to see it told from the eyes of an untapped gaze. For me, I knew The Only Thing I Love More Than You Is Ranch Dressing was about knowing what you want in life and not letting anyone else prevent you from getting it. It’s had an incredible festival run with some amazing write-ups already, and I love to see how people interpret the more nuanced aspects of the film. In only one minute, I’ve packed as much imagery as I can in this tiny bite-sized meal, and there’s a lot to unpack, but it’s up to the viewers what they focus on.
Brooklyn Ewing: I wanted to deliver something different. I told myself I would finally incorporate some of my photography style into a movie project. My fashion photography is filled with vintage flair. As someone who works heavily with women in my business, I see them struggle to be something they see on TV and social media. The struggle to be beautiful is so real for so many. I promised myself I would deliver something out of the box, and I wanted to incorporate teens and the beauty industry. Beyond that, I just started brainstorming.
Jessie Seitz: Everyone was encouraged to take the concept of extreme cinema and run with it, so everything you’re seeing is from the director’s own mind. I felt that was the best way to approach the project to yield more unique results for each segment. I really feel each director’s personal aesthetic is reflected in their segments, and that’s what makes this project special. For my own short, 18, I was interested in exploring the exploitation of a male body in a manner that you typically see a female body on screen.
PopHorror: Extreme horror is sometimes mistaken for a sub-genre only enjoyed by men. Thankfully, you are all here to help denounce this misconception. What does it mean for you to be a part of this anthology?
Sydney Clara Brafman: I love to bring people into a space where they let their guard down, and then take advantage of that vulnerability and make their blood curdle. I think setting up a certain expectation makes that gut-punch feel so much more visceral, and I love being able to share this devious execution with FUKT. I try to set up my films in the vein of comedy, letting people feel loose and relaxed about the situation. What could possibly go wrong? Then like a blackout, I cut the power and freak them out to the point where—all the times I’ve been able to see in-person reactions at festivals—people literally shriek and cover their eyes mere seconds after they were chuckling. That feeling is so electric; I truly feed off of it. Sharing that with FUKT is an incredible opportunity, and I can’t wait to see where this takes us.
Brooklyn Ewing: I’m a huge fan of extreme horror and what people call torture porn. There is something about pushing limits and going to dark places in moviemaking. How far is too far? Is it a gross-out or emotional scene that pushes us to feel overwhelmed? I’m a big gore fan. I always cringe and peek through my fingers, but I love it. Being a part of this anthology almost made me feel like an outsider who snuck in. My work doesn’t press the normal extreme buttons. There is no nudity and no real violence. It pushes a lot of emotional buttons and focuses on gore. I’m suffering from Imposter Syndrome, but I’m beyond thrilled to be here.
Jessie Seitz: My hope with this project is that it will encourage people to create with who and what they have around them. I don’t feel there is anything explicitly feminist about FUKT, but I do feel that it shows that women are interested in actively creating in this genre. That means a lot to me personally.
PopHorror: FUKT not only had its world premiere at one of the most revered genre film festivals in North America, but it was also nominated for Best Horror Feature at Nightmares Film Festival. What were all of your initial reactions to this?
Sydney Clara Brafman: I’d like to say I wasn’t surprised considering the quality and caliber of work each filmmaker has put into FUKT. Of course, I always get that buzz of excitement hearing about our successes! Even if I know we deserve it, it means the world to me that everyone else sees it too.
Brooklyn Ewing: I LOVE Nightmares Film Festival. They showed our first film, She Was So Pretty, at their inaugural fest. It’s the first festival that accepted our movie, and now the killer networking and friendships keep us coming back every year. Being nominated at Nightmares feels amazing. The programming there is top-notch. Our movies have never looked better than when they screen at The Gateway Film Center. If you haven’t attended or submitted a film, you really have to. It’s so special.
Jessie Seitz: Getting to premiere at Nightmares Film Festival means so much to me. They truly are dedicated to challenging, innovative, underground cinema, so to be included within that lineup is just extremely humbling. The nomination felt very validating after all the hard work everyone put into their segments.
PopHorror: I am mighty curious to ask each one of you this question: if you could program a double feature at any venue in the world, what two films make your bill and where are they playing at?
Sydney Clara Brafman: Oh, I LOVE programming films, so this is a treat. I’ve been on a bit of a brain-boosting kick, so this might be an oddball for you, but I’d love to take someone to a screening of Coherence and Primer. They both absolutely make your brain melt in the best possible way, through space and time, and I keep putting them at the top of my list in that category. There’s just nothing like them. As for the location? I’m kind of obsessed with the Pathé Tuschinski. It’s absolutely breathtaking, and I can’t imagine a better place to lose your mind.
Brooklyn Ewing: This is an epic question. I would have to say I’d love to see the original Maniac and Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer on a double feature bill at The Gateway Film Center. The GFC feels like my home when I’m there, and all my friends can come, too. I did struggle with this choice because I’ve always wanted to see Ryan Gosling’s film Lost River on the big screen because it is stunning, but I ended up on the horror option. See Lost River if you haven’t. I love it.
Jessie Seitz: Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry and Vanishing Point at any operational drive-in.
We would like to thank Sydney, Jessie, and Brooklyn for their time. Next up for FUKT is a gig at the renowned Late Shift at the Grindhouse in Iowa on December 8, 2021, with full distribution details to be announced soon!
