Queer.Horror.Movies

The curated portfolio of film journalist Joe Lipsett

Queer Horror Director Showcase: Christopher Landon, Two Johns and Misunderstood Characters

by

Name: Christopher Landon

Age: 44

Birth Place: Los Angeles, CA

Sexuality: Gay

Notable films: Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014), Scout’s Guide to the Apocalypse (2015), Happy Death Day 2U (2017), Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

When did you know you were queer? When did you come out?

Christopher Landon: I knew I was different from an early age. Like a lot of queer little boys, I loved my sister’s Barbie dolls, I loved movies like Mommie Dearest and Big Business. I had boy-crushes in high school but I dismissed them as “a phase.” I finally came out when I was 22 after meeting my first boyfriend. I didn’t want to lead a double-life so I just did a big-ass coming out tour and told everyone in my orbit within about a week’s time. LOL.

How did you get into filmmaking?

CL: I have always been obsessed with movies. Especially horror. I made short films as a kid and studied film in college. I took an internship at Disney when I was about 18 and that’s where I really began to see a path to becoming a filmmaker.

Why do you make horror films?

CL:  Horror has always been a genre that intrigues me. It’s so versatile. You can Trojan-horse so many themes and ideas in a horror movie. I love the genre’s renegade status no matter how mainstream it seems to be now. It’s still punk rock and dangerous.

What films (queer or not) have made a significant impact on you and your work? In what way?

CL: If I had to choose two filmmakers that have influenced me the most I would say John Carpenter and John Hughes. They’re totally different Johns but each made an equal and profound impact on my childhood and my creative sensibilities. Carpenter is the master of suspense. I have seen The Thing and Halloween a million times and they never stop educating me. John Hughes captured something so few filmmakers ever can – the pain and awkwardness of adolescence. But even in a movie like Trains, Planes, and Automobiles he could make you laugh and cry – often within seconds of each other. I love the quirk and heart he brought to his work.

You’ve worked on two high profile projects with Blumhouse (the Happy Death Day films). What is it like to helm a franchise for a major studio? How progressive or welcoming is the industry for queer creators right now?

CL:  I’ve been in this business for a minute now and I would say we’re living in a good moment as far as change and diversity go. My sexuality hasn’t played too great a role in my work, in terms of being marginalized, but I have always strived to bring a queer perspective to my movies. That’s not to say I haven’t encountered resistance in the past, but I think people in general are just looking for good stories no matter where (or who) they come from.

That said, we still need more diversity. When I was growing up, I didn’t see people like me in movies unless they were the brunt of a joke. That’s changing, but it can change a lot more.

Do you believe that your sexuality informs your films? If yes, in what way? If no, is that a conscious decision?

CL: OH FUCK YES. Hahahahaha. I mean, I made a studio zombie movie with a Britney sing-along and a horror set-piece while Dolly Parton’s 9-5 blared. My shit is G-A-Y. But I also think growing up queer and feeling like I didn’t quite belong really reinforced a strong sense of empathy in me. My characters are often misunderstood and stand a little outside of the world around them.

When Trace Thurman and I covered Happy Death Day for the Horror Queers podcast, we found a really sweet story about a gay fan thanking you for including the character of Tim because it normalized gay people. Have you interacted with many other queer horror fans of your films? What has that experience been like? 

CL: Absolutely. I love interacting with queer horror fans. There are SO many of us out there. I feel a kinship to them. It’s so important to be seen.

With Happy Death Day 2U now out on VOD and Blu, what’s next for you? 

CL: I have a really fun movie I’m about to go shoot. I can’t say what it is yet, but it has the best gay character ever. He is out, proud and fucking badass. I can’t wait to make this one.

Follow Christopher on social media:

Queer Horror Director Showcase: Parker Brennon, ‘Carnival of Souls’ and “…Can Kill” Horror

by

Name: Parker Brennon

Age: 26

Birth Place: Gahanna, OH

Sexuality: Gay

Notable films: Haunt Me (2017), Elise’s Nightmare (2017), Below the Trees (2018)

When did you know you were queer? When did you come out?

Parker Brennon: In elementary school, I started hanging out with girls instead of boys. These opposite-sex friendships prompted some boys to call me a fag, long before I had an understanding of my own sexuality. Around age 11, I realized I was gay, and it was extremely difficult to accept. I didn’t want to be the thing I was accused of being. Finally at age 15, I told my sister I was bisexual. It wasn’t true, but it was easier than saying “gay.” I found an online boyfriend living in New York and eventually told my mom about him. She was very kind and hugged me while I cried. That was a turning point. I started coming out to my friends and being more open.

How did you get into filmmaking?

PB:  My best friend, my siblings, and I started a series of terrible shorts back in 2007. We would basically pick a noun and add “Can Kill.” Camp Can Kill. Looks Can Kill. Musicals Can Kill. The movie’s title determined its plot. I did all the video recording and editing, and it was ridiculous fun. I wouldn’t willingly share those movies with anyone today, but that’s how I began.

Why do you make horror films?

PB:  Every genre has films I enjoy, but to write and direct something myself, I need some ardent energy. Horror is what best fuels my fire. I love an eerie atmosphere. I love a sense of adventure. I love seeing women on screen who are compelling villains or survivors overcoming terrifying obstacles. Stories that contain these elements are easily born in the horror genre.

What films (queer or not) have made a significant impact on you and your work? In what way?

PB:  Carnival of Souls (1962) is my number one. I adore Candace Hilligoss’ bizarre performance. Her cold, detached character is so fascinating and weirdly relatable. Best of all, she’s plunged into an eerie, supernatural story. It’s not at all a “perfect” film, but that’s part of its charm. I also love Silent Hill (2006), largely because the video games hold an extremely special place in my heart. The nightmarish world is an ideal horror sandbox and evokes wonderfully dark adventures.

How progressive or welcoming is the industry for queer creators right now?

PB:  It’s much better than it was in the past. Although, I spend more time thinking about inequality on screen. I recently watched The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014). I liked it, but I couldn’t help noticing that three hetero couples have sex scenes, and a gay couple is murdered before doing anything. It was a reminder that American culture relishes seeing sexual straight people, but “gay stuff” (especially between men) is always a sore subject. I can almost hear Aunt Sassy shouting “I don’t need to see that!”

Do you believe that your sexuality informs your films? If yes, in what way? If no, is that a conscious decision?

PB: Yes, my sexuality hugely impacts my work. I’ve never written a scene with heterosexual sex or kissing. My life contains an interminable amount of these displays, and if I’m in charge of a story, I’ll leave that out every time. So far, the films I’ve directed have a mix of sexually ambiguous and straight characters, but I’ll include more obviously queer people in my future work.

Do you subscribe to queer readings of your films?

PB: Hell yes! Haunt Me has more gay energy than my other shorts, but I hesitate to recommend it because my directorial skills were weaker then. Although, it was lucky enough to get over 120,000 views on YouTube, so I guess things worked out for that one.

Have you interacted with many queer horror fans of your films? What has that experience been like?

PB: Mostly online, but yes! I love it when queer people write encouraging comments or connect with me on Twitter. It’s great to be part of that community. On Twitter and Letterboxd, I often interact with queer horror fans who would otherwise be absent from my day-to-day life.

You’ve been putting out horror shorts with some regularity over the last few years. Do you plan to make the leap into horror features in the future?

PB: Absolutely. After Winter’s Blood is finished, my next project will be a feature. I wrote a feature-length version of Below the Trees, but it requires more financing than I can provide alone. Rather than dwell on that roadblock, I decided to come up with a lower budget idea. In January, I visited LA and met with a writer/producer I love. I pitched the low budget idea to her, and she’s excited about it. We’re developing that screenplay this year, and hopefully, it’ll end up being my feature directorial debut.

Follow Parker on social media:

Horror Queers

by

My writing partner, Trace Thurman, and I write monthly editorials for Bloody Disgusting entitled Horror Queers. The series focuses on films with LGBTQ themes, a high camp quotient or both.

Podcast (New for 2019!)

Horror Queers has launched as a podcast as part of the Bloody Disgusting Podcast Network. Tune in weekly on your podcatcher of choice (iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Soundcloud, TuneIn) for new episodes:

  • The Craft feat. Valeska Griffiths (June 24, 2020)
  • Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker feat. FriGay the 13th (June 17, 2020)
  • Lord of Illusions (June 10, 2020)
  • Hellbent / Killer Unicorn feat. Sam Wineman (June 3, 2020)
  • The Handmaiden feat. Jenny Nulf (May 27, 2020)
  • Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II feat. Leigh Monson (May 20, 2020)
  • Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island feat. Haleigh Foutch (May 13, 2020)
  • Grace feat. Anya Stanley (May 6, 2020)
  • A Nightmare on Elm Street (April 29, 2020)
  • Poltergeist 2: The Other Side feat. Tyler Jensen & Roman Chimienti (April 22, 2020)
  • Reefer Madness (April 15, 2020)
  • American Psycho feat. Eric Charmelo (April 8, 2020)
  • April Fools Day (April 1, 2020)
  • Vamp feat. Cecil Baldwin (March 25, 2020)
  • The Ranger feat. Annie Rose Malamet (March 18, 2020)
  • Jason X (March 11, 2020)
  • The Blob feat. Meagan Navarro (March 4, 2020)
  • Zombeavers (Feb 26, 2020)
  • Martyrs (Feb 19, 2020)
  • Single White Female feat. Double A Horror Highway (Feb 12, 2020)
  • Hellraiser: Bloodline (Feb 5, 2020)
  • The Boy Next Door feat. Matt Donato (Jan 29, 2020)
  • All Cheerleaders Die (Jan 22, 2020)
  • Hostel: Part II (Jan 15, 2020)
  • Scream 2 (Jan 8, 2020)
  • Speed Dating 2 (Jan 1, 2020)
  • American Horror Story: Asylum feat Emily VanDerWerff (Dec 18, 2019)
  • Black Christmas feat. Alex Wiggins (Dec 11, 2019)
  • Blade: Trinity (Dec 4, 2019)
  • The X-Files: I Want To Believe feat. Ari Drew (Nov 27, 2019)
  • Jawbreaker (Nov 20, 2019)
  • Alien: Covenant feat. Drew Dietsch (Nov 13, 2019)
  • Interview With The Vampire (Nov 6, 2019)
  • A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge Live From Fantastic Fest (Nov 1, 2019)
  • Phantom of the Paradise feat. BJ Colangelo (Oct 30, 2019)
  • House on Haunted Hill (Oct 23, 2019)
  • The People Under The Stairs feat. Carter Smith (Oct 16, 2019)
  • The Perfection (Oct 9, 2019)
  • I Know Who Killed Me feat. Anthony Hudson (Oct 2, 2019)
  • Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation feat. Stephanie Crawford (Sept 25, 2019)
  • Cursed feat. Tim O’Leary (Sept 18, 2019)
  • Jason Goes To Hell feat. Alice Collins (Sept 11, 2019)
  • IT: Chapter One feat. Michael Roffman (Sept 4, 2019)
  • The Loved Ones feat. Dirty Little Horror (Aug 28, 2019)
  • Good Manners (Aug 21, 2019)
  • Tragedy Girls feat. Dani Ryan (Aug 14, 2019)
  • Audition (Aug 7, 2019)
  • ParaNorman feat. Brenna Clarke Gray (July 31, 2019)
  • Orphan feat. Sade Sellers (July 24, 2019)
  • In The Flesh feat. David Opie (July 17, 2019)
  • Scream: Resurrection (July 10, 2019)
  • Lake Placid feat. Brian Particelli (July 10, 2019)
  • Tales From the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight feat. Sarah-Tai Black (July 3, 2019)
  • Ginger Snaps feat. Ariel Fisher (June 26, 2019)
  • Seed of Chucky feat. Chris Eggertsen (June 19, 2019)
  • Final Destination feat. Terry Mesnard (June 12, 2019)
  • Knife + Heart (June 5, 2019)
  • Otto; Or Up With Dead People feat. Kyle Turner (May 29, 2019)
  • The Brood (May 22, 2019)
  • Calvaire / The Ordeal (May 15, 2019)
  • Fatal Frame feat. Jenny Nulf (May 8, 2019)
  • The Wicker Man feat. Cap Blackard (May 1, 2019)
  • Cemetery Man (April 24, 2019)
  • Psycho 2 feat. Michael Varrati (April 17, 2019)
  • Oculus (April 10, 2019)
  • Stage Fright (April 3, 2019)
  • Daughters of Darkness feat. Ale Gonzalez (March 27, 2019)
  • Ravenous (March 20, 2019)
  • Cherry Falls feat. Brennan Klein (March 13, 2019)
  • The Rage: Carrie 2 (March 6, 2019)
  • Always Shine (Feb 27, 2019)
  • Lyle feat. Stacie Ponder (Feb 20, 2019)
  • Happy Death Day (Feb 13, 2019)
  • Dead Ringers (Feb 6, 2019)
  • Swimfan (Jan 30, 2019)
  • Jennifer’s Body (Jan 23, 2019)
  • Hostel (Jan 16, 2019)
  • Scream (Jan 16, 2019)
  • Speed Dating (Jan 16, 2019)

Patreon Podcast

If you want even more Horror Queers, you can subscribe to our Patreon account for more exclusive content:

  • June 2020: Creature Feature Theme
    • Audio Commentary: Sneaks on a Plane (2006)
    • Full episodes: Deep Rising (1998) and Arachnophobia (1990)
    • Minisodes: “Thirstiest Horror Crushes” and “Scream 5 Predictions”
  • May 2020: Possession Theme
    • Audio Commentary: Evil Dead – Unrated Cut (2013)
    • Full episodes: The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014) and Insidious (2010)
    • Minisodes: “Memorable Mothers” and “Celebrating F13th at 40”
  • April 2020: Home Invasion Theme
    • Audio Commentary: You’re Next (2011)
    • Full episodes: Hush (2016) and The Strangers (2008)
    • Minisodes: “Trapped in Your House Horror” and “Best Opening Scenes”
  • March 2020:
    • Audio Commentary: Hollow Man (2000)
    • Full episodes: The Invisible Man (2020) and The Hunt (2020)
      Minisodes: “Spoilers in Trailers” and “Flawless 5 Star Horror”
  • Feb 2020:
    • Audio Commentary: Valentine (2001)
    • Full episodes: Gretel & Hansel (2020) and Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island (2020)
    • Minisodes: “The 2020 Hereditaries” and “Worst First Date Horror”
  • Jan 2020:
    • Audio Commentary: Scream (1996)
    • Full episodes: The Grudge (2020) and Underwater (2020)
    • Minisodes: “Q1 Most Anticipated Horror” and “Is January Horror Bad?”
  • Dec 2019:
    • Full episodes: Black Christmas (2019) and Into The Dark: Midnight Kiss (2019)
    • Minisodes: “Best Horror of the 2010s” and “Best Horror of 2019”
  • Nov 2019:
    • Full episodes: Doctor Sleep (2019) and Primal (2019)
    • Minisodes: “Horror Gatekeepers: What are They and Why Do They Suck?” and “Must-Includes in a Holiday Horror Movie Night”
  • Oct 2019:
    • Full episodes: In The Tall Grass (2019) and Zombieland 2: Double Tap (2019)
    • Minisodes: “TIFF/Fantastic Fest Wrap Up” and “Most Annoying Final Girl”
  • Sept 2019:
    • Full episodes: 3 From Hell (2019) and IT: Chapter Two (2019)
    • Minisodes: “Stephen King” and “PG-13 vs R”
  • August 2019:
    • Full episodes: 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019) and Ready Or Not (2019)
    • Minisodes: “Controversial Horror Hot Takes” and “Do Horror Fans Lack Empathy?”
  • July 2019:
    • Full episodes: Midsommar (2019) and Crawl (2019)
    • Minisodes: “4th of July Horror” and “Aquatic Horror”
  • June 2019:
    • Full episodes: Ma (2019) and NOS4A2 (AMC, 2019)
    • Minisodes: “Comfort Food Horror” and “Most Anticipated Third Quarter Horror Releases 2019”
  • May 2019:
    • Full episodes: Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019) and The Perfection (2019)
    • Minisodes: “Traumatizing or Triggering experiences” and “Remakes”
  • April 2019:
    • Full episodes: Pet Semetary (2019) and The Curse of La Llorona (2019)
    • Minisodes: “SXSW Recap” and “Best Pranks in Horror”
  • March 2019: The Last House On The Left (2009) and Us (2019)
  • Feb 2019: Velvet Buzzsaw (2019) and Happy Death Day 2U (2019)
  • Jan 2019: Escape Room (2019) and Glass (2019)

Written Editorials

Monthly posts are available on Bloody Disgusting. The series has covered the following films:

[Review] ‘A Moment In The Reeds’ Is A Lush, Evocative Romance

by

Janne Puustinen, Boodi Kabbani

It appears that at least once a year, LGBTQ-hungry audiences are being gifted with a quiet, introspective gay love story that delivers both the romance, the passion and the geography porn. It truly is a marvelous time to be alive.

Following in the footsteps of Brokeback Mountain, Call Me By Your Name and – most closely – God’s Own Country, writer / director Mikko Makela’s debut feature film is the latest entry in a recent trend of gay art cinema films that chronicles a forbidden romantic relationship between two men from different backgrounds.

In this case, it’s Finnish graduate student Leevi (Janne Puustinen) – back home for a long weekend from his studies in Paris, France to help his father, Jouko (Mika Melender), fix up the family’s lakeside cottage for sale – and Syrian refugee, Tareq (Boodi Kabbani) who is brought on as a handy man. Almost immediately the men are forced together because Tareq does not speak Finnish and Jouko’s command of English doesn’t extend beyond polite chit-chat, meaning that Leevi must act as translator. He’s also required to be the mediator, explaining Tareq’s frustration to his father because the refugee is unable to procure better work despite his expertise as an Architect; Leevi is also negotiating his father’s volatile xenophobia, which adds an additional layer of complication to their already strained familial relationship.

The tension eases up when Jouko is called away overnight on business and the pair of younger men are left getting to know each other. Makela wisely takes his time developing their relationship: for the better part of their dockside chat, their discussion in the sauna, their romp in the lake and finally their nighttime drinking on the porch, the topics are shallow and general. In fact there’s barely any sense of a romantic connection; these are guarded men circling the wagons. Still, a few lingering glances from one when the other isn’t looking serves to build anticipation and by the time the pair finally lock eyes in a knowing fashion at night’s end, both the characters and the audience are ready to put an end to the slow burn and get down to action.

Makela expertly employs a handheld style, as well as tight framing and slightly disjointed editing to convey the impassioned intimacy of their first sexual encounter. Leevi and Tareq’s coupling has a hungry, desperate vibe; the scene teeters somewhere between graphic and carnal and Makela’s script allows it to play out longer than usual before cutting to the next morning. From this point on the connection between the men shifts and their interactions, both verbal and physical, are more charged, sexualized and meaningful. Conversation about the weather is replaced by startlingly frank revelations about Tareq’s double life in Syria and his flight to Finland, as well as Leevi’s memories of his deceased painter mother and his uncertainty about love following a prior relationship back in Paris.

Janne Puustinen, Boodi Kabbani

A Moment In The Reeds spells out its central conflict in its title: this is a film that traffics in a fleeting fantasy. The reintroduction of Jouko and the realities of the external world quickly threaten to upend the romantic connection between the new lovers. In this way, comparisons to God’s Own Country are certainly apt and unavoidable, particularly the gorgeous, empty countryside playing host to forbidden desire and brooding spectacle.

The natural beauty is amplified by Makela’s exquisite direction and the naturalistic performances by the two leads. Puustinen and Kabbani wisely underplay their attraction until the men act on their desires, at which point their sexual chemistry and affection comes on strong. Although I’m not in favour of a requirement to hire LGBTQ actors to play queer characters, the ease with which the two men interact, particularly in the sex scenes, belies a comfort by the real life gay actors that is absent in other projects.

The film is not without criticism. Despite all of the groundwork laid in advance, the ending of the film feels sudden and abrupt, which won’t satisfy fans of the film’s otherwise languid pace. Narrative-focused audiences, meanwhile, may find that their attention drifts: this is a simple, straightforward story about a brief, fleeting encounter between two men. At one point Tarek mentions “a fantasy experience” and that’s what the film is for the majority of its runtime, for better or for worse.

Still, the political and social framework of the two men’s backstories is relatable and/or extremely topical. Leevi’s story is familial: he’s working through a communication rift between him and his estranged father and other unresolved issues in the wake of his mother’s passing. Tarek’s story is more global: he’s an immigrant recovering from the experience of being closeted in a country that’s hostile to the LGBTQ community at the same time as he struggles to establish a new life in a place where he doesn’t speak the language and can’t practice his own profession.

Both Leevi and Tareq are hungry – nay starving – for intimacy and someone who will listen to them (sexually, romantically, and emotionally). Considering how memorable and impassioned Mikko Makela’s film is, audiences may find themselves devouring A Moment In The Reeds with similar enthusiasm. It’s a strong contender for queer film of the year.

4/5

[Rant] Where Are All Of The Queer Female-Identifying Horror Directors?

by

Kimberly Peirce and Stewart Thorndike

At a recent panel on queer horror last month, I was struck by a comment from co-panelists Katie Connell and Joshua Dare about the current state of queer female-identifying horror directors. The discussion began with a definition and brief historical overview of queer horror, then shifted into a survey of the current state of representation. Concerns about the tendency to spotlight films featuring gay men at the expense of their lesbian counterparts gave way to a cautiously optimistic listing of recent films featuring out and proud women. As we rattled off a number of films, however, we discovered a strange pattern: nearly all of these films were directed by straight white men.

Let’s backtrack a little to consider the current state of queer horror, which has notably made a number of gains and increased prominence in the last twenty years. A recent guide created by Vulture entitled “55 Essential Queer Horror Films” identified key shifts in the 21st century that reduced the stigma around queer characters, thereby enabling them to move from marginal to central, sometimes even lead, roles. In the 2000s, films such as Hellbent, High Tension and Seed of Chucky offered visible, albeit problematic, depictions of gay men, lesbians and trans characters.

With the advent of gay marriage in the 2010s, queer figures in horror have become even more normalized, nuanced and fleshed out. The result has been some of the most intriguing texts to date, the vast majority of which are about queer females. Films such as Jennifer’s Body (Kusama, 2009), All Cheerleaders Die (McKee, 2013), The Neon Demon (Winding Refn, 2016), Thelma (Trier, 2017), What Keeps You Alive (Minihan, 2018) and Blue My Mind (Bruehlmann, 2018) all feature complicated and fascinating lesbian characters.

Bruehlmann’s Blue My Mind

A cursory glance, however, reveals that all but two of those films were directed by straight white men – a number that is worth pausing over. While there is obviously nothing that restricts one group from telling the stories of another, the lack of female directors is note-worthy, particularly given the problematic historical depiction of lesbians as a source of titillation for the male gaze.

This disjunction is not severe when compared to publicly “out” gay male directors, who have become increasingly prominent in recent years. Renowned master of horror Don Mancini has kept Chucky and the Child’s Play franchise alive and sexually subversive for 30 years. Up and coming directors Chris Peckover (Better Watch Out) and David Freyne (The Cured) have both delivered horror films that play with notions of masculinity and lends themselves to queer takes. And recent Oscar winner Luca Guadagino’s Suspiria, featuring a nearly all-female cast, is filled with sexual connotations and feminist readings.

Stewart Thorndike’s Lyle

The simple fact is that representation and visibility matters. Even in horror fandom, there remains a frustrating need to explain why female characters and creators matters, although the recent uptick in feminist horror criticism that began with AxWound and Women in Horror Month and continues now with publications and sites such as Grim Magazine, Anatomy of a Scream, Suspiria Magazine, Graveyard Shift Sisters and Diabolique Magazine bodes well for the future.

Let’s return to the question at the heart of this debate: where are all of the queer female-identifying directors? Despite the disheartening statistics about the ratio of female to male directors (and in spite of Jason Blum’s hastily corrected statement about the lack of women interested in directing horror), the horror genre is flush with talented women. “Out” female queers, however? Not so much.

A deep dive online (and help from HorrorTwitter) revealed only two feature filmmakers: Kimberly Peirce, who directed the 2013 remake of Carrie, and Stewart Thorndike, who directed indie micro-budget “lesbian Rosemary’s Baby” film Lyle (2014). Singer St Vincent (nee Anne Erin Clark) directed one of the segments of the all-female horror anthology, XX (2017), though she seems unlikely to return to the director’s chair in the near future. There are undoubtedly a number of other up and coming talents working in horror shorts, including Monika Estrella Negra, who is currently crowdsourcing the funding for her first feature, Two Sisters.

Despite advances in queer visibility both on and offscreen, there remains a gap in the horror genre. It is possible that filmmakers prefer to leave their mark on the screen rather than publicly disclose details about their personal lives, but the fact that there are so many heterosexual white men telling stories about lesbian characters in horror films is a potentially problematic trend. On the cusp of what Vice is calling “the rebirth of lesbian horror movies”, let’s hope that a number of proud, “out” queer female-identifying directors emerge from the shadows to ensure their onscreen proxies bear an authentic touch.