Welcome back to the Midnighter section at SXSW 2024, where the movies are fresh and funky and freaky, and that definitely Azrael from director E.L. Katz and You're Next scribe Simon Barrett.The story takes place in a future post-apocalyptic version of the world where monsters roam the woods. The survivors, at least here, have formed a sect where no one is allowed to talk—forcibly, it seems, through some type of haphazard operation that leaves everyone's throats scarred. Samara Weaving is the heroine on the run from this sect with her boyfriend, played by Nathan Stewart-Jarrett. And, as you've probably surmised, none of these characters speak in the film at all. So while you might not initially grasp what the sect wants, or what evil plots are afoot, the bloody ride makes it all worthwhile.But silence was not on the docket for Katz and me. We met during the festival to chat about the film's challenges and how it all came together in a discussion that often had us both laughing about how dang hard it is to make a movie, especially one as fun and weird as Azrael. Enjoy. Editor's note: The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.No Film School: What got you excited about this project?E. L. Katz: Yeah, probably a little bit of how weird it is, for sure. I think I've always been a fan of Simon Barrett's writing. We met on the set of his first movie, Dead Birds, which I also thought...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Friday, 15 March, 2024