Mar 29, 2024
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SXSW 2013: Toronto-raised Vincenzo Natali’s Haunter bows at midnight

When the clock strikes midnight at the South by Southwest Film Festival, the latest, most outrageous indie genre fare unspools in a program that has proved wildly popular with both audiences and U.S. distributors, who have picked up world-premiering titles like Monster, Kill List and, last year, Citadel.

So it’s no surprise Toronto-raised Vincenzo Natali (Cube, Splice) was thrilled and more than a little nervous standing in the lobby of the Alamo Ritz late Saturday night before the world premiere of Haunter, a reverse ghost story filmed last year in Toronto.

Abigail Breslin stars as a teenager who, as the film begins, realizes she is trapped with her family in a house where they repeat the fateful day in 1985 before they were all killed. By making contact with the living world, she sets about unravelling the horrifying truth behind her family’s limbo existence.

Although new to SXSW, Natali was well aware of the reputation of its Midnighters program – not unlike Midnight Madness at TIFF – and he wondered how his formal stylistic approach and “gentle” take on genre tropes would go over with the rough-and-ready crowd.
But his fears disappeared as Haunter clearly chilled and charmed the audience, most of whom stuck around for the Q&A with Natali, L.A. screenplay writer Brian King and Toronto producer Steve Hoban.

The funniest moment – at least for any Canadians in the audience – came when someone asked Natali if prolific actor Stephen McHattie (who plays, let’s just say, a menacing presence) was wearing makeup. “No, no, he really does look like that,” Natali laughed. “But you should also know he’s the sweetest guy to work with.”

Natali, who lives in L.A. but makes his films in Toronto, said the greatest challenge in making Haunter was the tight 25-day shooting schedule (“my shortest since Cube,” he said later). With no time for rehearsals, Natali assembled cast members Breslin, Peter Outerbridge (the father), Michelle Nolden (mother) and Peter DaCunha (little brother) in a rented house to hang out, make mac-and-cheese and play board games. “But we kept McHattie the hell away from there,” Natali joked.

After the second screening early Sunday, Natali confessed, “actually the most terrifying thing for me was having to design a teenage girl’s 1985 bedroom. Brian and I were both teenagers in the 1980s and were steeped in pop culture so it was very important we get it right.” He was pretty pleased to learn audience members specifically commended era-specific bedroom props in a couple of late-night tweets.
Entertainment One will release the film in Canada but there is no date set yet. The film is still looking for U.S. distribution.

Natali wasn’t the only Canuck director hovering outside the Alamo last weekend. On Sunday afternoon I ran into Toronto documentary director Malcolm Ingram (Small Town Gay Bar) just before the world premiere of Continental, his fourth film at SXSW. The film takes a loving look back to late 1960s NYC when the Continental Baths opened its doors and became a keystone in the sexual revolution. With a wink, Ingram said his latest documentary will be making its Canadian debut in Toronto this spring.

Source: The Toronto Star

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Headline, Industry News

SXSW 2013: Toronto-raised Vincenzo Natali’s Haunter bows at midnight

When the clock strikes midnight at the South by Southwest Film Festival, the latest, most outrageous indie genre fare unspools in a program that has proved wildly popular with both audiences and U.S. distributors, who have picked up world-premiering titles like Monster, Kill List and, last year, Citadel.

So it’s no surprise Toronto-raised Vincenzo Natali (Cube, Splice) was thrilled and more than a little nervous standing in the lobby of the Alamo Ritz late Saturday night before the world premiere of Haunter, a reverse ghost story filmed last year in Toronto.

Abigail Breslin stars as a teenager who, as the film begins, realizes she is trapped with her family in a house where they repeat the fateful day in 1985 before they were all killed. By making contact with the living world, she sets about unravelling the horrifying truth behind her family’s limbo existence.

Although new to SXSW, Natali was well aware of the reputation of its Midnighters program – not unlike Midnight Madness at TIFF – and he wondered how his formal stylistic approach and “gentle” take on genre tropes would go over with the rough-and-ready crowd.
But his fears disappeared as Haunter clearly chilled and charmed the audience, most of whom stuck around for the Q&A with Natali, L.A. screenplay writer Brian King and Toronto producer Steve Hoban.

The funniest moment – at least for any Canadians in the audience – came when someone asked Natali if prolific actor Stephen McHattie (who plays, let’s just say, a menacing presence) was wearing makeup. “No, no, he really does look like that,” Natali laughed. “But you should also know he’s the sweetest guy to work with.”

Natali, who lives in L.A. but makes his films in Toronto, said the greatest challenge in making Haunter was the tight 25-day shooting schedule (“my shortest since Cube,” he said later). With no time for rehearsals, Natali assembled cast members Breslin, Peter Outerbridge (the father), Michelle Nolden (mother) and Peter DaCunha (little brother) in a rented house to hang out, make mac-and-cheese and play board games. “But we kept McHattie the hell away from there,” Natali joked.

After the second screening early Sunday, Natali confessed, “actually the most terrifying thing for me was having to design a teenage girl’s 1985 bedroom. Brian and I were both teenagers in the 1980s and were steeped in pop culture so it was very important we get it right.” He was pretty pleased to learn audience members specifically commended era-specific bedroom props in a couple of late-night tweets.
Entertainment One will release the film in Canada but there is no date set yet. The film is still looking for U.S. distribution.

Natali wasn’t the only Canuck director hovering outside the Alamo last weekend. On Sunday afternoon I ran into Toronto documentary director Malcolm Ingram (Small Town Gay Bar) just before the world premiere of Continental, his fourth film at SXSW. The film takes a loving look back to late 1960s NYC when the Continental Baths opened its doors and became a keystone in the sexual revolution. With a wink, Ingram said his latest documentary will be making its Canadian debut in Toronto this spring.

Source: The Toronto Star

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Headline, Industry News

SXSW 2013: Toronto-raised Vincenzo Natali’s Haunter bows at midnight

When the clock strikes midnight at the South by Southwest Film Festival, the latest, most outrageous indie genre fare unspools in a program that has proved wildly popular with both audiences and U.S. distributors, who have picked up world-premiering titles like Monster, Kill List and, last year, Citadel.

So it’s no surprise Toronto-raised Vincenzo Natali (Cube, Splice) was thrilled and more than a little nervous standing in the lobby of the Alamo Ritz late Saturday night before the world premiere of Haunter, a reverse ghost story filmed last year in Toronto.

Abigail Breslin stars as a teenager who, as the film begins, realizes she is trapped with her family in a house where they repeat the fateful day in 1985 before they were all killed. By making contact with the living world, she sets about unravelling the horrifying truth behind her family’s limbo existence.

Although new to SXSW, Natali was well aware of the reputation of its Midnighters program – not unlike Midnight Madness at TIFF – and he wondered how his formal stylistic approach and “gentle” take on genre tropes would go over with the rough-and-ready crowd.
But his fears disappeared as Haunter clearly chilled and charmed the audience, most of whom stuck around for the Q&A with Natali, L.A. screenplay writer Brian King and Toronto producer Steve Hoban.

The funniest moment – at least for any Canadians in the audience – came when someone asked Natali if prolific actor Stephen McHattie (who plays, let’s just say, a menacing presence) was wearing makeup. “No, no, he really does look like that,” Natali laughed. “But you should also know he’s the sweetest guy to work with.”

Natali, who lives in L.A. but makes his films in Toronto, said the greatest challenge in making Haunter was the tight 25-day shooting schedule (“my shortest since Cube,” he said later). With no time for rehearsals, Natali assembled cast members Breslin, Peter Outerbridge (the father), Michelle Nolden (mother) and Peter DaCunha (little brother) in a rented house to hang out, make mac-and-cheese and play board games. “But we kept McHattie the hell away from there,” Natali joked.

After the second screening early Sunday, Natali confessed, “actually the most terrifying thing for me was having to design a teenage girl’s 1985 bedroom. Brian and I were both teenagers in the 1980s and were steeped in pop culture so it was very important we get it right.” He was pretty pleased to learn audience members specifically commended era-specific bedroom props in a couple of late-night tweets.
Entertainment One will release the film in Canada but there is no date set yet. The film is still looking for U.S. distribution.

Natali wasn’t the only Canuck director hovering outside the Alamo last weekend. On Sunday afternoon I ran into Toronto documentary director Malcolm Ingram (Small Town Gay Bar) just before the world premiere of Continental, his fourth film at SXSW. The film takes a loving look back to late 1960s NYC when the Continental Baths opened its doors and became a keystone in the sexual revolution. With a wink, Ingram said his latest documentary will be making its Canadian debut in Toronto this spring.

Source: The Toronto Star

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Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

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