V/H/S/Beyond: Kate Siegel, Mike Flanagan's muse, directs her first horror film

The heroine of Quiet and Hill House follows in the footsteps of Ti West or Adam Wingard by writing and directing a segment of this 7th opus of the horror saga.

“What I like about V/H/Sit's his segmented, and brawling side (scrappy, in VO). You're surrounded by people who are passionate about what they do, but don't have the budget of Marvel, so everyone is interested in the creative side, trying to solve every problem together . I felt very lucky to arrive in such a well-oiled machine for my first job as a director. In addition, V/H/S is a saga known for having always supported young directors to offer them the opportunity to realize their dreams.”

Kate Siegel preparing at the moment Stowawaya segment from the seventh film V/H/Swhich follows a young mother and physicist (Halle Halley) discovering a UFO and deciding to explore it while ignoring the danger. Entertainment Weekly reveals her first images, and the actress The Haunting of Hill Housewho has just started directing, takes the opportunity to detail her ambitions, and recall all the love she has for horror cinema. While saluting its predecessors, this horror franchise having previously welcomed Ti West (future director of X), Adam Wingard (The Guest, Godzilla vs. Kong), Matt Bettinelli-Olpin or Tyler Gillett (later at the helm of Scream 5 And 6). Without forgetting Scott Derrickson (Sinister, Black Phone…), who participated in his penultimate opus, V/H/S 1985returning to “small” horror projects which allowed him to gain experience before signing with Marvel for Doctor Strange.

“I always dreamed of making a film in space”

“I love the concept of space, to begin with, confides Siegel. I like InterstellarI like AlienI like this idea that a ship is nothing other than an abandoned house… in space, then.”

When Josh Goldbloom asked him to direct a segment of V/H/Sshe hesitated at first, then immediately focused on a UFO story. Would his ideas fit the concept of this horrific saga?

“That’s what I liked best when we met, she explains about the producer of the franchise. No matter what crazy ideas I proposed to him – I still talked to him about a musical, and I don't know what else – he was enthusiastic, he answered me: 'Cool, cool, cool. Write a pitch and come back to me with it.'“

“I had heard from a friend that Kate wanted to move into directing, Goldbloom comments. I know that she is above all an actress, but I also knew her experience as a screenwriter, with Mike, on Not a sound. (…) From the outset, what she offered us was crazy, one of the craziest things I have read in my career. It was chaotic, and at the same time very complete. On paper, it looked like she had imagined a $100 million short film.”

The unfailing influence and support of Mike Flanagan

Kate explains, however, that the first time Josh asked her to work on V/H/Sshe initially refused:

“Before this experience, when people asked me if I wanted to direct a film – I'm not talking about producers, eh, but my mother, for example – I replied: 'Wow, that's a lot of work, and my days are great and already full. I can afford to take a nap at 2 p.m., to play with my children between learning texts…' Basically I answered: 'I'm a bit of a lazy girl with a busy life. That's nice, but no thanks.'“

“I knew, because I work closely with my husband, how much it took, she continues. I am aware of the effort it requires. Energy. While discussing the project with my manager on the phone, I was telling him that I felt incapable of doing it, and I heard Mike coming up behind me shouting: 'Yes, you can do it! Go ahead, don't refuse this.'I told him: 'Can I call you back?'“

Mike Flanagan, who prepared for his part Life of Chucka new adaptation of Stephen King after Doctor Sleep (with Kate as an actress, by the way), then introduced her to V/H/S/Beyond as “the right first step” as a director.

“He told me: 'You will be supported, and at the same time, you will be free to be creative. This is a great project to start with.', explains Kate. Personally, I had always told myself that if I had to move on to directing, I would first make a short film. Because you can’t start creating an entire menu if you don’t know how to cook eggs, right?”

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By following his advice and finally signing for StowawayKate Siegel knew she could draw on her husband's directing experience.

“Of course I turned to Mike to ask him to help me write a film if I ever got into directing, she admits. He gave me good advice, simply because he wanted to protect me. He loves me, he wants things to go well for me. So yes, he helped me design the structure of my story, and it was a good basis for shooting this first film. I have this privilege that others don't have: I live with Mike Flanagan.”

Transmit your own energy

Kate Siegel freely acknowledges her husband's influence on her first production:

“We have always been in collaboration, in fact. We met on Mirrorsthen we got married. When we did Not a soundat the end of making this film, that's when we realized we should get married. For us, the two are linked (cinema and private life, editor’s note). It's our way of talking about love. Which doesn't mean we don't bicker. We don't always agree and neither on this film, obviously. But I knew how to tell him that it was important that he could remain my north star, and I his. Our collaboration needs to be frank, so we can step out of our comfort zones together.”

“I know that some people think that I only work because I am hired on my husband's projects, she adds. I am very familiar with this type of reasoning. But you know what? The truth is that if I wasn't blamed for that, it would be something else. 'She only works because of blah blah blah.' Some people love to put you down just because you work hard, they want to reassure themselves when they themselves don't do exactly what they want. I had to leave all that aside. On Midnight MassI happened to be in my trailer between two scenes and said to myself: 'I'm going to screw this up because the only reason I'm on this show is my husband.' When deep down, it's ok. I think all actresses suffer from this kind of imposter syndrome. Personally, I especially feel lucky to be able to work with my friends on ambitious projects.”

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The main actress of her segment V/H/S Beyond, Alanah Pearcehowever, defends Kate Siegel's very personal way of working, giving a specific example. Suspended in the air for several minutes to shoot a scene, she saw her director do her best to make her as comfortable as possible despite her unpleasant position.

“I've never had a director come and kneel down next to me on a dirty floor like that and start massaging me to make sure I feel a little bit better, since the scene required such an uncomfortable position, she says. It was so nice! Throughout the filming, she transmitted her mother's energy to me.”

V/H/S/Beyond does not yet have a French release date, but the film has just been revealed to the public at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. In the United States, it will be released on VOD, via its distributor Shudder, just before Halloween.

The TIFF audience rewards Mike Flanagan, Stephen King, Tom Hiddleston…