IFC will release Dark Touch on September 27th and writer/director Marina de Van took part in a brief Q&A with us to discuss her work on the movie.
Thank you for taking the time to talk with us. Can you tell our readers how Dark Touch came to be your latest project? Why was this a story that you wanted to take on as both a writer and director?
Marina de Van: BECAUSE IT'S A VERY PERSONAL SUBJECT, A SUBJECT WHICH TOUCHES ME DEEPLY, AND I ALWAYS WANT TO DIRECT THE MOVIES THAT I WRITE WHEN IT'S ABOUT A SUBJECT THAT TOUCHES ME. I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M TOUCHED BY IT, MAYBE BECAUSE THE DAMAGES OF CHILD ABUSE ARE PERMANENT, ACCORDING TO ME, AND BRING OBSTACLES TO FEEL FREE AND WELL IN THE WORLD, TO FEEL IN A GOOD PLACE AND SAFE, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE UNSTEADY FEELING THAT I WRITE ABOUT SINCE MY FIRST MOVIE.
What are some of the horror movies and other works that may have influenced Dark Touch?
Marina de Van: I HAVE NO IDEA, BECAUSE I DON'T WORK LIKE THAT, WORKING ON OTHER PEOPLE'S MOVIES. I DON'T THINK TO EXTERNAL REFERENCES. BUT THERE MIGHT BE THE INFLUENCES OF CARRIE AND VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED - TWO MOVIES I LIKE VERY MUCH.
Getting funding always seems difficult for horror films or a darker subject matter. Was it difficult for you to secure funding for this movie in France?
Marina de Van: YES, VERY MUCH. THAT'S ALSO WHY THIS IS SHOT IN IRELAND AND SWEDEN, IT WAS EASIER TO RAISE THE FUNDINGS WITH 3 COUNTRIES.
Dark Touch deals with the theme of child abuse and trauma. Can you tell our readers about why it was important for you to cover with this topic and how the movie touches upon these themes in a horror setting?
Marina de Van: I HOPE THE MOVIE TOUCHES SHOWING THE FAILURE OF A CHILD WHO CANNOT RECOVER AND OVERCOME HER TRAUMA, WHO FAILS TO CONNECT WITH OTHER PEOPLE, BECAUSE SHE'S NOT ABLE ANYMORE TO RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE ANY SHOWING OF LOVE OR PHYSICAL CONTACTS, AND THE GIVING UP - IT'S A SAD STORY, THE STORY OF A VICTIM, AND I HOPE THAT, MORE THAN TO SCARE OR SHOCK, IT CREATES EMPATHY.
This is a movie that really revolves around Missy Keating's performance and I think she did a fantastic job. Can you tell me about your time with her on set and why you knew she'd be perfect for the character you had envisioned?
Marina de Van: YES, I HAD A CRUSH. I CHOSE HER IMMEDIATELY AND AFTER THAT THE WORK WITH HER WAS VERY EASY.
The film will be released in the US soon and our readers will have a chance to check it out. Are you happy with the final film and how close was it to what you originally had in mind? Was there any scenes you liked that needed to be cut or didn't work for one reason or another?
Marina de Van: NOTHING WAS CUT, IT WAS WHAT I HAD IN MIND, AND I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE RESULT.
With Dark Touch starting to screen around the world, have you been thinking about your next project? Would you like to stay within the horror genre?
Marina de Van: I'D LIKE TO BE PROPOSED SOME SCREENPLAYS OF GENRE FILMS, ALREADY WRITTEN. BUT ME, I'M CURRENTLY WRITING A HISTORICAL MOVIE.
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"At night, an isolated house deep in the countryside takes on a monstrous life of its own.
Objects and furniture run riot against the inhabitants, leaving 11-year-old Neve the only survivor of a bloody massacre that destroys the bodies of her parents and culminates in the death of her little brother, Ciaran.
Suspecting a gang of homicidal vandals, the police ignore Neve when she tries to tell them about the murderous rage of the house. She is taken in by friends of her parents who, with the help of a local social worker, try to ease her trauma by surrounding her with love and rebuilding the semblance of a normal life. But Neve doesn’t find peace. Far from it...
All around her, signs of danger continue to manifest, and her surroundings remain imbued with a lurking violence that soon unleashes itself again, erupting into further slaughter and claiming more victims."
Dark Touch was directed by Marina de Van and stars Missy Keating and Marcella Plunkett. The movie opens in select theaters and will be available to watch on Cable VOD, SundanceNOW and other digital outlets (iTunes, Amazon Streaming, PS3 Playstation Unlimited, XBOX Zune, Google PLAY and YouTube) starting September 27th.
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