Exclusive Interview: Elias Matar (What Is Buried Must Remain)
How did you first get into filmmaking and is it what you had dreamed it would be like?
I was born in California but raised in Syria. As a young boy, the flickering images at my local fleapit theater provided an escape from the harsh realities of my daily life. Hong Kong action flicks, French New Wave, Russian dramas, and Spaghetti Westerns would all come to inspire my work, years later.
In the early 1970’s, my dad gave me a Russian 8mm camera and a roll of film. Naturally, I filmed everyday life in Syria at the time, which was the war. However, having footage of the tanks and military personnel didn’t sit well with local authorities and my film was confiscated by the secret service. I was nine.
Fast forward 25 years, I’ve made films in several genres like action,...
How did you first get into filmmaking and is it what you had dreamed it would be like?
I was born in California but raised in Syria. As a young boy, the flickering images at my local fleapit theater provided an escape from the harsh realities of my daily life. Hong Kong action flicks, French New Wave, Russian dramas, and Spaghetti Westerns would all come to inspire my work, years later.
In the early 1970’s, my dad gave me a Russian 8mm camera and a roll of film. Naturally, I filmed everyday life in Syria at the time, which was the war. However, having footage of the tanks and military personnel didn’t sit well with local authorities and my film was confiscated by the secret service. I was nine.
Fast forward 25 years, I’ve made films in several genres like action,...
- 6/25/2023
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
*full disclosure: a screener of this film was provided by Osiris Entertainment.
Director: Elias Matar.
Writers: Edward E. Romero, and Elias Matar.
Cast: Enrique Almeida, Joel Bryant and Chris Trouble Delfosse.
When the subtitle of the movie poster of Ashes simply says, “We All Fall Down,” the connection this film is making with the classic nursery rhyme, “Ring a Ring o’ Roses,” is almost appropriate. Ashes is just a variation of “atishoo,” an onomatopoeia for a sneezing sound.
Had this film actually made more of a fuller emphasis with the verse, more people would be making the same leap of faith that director/writer Elias Matar has made—he believes the poem is about the bubonic plague.
But with this movie, the necrosis that develops is far worse. It numbs the nerves and dulls the brain. Eventually, all these patients are going to become zombies. But that is not what this film is about.
Director: Elias Matar.
Writers: Edward E. Romero, and Elias Matar.
Cast: Enrique Almeida, Joel Bryant and Chris Trouble Delfosse.
When the subtitle of the movie poster of Ashes simply says, “We All Fall Down,” the connection this film is making with the classic nursery rhyme, “Ring a Ring o’ Roses,” is almost appropriate. Ashes is just a variation of “atishoo,” an onomatopoeia for a sneezing sound.
Had this film actually made more of a fuller emphasis with the verse, more people would be making the same leap of faith that director/writer Elias Matar has made—he believes the poem is about the bubonic plague.
But with this movie, the necrosis that develops is far worse. It numbs the nerves and dulls the brain. Eventually, all these patients are going to become zombies. But that is not what this film is about.
- 12/19/2011
- by noreply@blogger.com (Ed Sum)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
Osiris Entertainment has picked up the indie thriller Ashes for a future release, while Time Warner has acquired video-on-demand rights for this title. Release dates are to be formalized, but expect Ashes to become available in early 2012 with a vod release likely to come earlier than the DVD release (prediction).
Ashes is a story of an obsessive doctor who turns patients in to shells of their former selves. Infected with a virus, these patients turn everyone around them into mulch to the doctor's despair. This is a small film which includes a few action packed sequences and fans of indie thrillers might want to look out for this title in the coming year. A trailer for Ashes is below.
Release Date: 2011-2012 (DVD, VOD).
Director: Elias Matar.
Writer: Edward E. Romero and Elias Mataar.
Cast: Enrique Almeida, Joel Bryant, Chris Trouble Delfosse, Sierra Fisk, Richard Gant, Diane Ayala Goldner, Aldo Gonzalez,...
Ashes is a story of an obsessive doctor who turns patients in to shells of their former selves. Infected with a virus, these patients turn everyone around them into mulch to the doctor's despair. This is a small film which includes a few action packed sequences and fans of indie thrillers might want to look out for this title in the coming year. A trailer for Ashes is below.
Release Date: 2011-2012 (DVD, VOD).
Director: Elias Matar.
Writer: Edward E. Romero and Elias Mataar.
Cast: Enrique Almeida, Joel Bryant, Chris Trouble Delfosse, Sierra Fisk, Richard Gant, Diane Ayala Goldner, Aldo Gonzalez,...
- 11/19/2011
- by noreply@blogger.com (Michael Allen)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
The 2011 PollyGrind Film Festival recently wrapped up in Las Vegas, and the madman behind the scenes, Chad Clinton Freeman, checked in with Dread Central to share with us exclusively the winners of this year's fest.
Reveling in everything from arthouse to grindhouse to everything in between, PollyGrind has quickly made a name for itself as one of the up-and-coming premiere genre fests out there due to the success of each year of programming. This year's big winners (and flicks that will no doubt go on to find audiences soon) include the highly controversial The Bunny Game, The Super, Dear God No!, The Gruesome Death of Tommy Pistol and Ratline.
"I was very happy with the quantity of quality films and the diversity I was able to program this year," Freeman said. "Being able to world premiere films like Mondo Sexxxx: The Terry Kobrah Story and The Gruesome Death of Tommy Pistol,...
Reveling in everything from arthouse to grindhouse to everything in between, PollyGrind has quickly made a name for itself as one of the up-and-coming premiere genre fests out there due to the success of each year of programming. This year's big winners (and flicks that will no doubt go on to find audiences soon) include the highly controversial The Bunny Game, The Super, Dear God No!, The Gruesome Death of Tommy Pistol and Ratline.
"I was very happy with the quantity of quality films and the diversity I was able to program this year," Freeman said. "Being able to world premiere films like Mondo Sexxxx: The Terry Kobrah Story and The Gruesome Death of Tommy Pistol,...
- 10/27/2011
- by thehorrorchick
- DreadCentral.com
The 2nd annual PollyGrind assaults Las Vegas during an epic length film festival that runs Oct. 8-17 at Theatre 7 with enough sleaze and violence to make Sin City residents feel right at home.
Actually, the fest does open up on the 7th with a concert at Neon Venus with local acts like Monster Zero, Creepersin and many more.
However, the film portion of the fest opens on the 8th with Stuart Simpson‘s acclaimed Australian gorefest El Monstro Del Mar!, one of the best Russ Meyer/Roger Corman mash-ups with a Down Under twist. Read the Bad Lit: The Journal of Underground Film review of this gem here.
Other Bad Lit favorites in the lineup are Drew Bolduc and Dan Nelson‘s The Taint, which is still completely grossing out audiences on the festival circuit, and The Uh-Oh Show, the splatter-filled horror comedy by the Godfather of Gore himself Herschell Gordon Lewis.
Actually, the fest does open up on the 7th with a concert at Neon Venus with local acts like Monster Zero, Creepersin and many more.
However, the film portion of the fest opens on the 8th with Stuart Simpson‘s acclaimed Australian gorefest El Monstro Del Mar!, one of the best Russ Meyer/Roger Corman mash-ups with a Down Under twist. Read the Bad Lit: The Journal of Underground Film review of this gem here.
Other Bad Lit favorites in the lineup are Drew Bolduc and Dan Nelson‘s The Taint, which is still completely grossing out audiences on the festival circuit, and The Uh-Oh Show, the splatter-filled horror comedy by the Godfather of Gore himself Herschell Gordon Lewis.
- 10/6/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
We recently told you about the upcoming PollyGrind Film Festival, one of the premiere grindhouse film festivals, that's set to celebrate all-things B-Movie style in Las Vegas this October. The madman behind the festival, Chad Clinton Freeman, announced today this year's PollyGrind line-up and it looks pretty sweet!
And not only is PollyGrind celebrating films, the fest is also celebrating several indie music acts slated to perform during the fest, a Zombiepalooza celebration and a whole lot more! Read on for all the details for the Second Annual PollyGrind Film Festival!
From the Press Release:
It's been called "the key festival for indie cult filmmakers to land distribution deals." Its founder and programmer has been called the "new champion of unabashed B-movie sleaze." Those praises might seem a bit outlandish, but with the official announcement of the PollyGrind Film Festival's schedule, it's easy to see where they come from.
Chad Clinton Freeman...
And not only is PollyGrind celebrating films, the fest is also celebrating several indie music acts slated to perform during the fest, a Zombiepalooza celebration and a whole lot more! Read on for all the details for the Second Annual PollyGrind Film Festival!
From the Press Release:
It's been called "the key festival for indie cult filmmakers to land distribution deals." Its founder and programmer has been called the "new champion of unabashed B-movie sleaze." Those praises might seem a bit outlandish, but with the official announcement of the PollyGrind Film Festival's schedule, it's easy to see where they come from.
Chad Clinton Freeman...
- 9/2/2011
- by thehorrorchick
- DreadCentral.com
This Friday, August 26th, at Laemmle Sunset 5 in West Hollywood, California, there will be a "farewell" midnight screening of writer/director Edward E. Romero's Butterfly in advance of the film's appearance at the upcoming American Film Market in November. Read on for the details.
Butterfly, written and directed by Edward E. Romero, stars Mandi Kreisher, Jay Laisne, Ron Roggé, Garrett Penwell, Jeff Linnartz, Sky Kelley, Zachary Wharton, Wendy Kelley, and Eileen Dietz. It was produced by Margo Romero for Blank Page Entertainment, Inc., with executive producers Martin Cummins and Jeff Linnartz.
Synopsis:
What's the difference between an image of real death and one that you fake? Nick Cole (Laisne) is a straight-to-dvd horror director with a questionable past. Laney (Kreisher) is an over-zealous fan with a flare for the macabre. When Laney kidnaps Cole to show him her latest project -- a series of artistic snuff films -- it...
Butterfly, written and directed by Edward E. Romero, stars Mandi Kreisher, Jay Laisne, Ron Roggé, Garrett Penwell, Jeff Linnartz, Sky Kelley, Zachary Wharton, Wendy Kelley, and Eileen Dietz. It was produced by Margo Romero for Blank Page Entertainment, Inc., with executive producers Martin Cummins and Jeff Linnartz.
Synopsis:
What's the difference between an image of real death and one that you fake? Nick Cole (Laisne) is a straight-to-dvd horror director with a questionable past. Laney (Kreisher) is an over-zealous fan with a flare for the macabre. When Laney kidnaps Cole to show him her latest project -- a series of artistic snuff films -- it...
- 8/24/2011
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
Some early horror news is developing from the Waterfont Film Festival, which begins June 9th, 2011, in Saugatack, Michigan. The Waterfront Film Festival covers material that is on the cutting edge of the arts and entertainment field.
So far, the festival has announced that author Steffan Postaer's zombie styled script, Belzec: The Made Undead, has won one of the festivals many writing competitions. Postaer's script covers an undead uprising in a World War II concentration camp. So, say good-bye to G.J. Joe later this year, as Belzec is expected to move into film production, late in 2011. Also announced is a showing of Elias Matar's Ashes, which also features a virulent disease, plaguing a local hospital. Soon, orderlies are enraged by a spreading bacteria!
Take a more detailed look on both of these productions, as The Waterfront Film Festival gets set to welcome undead and horror fans in just a few days!
So far, the festival has announced that author Steffan Postaer's zombie styled script, Belzec: The Made Undead, has won one of the festivals many writing competitions. Postaer's script covers an undead uprising in a World War II concentration camp. So, say good-bye to G.J. Joe later this year, as Belzec is expected to move into film production, late in 2011. Also announced is a showing of Elias Matar's Ashes, which also features a virulent disease, plaguing a local hospital. Soon, orderlies are enraged by a spreading bacteria!
Take a more detailed look on both of these productions, as The Waterfront Film Festival gets set to welcome undead and horror fans in just a few days!
- 6/1/2011
- by Remove28DaysLaterAnalysisThis@gmail.com (Michael Allen)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
By Christopher Stipp
The Archives, Right Here
Check out my other column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp
Monsters - Review
First, the raw numbers: this is director and writer Gareth Edwards’ first feature, the movie cost a purported $15,000, internationally speaking the film has grossed over 1.5 million dollars, this is the one film you need to see this fall.
One of the spectacular aspects of a movie that is labeled sci-fi even though we only really glimpse the science of the fiction at the very beginning and then near the end which, really, is the crowning achievement of this little film that could, is that this movie exists at all. Actor Scoot McNairy, last seen in the very sweet and gentile film In Search of a Midnight Kiss, and his co-star Whitney Able are essentially starring in a film where...
The Archives, Right Here
Check out my other column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp
Monsters - Review
First, the raw numbers: this is director and writer Gareth Edwards’ first feature, the movie cost a purported $15,000, internationally speaking the film has grossed over 1.5 million dollars, this is the one film you need to see this fall.
One of the spectacular aspects of a movie that is labeled sci-fi even though we only really glimpse the science of the fiction at the very beginning and then near the end which, really, is the crowning achievement of this little film that could, is that this movie exists at all. Actor Scoot McNairy, last seen in the very sweet and gentile film In Search of a Midnight Kiss, and his co-star Whitney Able are essentially starring in a film where...
- 10/29/2010
- by Christopher Stipp
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