Premier Dubai based genre filmmaker Faisal Hashmi recently took the time to answer some questions for Positively Horror. Enjoy the full interview below.
Please tell us a bit about yourself and your relationship with the genre?
My name is Faisal Hashmi and I’m an independent filmmaker based in Dubai. Dubai is a city where almost no horror content is produced, so it’s interesting to be a director here who focuses on that genre primarily. The horror genre allows me to have a real grasp of the audience and that control is very addictive, coupled with the fact that I can tackle difficult themes within the lens of a horror film. But I am a die-hard fan of horror and seek out films from around the world, which is where channels like yours really help me discover those hidden gems that I may have missed.
What was your introduction to horror, and at what age?
I was introduced to her at a very young age because my mother is a huge fan of horror films. In fact, she used to watch a bunch of schlocky films on TV or VHS rentals when she was pregnant with me. So you could say that I’ve been exposed to horror films from the womb itself! It explains why I’m so in love with the genre.
Your latest short 'Amber' has been getting a great reception at screenings and winning awards. Can you tell us a little about it, and when the public might be able to see it?
Amber is my most recent short film and it has been having a whirlwind of a reception. It’s about a barber at a highway barbershop who’s caught in a deadly situation when he realises that his first customer of the day isn’t who he seems. It’s not actually a horror short film per se, but more of a Hitchcockian thriller that keeps building in tension to an explosive finale. The plan with the film was to do a festival run around the world through the rest of the year, but obviously the ongoing pandemic has put a dent in those plans. Nevertheless, audience should expect to see it online sometime towards the end of the year.
Your short 'The Wicken' has become a viral hit and has even got people coming up with theories surrounding the mythology of the Wicken. Have you heard any fan theories and do you have any favourites?
Wicken has been a crazy experience and the film has indeed taken on a life of its own in YouTube comments where people are very passionately trying to build on a mythology and rules of the character which is the greatest feeling in the world to see from a scrappy little indie horror short made in a city without horror content. One of my favorite fan theories is someone who suggested that the Wicken actually possesses and kills the person who sends the file to their loved one rather than the one who receives it because since she was betrayed, she kills the betrayers and the whole thing is a test. I think that’s a solid theory and is backed up by what you see happen to Ethan on the computer screen.
Who are some of your favourite people working in the genre at the moment?
Some of my favorite directors working in the genre at the moment would be James Wan, Mike Flanagan, Ari Aster, Scott Derrickson. I also am a huge fan of M. Night Shyamalan and especially the films he’s been making of late. We are living in the golden age of horror filmmaking with so many unique voices leading the way through and I hope to be a worthy part of that list myself.
And are there any projects you're involved with when the lockdown is lifted that you'd like to talk about?
I was working on writing two feature film projects before the lockdown hit, so thankfully that hasn’t been affected by the lockdown itself. It’s actually given me more time to finish them and less excuses to procrastinate. One of them is a horror anthology of six interconnected horror stories set over one night in Dubai which I’m excited about, and the other is a contained thriller with a hint of sci-fi called Fractal that I’ll actively start looking for financing for when all this is over. I also am working on an outline for a potential feature film adaptation of Wicken so we will see!
Thank you again to Faisal for the brilliant interview. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for you and your art. Follow the link below to check out the award winning, viral sensation horror short, The Wicken:
https://youtu.be/de4KccwcASc
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