By Jon Donnis
We recently previewed The Vord, check that out at Preview: The Vord, and we wanted to find out more about who was behind the film, so we caught up with Writer/Director M.T. Maliha.
Can you take me back to the exact moment The Vord first clicked for you as a film, what was the idea or image that made it feel real?
Thanks for the opportunity to talk about The Vord.
I was brought up in a home on convent property where my parents work. Raised as a Catholic, but with heavy influences via my Sami and Norwegian background, the push-pull of divergent religious leanings sometimes created a not always pleasant confusion. So I had been toying with a short story related to that 'confusion', which became a novel in progress. There was a lot I wanted to say that only film could express. So off I went.
You handled writing, directing and producing. Was there a point during production where those roles pulled you in different directions, and how did you deal with that in the moment?
I think that any position in film making can be that way. But yes, having to juggle all three was sometimes very hard. But it pushed me harder to say what I felt needed to be said. I was and remain to this day, immensely grateful to the cast and crew who understood I was open to digging through any chaos or challenges as a team. Our AD, Priscilla, was a blessing! She kept the wheels on every day, all day.
Independent film making often means working with limits. Was there a specific constraint on this film that actually pushed you to make a better creative decision?
Originally I had hoped to film in Norway, but it quickly became apparent that the logistics and schedules weren't going to get it done. So I made the decision to film here in The Catskill Mountains of NY State, where the physical landscape was conducive to creating scenes I wouldn't, and couldn't, budge on, such as the rocky ledges and river side. Creatively speaking, some locations I had envisioned needed to be reworked, but as you know, if we can't be nimble, nothing works.
The film draws on mythological elements. Was there one piece of research or a detail you came across that directly shaped a scene or character?
I loved stories my Norwegian/Sami family told me about mythology and the beginning of what is now known as The Asatru. While The Asatru was never a true religion, but has since been adapted as such, the fundamental ideologies of it were woven into the modern version of my ancestor's ways of life. So I set out to give a clear vision of what became corrupted ideas. I'm a huge research person. I wanted to make certain I wasn't further corrupting the way of life my ancestor's lived, by giving anything a false voice.
When you were developing the central character, was there a moment during filming where that character shifted from what you originally wrote?
Yes! Due to a cast member's illness, an unfortunate situation with a cast member that needed immediate attention, and a departure I was forced to insist on, I changed out roles and shifted emphasis on the first and third day of filming. I feel fortunate that the cast and crew were as prepared as they were, and were there to re-write lines and rework an entire scene. True partners. And Lydia Manson, who had the roll of Mother - Killed it! I won't give one particular scene away, but let's say the woman risked her health despite my desperate attempts to drag her back to the narrative for her safety. She is an incredible person and actor.
What was the toughest day on set, the one where things were close to falling apart, and what did you do to get through it?
Every day felt like it went haywire for the first week. I quickly recognized who I could count on. The weather changed from hot sun to snow with high winds, in a blink. I refused to give up or given in, and held tight to the idea that a team could do anything if they wanted it badly enough. And we did.
Having worked as a producer on The Forest Hills, did you find yourself thinking differently about time, budget or compromises when you were the one directing?
Absolutely. It's one thing to have an idea for a film when it's your own, and quite another to know when to speak up and when to stay silent. I confess I have a bad filter. I loved the freedom of making decisions within my film, and ignored any portion of my thoughts that whispered 'you'll fail.' Failure was not an option. I think it was contagious. Again, because we were a team, the cast, crew and I.
When you look at a finished scene in The Vord, how do you know it is working. Is there a specific feeling or detail you look for before you move on?
I cried during one scene. It was exactly what I had envisioned. My AD teared up. My actor, who played The Shadow/Ivar, Steve Wallenda of The Flying Wallenda family fame, later told me he was so invested in the character, and the scene I am referring to deeply effected him. The character stayed with him for a very long time after we wrapped. The scene had to be real to me. Even if no one else ever understood it. I never set out to create the film for easy consumption. I wanted it to be hard to understand at times, to reflect the chaos of a dual life led. He killed it.
Was there a decision you made during the film that you were unsure about at the time, but in hindsight turned out to be the right call?
Honestly, I went with the flow. I went on faith that all things would work out in the end, even if it meant extra post work. I do not like to rely on that! But we all know that's a fact of film making. Someone once told me- There is the film you write, the one you shoot, and the one you end up. That's been very true for The Vord.
Now that the film is finished, is there anything you would approach differently if you were starting The Vord again today?
Yes. I'd block scenes a whole lot better. I would have insisted that the film not be portrayed as true blood and guts horror that is filled with jump scares. It isn't. The horror comes from the confusion of will, of faith and trust or lack of same, and the psychological horror of being shown that what we do in life, does carry on with us in an ever-after. Sometimes, with great pain and terror. I think hardcore horror fans expected something like a Nordic slasher ripping and cutting his way through life and death. Literally, no. Figuratively, yes, he did. To me, that is the truest horror of all. Confusion. Doubt. Ghosts of our past chasing us down until we no longer know which is fact or illusion. And the duality of who we all are at our core, we faced it down within The Vord.
As a postscript, I have written the prequel/sequel to The Vord titled The Malus: The Book of Ivar. It has cleared up questions some had about The Vord's direction and scenes. We are currently in pre-production for its adaptation. So stay tuned. Thanks again!
On UK digital 4 May from Miracle Media
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