Sunday, February 22, 2015

Women in Horror: Featuring Emilie Flory



As you may know, February is "Women in Horror" month. To celebrate, PromoteHorror.com asked women from different professions if they would like to answer some questions about being a "Woman in Horror." One of the women, who were kind enough to answer our questions, was the terrific writer/director Emilie Flory. Lets see what she said about being a “Woman in Horror”…


-When did you first become a horror fan?

I realized I was a horror fan at age 7, when Jaws came out…
I already had a thing for scary books, cartoons and games. Horror represented something very exciting to me. I lived in Saint-Tropez in a rich and sunny environment as pleasant as it was superficial. In this environment, horror was a form of escapism for me, a subversive force. I was irresistibly drawn to it: When you’re scared, you feel more alive. You have to find the courage to face this state of mind where you feel almost like you’re going to die. It’s horrible… But once the fear is gone, you feel just great. When Jaws came out and I saw the posters outside the Renaissance movie theater in Saint-Tropez, it was quite a shock. There was a catch line that said, “She was the first…” and this tiny figure of a naked woman swimming above a gigantic shark!
I lived in a seaside resort… I fantasized all summer about what the poster promised because, of course, I wasn’t allowed to see the movie, I was too young!



-Was there a specific moment when you realized that you wanted to go from being a fan of horror to a woman who contributes to the genre, or did it just kind of happen naturally?

That’s an excellent question, Promote. Thanks for asking. Actually, as a result of the exposure I have to bring to my movie Trauma Dolls, I realize that I contribute directly to promoting the horror genre: I’m plugging the world of horror in its entirety as well as the world of women in horror. Certain people in my circle are surprised and try to figure out where I got my liking for horror. This allows me to give them information concerning a world and realities they are totally clueless about.

We see some remarkable personalities militating for the horror genre on Twitter. Women are very active in that domain; I’m delighted to see this. There is a spectacular synergy, very tight bonds that are created in the horror community. It’s a world where there exists strong values, extraordinary friendships and mutual aide you don’t see anywhere else. I’m extremely happy to belong to this world.

-What does having a "Women in Horror" month mean to you?

It’s essential to have a month dedicated to women in the world of horror: Even if highlighting them only lasts a month, it allows everyone to become aware that, in this domain, women are bankable. They are an amazing strike force to be reckoned with. From the very beginning women have contributed to the emergence of the horror genre, especially thanks to scream queens which also had for a perverse effect to blur the image and the role of women in horror. Today women screenwriters, directors and producers showcase their talents; they are in every department and they are just as successful as men are.



-Is there a woman in horror who you consider a role model?

Denise Gossett is a model for me. She has all my admiration. What she did for the horror genre with Shriekfest is outstanding.
Shriekfest is a world famous, medium sized festival where each person selected becomes a full member of the family. Its selection is rigorous and the quality exceptional.
Denise fights for independent movies. She is uncompromising on this point. It’s really important so that things change and genuine artists can emerge.
There is also a “film music” selection at Shriekfest; it’s an innovating festival on many points. Denise does a lot for artists. She’s extra ordinary on a professional and human level. I would like to add that she’s a wonderful actress and a magnificent woman.



-How do you think the role of women in horror has changed over the years?

If we consider only the change that has come about with respect to actresses and the roles they are offered, things have changed tremendously. Woman’s status in horror movies has evolved at the same time as her status in western countries has. Women are no longer just pretty faces who scream while waiting to be saved. They act, attack their aggressors and even save their lovers. Sometimes, I even find it’sex aggerated by making them excessively mannish. I like women being strong but I find that if their strength hides their vulnerability and their sex appeal, we lose a great deal of what makes up the magic of the horror genre. Starry Eyes is a great success because it doesn’t forget that. Just like Crawl or Die whose heroine is a soldier. And I love Nurse 3Dbecause, thanks to exceptional acting, Paz de la Huerta proves that you can scare, thrill and move people by playing an unfortunate psychopath with an outrageously explosive sexuality!

-What do you think the future holds for women in horror?

The future is promising for women in horror but also for those in genre films in general, in action and sci-fi movies. Director Kathryn Bigelow, whom I personally consider as a genre director, brought about a real tour de force by making it in Hollywood as she did. Thanks to her, everything has become possible for women, especially for women who are in genre films: We see marvelous actresses like Maria Olsen, Alexandra Essoe and Nicole Alonso come into their own, we see young directors like Jessica Cameron bring down mountains and personalities like Jennifer Blanc-Biehn fight relentlessly to impose projects she believes in. All of that is very positive. Very constructive.



-Being that this is PromoteHorror.com, please feel free to plug your current/next horror project. 

Since my next project is in the writing stage, let me tell you about my horror movie project, my team and I are looking for producers and investors: Trauma Dolls is a slasher that takes place in the worlds of fashion and neuroscience. The movie treats the question of good and evil and the chances of finding love and light again even if it seems hopeless! The movie’s screenplay, which made it to the semi-finals in Shriekfest, made the finals in the Frightnight Film Festival (Fandom Fest) and the presentation trailer, a finalist at the HollyShorts Film Festival, was shown at the Chinese Theaters. We have a press kit, which includes a budget, available for people who are interested.

The Trauma Dolls’ Trailer was an official selection at the Holly-Shorts film festival 2014:

Thank you so much, Promote, for your invitation to take part in this month of horror. Thanks as well for the wonderful reviews, previews and interviews you treat us to, they all contribute to help genre movies move forward.



Emilie Flory was born in Paris on July 2, 1970. An admiral’s daughter, she spent her childhood in Saint-Tropez where she took her first acting classes and won the Queffelec Prize for best poem about the sea. 

She studied at art school, then joined Jean Périmony’s drama school. A great fan of genre movies, her first screenplay was a short fantasy film for photographer Jean Christophe Polien. 

She wrote for the Horror Show column in the French movie magazine L’Ecran Fantastique

She worked in the comic book business for two years before returning to the theater. In 2005, she directed a series of sexy, funny TV sketches that inspired her dark comedy screenplay Golden Bodies – Fitness is Business  two years later. 

Tariel Méliava, director of photography on Tzameti13 (Grand Jury Prize: World Cinema Dramatic at Sundance film festival in 2006) helped her with her projects. 

In 2009, Emilie Flory wrote and directed Process 5, a futuristic short movie, with Tariel Méliava as DP. It was screened at the HollyShorts Film Festival in Los Angeles. Emilie Flory currently has a horror film project in development based on a screenplay she wrote. And she has started writing a sci-fi screenplay. (bio from her website)

For more information about Emilie Flory, please visit:


You can also find more on Twitter, and Facebook!

Additional interviews:




We thank Emilie Flory for taking the time to answer our questions, but more importantly for her contribution to horror!

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