Perhaps we’re all starting to feel a tad uneasy about the term “folk horror”. During the ’70s, moviegoers were left trembling in their seats by films like The Wicker Man and Blood on Satan’s Claw, oblivious to the fact that they belonged to a subcategory in the genre. Yet, in the last two decades, the phrase ‘folk horror’ has almost been impossible to evade. If a person is terrified while coated in mud in a rural path, then it’s categorised as folk horror. An abundance of Ben Wheatley’s films fit this theme and even Ari Aster’s Midsommar or Alex Garland’s Men adhere to this description. There’s a chance this tagline has turned slightly too visible.
“Potentially a tad too much,” admits Daniel Kokotajlo. “I feel it’s commonly used in an adverse light these days. There seems to be a tendency to say, ‘Oh, it’s just folk horror,’ almost as if it means it won’t be thrilling or of the intense, grand horror variety. It’s used condescendingly. I only wish there was more room for diverse storytelling methods.”
Kokotajlo’s Starve Acre, acknowledged as one of the finest horror films this year – a prosperous year for such movies – is unfortunately destined to be slotted into this category. Inspired by a greatly esteemed novel by Andrew Michael Hurley, the film features Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark, portraying a pair inhabiting an isolated region of Yorkshire who succumb to ancient magic after their son’s demise. It’s not just that it includes muddy pits, dubious locals, and a haunted hare. The film is noticeably set in the ’70s, the golden era for folk horror. It bears a resemblance to television shows written by Nigel Kneale, like The Stone Tape or the following Quatermass series. Kokotajlo wasn’t even born at the time.
“My exposure to the ’70s came from television and such things,” he recollects in his soft Manchester accent. “I grew up absorbing that. I’ve always felt a sense of longing for it. That’s the reason this (film) was thrilling. I get the opportunity to create something I loved when I was a child. This resonates with the sentimentality in the book. The core of the story is about reminiscing to seek solace but instead, discovering something ominous and unsettling.”
Coldplay’s performance at Croke Park was electrifying, with the audience completely lost in choruses specially designed for such evenings. In a completely different context, Andrea Gilligan can only listen attentively but can’t assist parents grappling with the emotional strain of their children going back to school.
Discussing a new life chapter after managing Harvey’s Point hotel, the owners reveal their newfound bliss in a quaint corner of southwest France. The selection of Matt Smith for a role may seem linked to his interest in 1970s pop culture. The relevance of Nigel Kneale’s work and how creations like Quatermass laid foundations for Doctor Who sparkled his interest in featuring Matt Smith, owing to his association with Doctor Who, exploring in a retro environment.
Daniel Kokotajlo, with Italian and Ukrainian roots, has had an interesting journey to his present profession. Starting with studying textiles at Manchester University, he explored painting and hip-hop before developing an interest in British cinema. This fascination led him towards a master’s degree in screenwriting at Westminster University. His short film was well received in film festivals, which encouraged him to undertake one of the remarkable British debut features of the present century.
In 2018, the release of his film Apostasy, narrating the story of a young woman facing discord from her family because of transcending the rules of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, stirred many. Coming from a similar background, Kokotajlo portrays some uneasy truths about its cultish nature, causing controversy during the film release. The aftermath caused no legal issues, but reactions from the Jehovah’s Witnesses included boycotting the film and distributing literature to contest its claims. The film, however, succeeded in swaying many perspectives.
“He affirms plenty of positives too,” he articulates. “There were witnesses at screenings, curious and open to view things from a different perspective. The topic of Apostasy consistently surfaces. I constantly receive gestures from people, not excluding a substantial volume of negative correspondences.”
[Daniel Kokotajlo states, “Family members are coerced to reject each other in the Jehovah’s Witnesses”]
With its highly praised reviews, the film sadly failed to garner the awards recognition or box-office statistics it merited. Subsequent to this, Kokotajlo initiated another intimate endeavour, but along the journey, he recognised his inability to repeat the whole process. “I am exhausted from Apostasy,” he shares. “I yearn for a transition into a varied ambit—one incorporating an enchanting component.”
Over the last decade, since The Loney publication, Andrew Michael Hurley has developed as a distinguished novelist of the eerie. His third tome, Starve Acre, was successful in captivating both pop and literary tastes. Tessa Ross, Kokotajlo’s producer, brought to his attention the yet-to-be-published novel, which he found irresistible after perusing an advance copy, prompting him to think about a conversion. Is it oversimplifying to draw parallels between Starve Acre and Apostasy? Our protagonist in the horror film spirals into ancient faiths in folk deities. Both ventures, in separate ways, speak about irrational systems of belief.
“At that moment, I wasn’t quite conscious,” he shares. “However, upon reflection, the parallels are evident. Both discuss grief and the suppression of the organic grieving trajectory. Occasionally, you require an alternative anchor—a form of religion or spiritual belief. This impacts the grieving path. It significantly influences denial and acceptance, obstructing the acceptance of reality.”
He breaks into a sardonic grin.
“That’s something many filmmakers engage in, isn’t it? They develop obsessions about certain topics and unintentionally keep recreating the same film,” he says.
The correlation between Kokotajlo’s works “Starve Acre” and “Apostasy” might not be immediately apparent due to the thematic divergence. “Starve Acre”, a creation seemingly sprouted from raw nature, presents us with a sturdy man derailed by grief. It follows the journey of a couple as they explore unconventional methods of dealing with a devastating loss. In this way, it has echoes of Nicolas Roeg’s “Don’t Look Now”, but presents a grittier, untidier, chillier version of it. A significantly impactful role is played by a resurrected hare. It prompts one to question what it is about England’s countryside that gives birth to such narratives. Could it be the overlay of faiths and beliefs, initially replaced by Christianity, and ultimately by modernity, underlying the lore of Ireland too?
From his point of view, Kokotajlo reflects, ancient customs and symbols still linger in the English countryside. Ancient churches still bear witness to long forgotten symbols like the ‘green man’ and the ‘three hare’, carved into doorways and steeped in unknown meanings. These artefacts provoke probing into the historical implications of the landscape.
Especially suiting these types of narratives is the ambience of the English North country, with its vast, eerie Yorkshire and Lancifire moors blowing in the wind, a unique sense of discomfort echoing around them.
Kokotajlo concurs, highlighting the juxtaposition of rural and urban within minutes of each other. The swift transition from Manchester’s buzzing centre to the engulfing wilderness captures a certain abyss. This immediacy, he feels, is something distinctly absent in America.
It would be quite desirable to see a smaller gap between Kokotajlo’s second and third films, a six year wait might not be considered unusual, but the critical acclaim for “Apostasy” led to anticipation for a follow-up that didn’t quite match expectations. Did this mean his team was let down by the subpar breakout of the film?
“He remarks, “We had such feelings back then. The reaction to Apostasy was odd. It’s due to the enormous praise it received. Individuals describe it as marvelous and incredible among other things. Though when it was actually happening, no one was verbally expressing that.” Kokotajlo nonchalantly shrugs his shoulders, exuding his usual resigned attitude. “I find contentment in the fact that this is how people perceive it today.” The film, Starve Acre, will be exhibited in theatres commencing Friday, the 6th of September.”