Actress Juliet Landau, the daughter of two award-winning actors who is known for her role as Drusilla in the cult favorite "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," will be in attendance at the fifth annual Hot Springs International Women's Film Festival to screen her recent directorial debut, "A Place Among the Dead."
Landau, also known for her role as Loretta King in "Ed Wood," will also participate in a Q&A after the screening, which starts at 6:45 p.m. Saturday at the Central Theatre.
In an interview with The Sentinel-Record via email, Landau described her new movie as "a genre-bending art film, which explores the repercussions of growing up under the sway of narcissism and psychological abuse."
In addition to directing the movie, Landau also co-wrote, produced and acted in it.
"The cast includes myself, Gary Oldman, Ron Perlman, Robert Patrick, Lance Henriksen and best-selling author Anne Rice, appearing for the only time in a scripted movie. We are so sad that Anne has passed away. She was not only a literary giant but a loving, special human, a gift in our lives, a true friend and collaborator," she said.
Her co-writer on the movie was her husband, Deverill Weekes. "We both come from homes with narcissistic parents. We often say, if we'd seen a movie like this when we were 18, it could have changed the course and journey of our lives. We wanted to make a movie we hadn't seen before, to tackle something that hasn't been covered in films, which society, in fact, has been reticent to look at. ... Our aim is to make an entertaining film and to give voice to what has affected many, to open up a dialogue, which is exactly what has been happening!"
Landau's parents are Academy Award winner Martin Landau ("Ed Wood") and Barbara Bain, who won three Emmys for the "Mission: Impossible" television show in the 1960s, co-starring her husband.
"Everyone deals with narcissism: It is The issue of our time: whether it be a spouse, partner, ex-partner, boss, co-worker, friend, family member(s), or our world leaders, we've been striking an artery, not just a nerve," Landau said.
Landau and Weekes wrote the movie over a six-month period. She said that in the movie "we blur the lines of reality using a meld of fact, fiction and the fantastical." She said the movie is also part of the vampire genre, and her costars have all acted in this genre before.
"We elected to use the fantastical for a number of reasons. First of all, the vampire genre is entertaining! When you type the word into a Google search, 482 million results come up! Second of all, fantasy allows people to go places they might be hesitant to, in say, a straight drama about the same subject matter. Third of all, we want to lull the audience into a sense of safety by using tropes they feel safe and comfortable with, to explore unsafe and radical ideas," Landau said.
"Fourthly, in blurring the lines of reality, I play an alter-ego version of myself. This allows me to bring in my history of having played Drusilla on Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel. All of the known actors in the film have ties to vampire material. They each play alter-ego versions of themselves too," she said.
"Lastly, the vampire is the perfect metaphor for the ultimate narcissist. The vampire is a being, which drains life and lifeforce for (its) own needs, as does the narcissist. The vampire mesmerizes and keeps people in its thrall. Narcissists often are exceedingly charismatic and do the same. One has to invite vampires in. We invite narcissists in. We don't have a choice with family, but if you come from this background, you are likely to repeat and invite other narcissists into your life, as you've been primed to do so. Vampires don't change. Narcissists have no ability to change. Vampires have no reflection. They can't see themselves in a mirror.
"Narcissists have zero self-reflection. And most importantly, A Place Among The Dead will explore the nature of evil. ... From the consistent, systematic snuffing of spirit, light, liveliness to the heinous snuffing of life. The viewer may never be sure if Darcel, the vampire character, is undead or if he's a serial killer who emulates a vampire, but either way, the traits are the same. In going on Jules' journey, we experience how we often recreate and replay the un-win-able parent or the past trauma. We hope for a different outcome, but in fact, it just gets worse and worse," Landau said.
On also working behind the camera on the movie, she said she wanted to create a workplace that was creative and collaborative, noting, "I've learned a lot from working with people like Tim Burton as an actress. We wanted to foster a creative environment, so every department would surprise us, bring their ideas which, would take the vision to the next level."
Landau said she is looking forward to her visit to Hot Springs and that she supports the festival's mission.
"I am so excited to visit Hot Springs! Our uber-talented costume designer, Rebecca Penton, who hails from New Orleans, said it is one of her favorite places in the world! We are deeply inspired by the mission and vision of The Hot Springs International Women's Film Festival. Our film resonated deeply with Bill Volland, the founder and director, and we immediately felt a connection and simpatico with him. It literally felt like we had known him for years from the first moment we spoke," she said.
"We were and are taken with what Bill has built/is continuing to build -- a truly special and remarkable nexus for Independent cinema and filmmakers. We have been watching the trailers and can't wait to see the movies! The programming team has curated a truly extraordinary slate of pictures from all over the world," she said.
Landau said the reception to the movie has been positive at the previous film festivals where they have screened it.
"The process of sharing the movie with audiences has been incredible and we are humbled by winning the top awards at every festival we've played. We just won our 20th award, sweeping the 11 festivals where we've screened! Seven Best Feature Of The Festival, five Best Actress -- Juliet Landau, four Best Director, one Best Script, one Best Editing and two Audience Choice," she said.
Audiences, Landau said, have also been into the film, with Q&A's being popular so far.
"Each audience talk-back has lasted 4 hours! The interaction and the feedback has been so powerful and profound," Landau said.
"I'm really looking forward to the Q&A! So many people have said the movie has been life-changing, which means the world. We made 'A Place Among the Dead' to provoke conversation. For us, it is all about communication and connection. I am very excited to discuss with the audience in Hot Springs! I learn something from each audience member," she said.
An undated handout photo of Juliet Landau. - Submitted photo