Travis Stevens is a name that is very well known and respected within the indie film arena. Stevens began his career in the film industry as a producer, spending a number of years working at XYZ Films. During his tenure with XYZ, Stevens had a hand in some of the freshest films of the last decade including Cheap Thrills, Teenage Cocktail, 68 Kill, We Are Still Here, and a personal favourite – Starry Eyes. Then, a few years ago, Travis took a step back from producing and exposed himself as a writer and director with his gooey toxic masculinity nightmare The Girl on the Third Floor. The film was a brilliant success and proved that Stevens was a voice to watch.
Now he returns to the directing seat with Jakob’s Wife. The film is a passion project that horror legend Barbara Crampton has been trying to get made for years. Having worked with Stevens previously (Crampton starred in We Are Still Here) the pair were already firm friends and that trust shines through in the finished product. The film sees Crampton play Anne, the timid and tired wife of a Pastor (played by Larry Fessenden) beginning to change after receiving a strange bite. As she slowly begins to transform, Anne finds herself feeling more alive than she has done for years. The vampire element of the story is the perfect metaphor for an older female freeing herself from the ties of the patriarchy.
Jakob’s Wife debuted at SXSW and was one of the highlights of the festival with early buzz proving it to be a brilliant crowd-pleaser. Since then it has performed incredibly well in the US on home video formats and this week it FINALLY arrives in the UK thanks to those brilliant people at Shudder. Ahead of the release we caught up with Travis to discuss this beautiful story in further detail.
Jakob’s Wife arrives on Shudder on 19th August 2021.
