In 2021, Mexican director Alex Kahuam came to Pigeon Shrine FrightFest with his nightmarish horror Forgiveness. Now just two years later he returns with his next feature, Failure! The two films could not be more different. Whereas Forgiveness was an almost mute journey through the underworlds, Failure! is set in the real world. Starring Ted Raimi, Failure! tells the story of James who has a big debt with the bank and is given one hour to choose between financial ruin or murder in order to protect his family. As the hour progresses, he finds his home and phone invaded by multiple characters pulling him in different directions, gradually adding to his distress and his unravelling. But who is real and who isn’t?
As well as Raimi, the film also stars Merrick McCartha (Senior Year), Melissa Diaz (Ruthless), John Paul Medrano (Seven Days), and Daniel Kuhlman (Voodoo MacBeth) and Noel Douglas Orput. What makes Failure! so interesting is that it is the latest film to join the small circle of ‘one-take’ movies. Filming a movie in one continuous shot takes an incredible amount of planning and Kahuam has pulled off something really special. It also highlights the talents of Ted Raimi who, for a lot of people, is known more for his supporting characters than his lead ones. His performance compliments Kahuam’s direction perfectly, the pair weaving intricately around one another to create a compelling drama laced with plenty of twists and thrills.
Ahead of the world premiere of Failure! at FrightFest, THN were able to speak with Kahuam about the project. Our conversation saw us discuss the pressures of getting into FrightFest for a second time, the planning that goes into creating a one-take movie, and the importance of reinventing oneself as a director.
Failure! screens at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest on Saturday 26th August 2023. Tickets are still available here.
