Quirk Films

Upcoming screenings!!!

2012-02-09T19:50:00.000-05:00

Or how I wish I could clone myself to be at three different places during the same weekend!

So, it looks like Feb. 25th-26th will be a very busy weekend! Here's why:

HOLLYWOOD SKIN is part of the Stiletto Film Festival selection and will screen on Sat. Feb. 25th in Boston, MA - more info here

RED and T IS FOR TOOTHPICK will have their Scotland premiere as part of the Jennifer's Bodies Film Festival (an official Women in Horror month event) on Sunday, Feb. 26th at the University of Dundee, Dundee, U.K. - more info here

And last but not least,

RED will finally have it's premiere here, in Montreal, during the RVCQ (Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois) on Sat. Feb. 25th - more info here

I wish I could attend all three events, but alas, teleportation is yet a possibility. Unless anyone has a few trick up its sleeve?

If you can make it to any of those screenings, please do and let me know how it went! :)

P.S.: Mea culpa as I forgot to mention that HOLLYWOOD SKIN also played on Feb. 4th as part of the Viscera Tour during its special presentation at Penn State University and during Bad Granny's Bazaar in Oklahoma City on Jan. 26th. Mega huge thank you to Heidi Martinuzzi and Shannon Lark! :)

It's February 1st, so...

2012-02-01T21:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Women in Horror Month everyone!!!

Get bloody, give blood and support kickass chicks making badass films!

For the hell of it, here's a behind the scene pic from the RED shoot with the gore-geous Olga. Enjoy! :)

French premiere of RED this week!

2012-01-15T10:55:00.000-05:00

Yup, Red will have it's French premiere (in Grenoble, France) this coming Wednesday, January 18th at 2PM at the salle Juliet Berto. There will be a second screening on Saturday, January 21st at 4:30PM.

Those who have a good memory will remember that I flew in last year for the 2011 edition of the same festival where I presented a special selection of shorts directed by women, including Hollywood Skin and Snuff.

For more information, check out the festival's page for the film HERE.

Thank you to Sabine Garcia and Karel Quistrebert from the awesome festival des Maudits Films and go check it out if you can! :)

Kicking in the new year

2012-01-10T09:59:00.001-05:00

For off, I want to wish everyone a happy new year! May 2012 be the filled with love, joy, prosperity, and anything else you want!

I feel this is going to be a very good year for Quirk Films; I already have two upcoming festival screenings for RED (to be announced soon) and I'll get to make my first feature film. Exciting!

As a way to kick things off, here's my latest article which I wrote for the Spectacular Optical web-magazine about cinephilia and my thoughts on the death of film (as in celluloid).

Read it HERE

Read it in FRENCH

Any thoughts? Comments?

Fundraiser night for my first feature!

2011-11-15T19:11:00.002-05:00

As some of you already know, the next BIG project I'm tackling is my first feature film for which production will began in 2012. Awesome, no?

But, just like with any massive project, funding is essential. This is why the Mascara & Popcorn will festival graciously offered me a fundraiser night, which will be this coming Sunday, Nov. 20th at the Centre St-Ambroise (yes, the McAuslan brewery, so see nice beer! Now you can't say I'm inconsiderate!)

Centre St-Ambroise: 5080 St-Ambroise (corner St-Rémi), Montreal

During the evening, a retrospective of selected shorts will play and people, let me tell you, I had fun picking the shorts! Let's just say that for those who were intrigued by my non-horror work, it'll be a good occasion to check them out!

Here's the schedule:
COMPLEX MODEL – 12 minutes
J'TE VEUX, MOI NON PLUS – 8 minutes
ELIZABETH – 4 minutes
THE PORTRAIT – 10 minutes
SNUFF – 4 minutes
REFLECTION – 12 minutes
Two surprise shorts including a very special cast&crew premiere! *hint, hint*
Q&A

Tickets are $5 and all proceeds will go to the production. Doors open at 6PM, showtime is 6:30PM, so be there on time!

DVD compilations of my work will also be available for those wanting to donate a little extra.

And here's the Facebook event! :) See you there!

I need your VOTE!

2011-10-27T20:54:00.002-04:00

Some of you might already know, but I entered the ABCs of Death 26th Filmmaker contest. The concept is simple, I had to shoot a 4-minutes short featuring a death caused by something that begins with the letter 'T'. All the shorts were then uploaded on the website where people vote for their favorites and the winner will be featured in the anthology project!

The contest end on October 31st, so if you haven't done, please vote! :)

Here's the link to VOTE and here's the video:

In other news, tomorrow night, HOLLYWOOD SKIN will play as part of the Viscera lineup at the Ann Arbor Horror Film Festival. For more info, click here. Thanks Shannon, Heidi and everyone at Viscera! :D

Tons of upcoming screenings!

2011-10-18T10:07:00.000-04:00

November will be a busy month for yours truly! I'm excited to announce that, thanks to the wonderful Florence T and her Mascara & Popcorn festival, not only will my dream of bringing the wonderful Viscera shorts to Montreal will come true, but I will also be hosting the night! :D

In addition to the Viscera goodness, she will also play a few of my older shorts and an excerpt from Bloody Breasts!

Plus, it will be great to finally play in Montreal!

Here's the breakdown for the Mascara and Popcorn festival:

Nihilism night -- Tuesday, Nov. 17th -- 6PM -- Cabaret Playhouse (5656 Park Avenue)

Screening of Recessed and Snuff

Viscera night -- Tuesday, Nov. 22nd -- 6PM -- Cabaret Playhouse (5656 Park Avenue)

Some of my favorite Viscera shorts

Screening of Hollywood Skin and episodes 2 and 3 of Bloody Breasts

Plus, I will be hosting!

In addition to that, Jef Grenier's next A.Normale night will also screen one of my shorts:

A. Normale vol. VI -- Friday, Nov. 11th -- 8PM -- Café Chaos (2031 St-Denis)

Screening of Hollywood Skin

And... last but not least, I have my screening date for the Texas DOA Bloodbath Film Festival:

Bloodbath Film Festival -- Sat. Nov. 5th -- 5:15PM -- Texas Theatre (231 W. Jefferson Blvd, Dallas, TX)

Screening of Red

Woo! That's it for now! :)

RED in Puerto Rico!

2011-10-12T11:07:00.001-04:00

The schedule is finally up! RED will be part of the Vamps, Zombs, and Beasts short program of the Puerto Rico Horror Film Festival!

The program will screen twice: on Friday Oct. 21st at 4:30PM and on Sunday Oct. 23rd at 9:30PM. You can check the full schedule HERE! :)

Check out the film's festival page!

The love for RED keeps coming!

2011-10-05T09:06:00.000-04:00

It took a while to get the short off the ground, but it seems that RED is finally spreading its wings!

This week, I've had the pleasure to read another great review from Jude Felton over at The Lair of Filth, you can check it out HERE!

John Ginder from Horrorphilia also had really kind things to say about RED and yours truly, check it out HERE!

I also just got the confirmation that RED will have its world premiere as part of the Puerto Rico Horror Film Festival! The exact date is still TBA, but in the meantime check out their super rad TV ad:

And, last but not least, RED will then play the third edition of the DOA Blood Bath Film Festival in Dallas, TX which is happening on November 5th and 6th at the Dallas Theatre!

I < 3 All Things Horror!

2011-09-22T12:52:00.001-04:00

Chis Hallock and Mike Snoonian from All Things Horror are just downright amazing! Why, you ask? Not only are they organizing a super-awesome weekend of Viscera screenings this coming weekend, featuring the integral of the BLOODY BREASTS episodes released so far + most of my shorts, they just published the first RED review and it's several degrees of amazing!

Check out the review here!

Check out the info for the Viscera event here!

And yes, you guessed it, yours truly will be driving down for a Q&A. Come check it out if you're anywhere near Somerville, MA! :)

Favorite short films (Inspirational Fridays)

2011-09-09T18:22:00.003-04:00

I tried the whole Follow Friday thing on Twitter and I get how great it is to gain new followers, but wouldn’t it be more exciting to actually know more about those people? To have more than just names you can click? As artists, we are constantly inspired by other works. I believe these inspirations should be shared with the rest of the world, so other people can discover them as well. This is why I’m starting this new blogging challenge: Inspirational Fridays.

Every Friday, I’ll write about someone, something or films I find inspiring. Since I’ve mostly made shorts so far, what better way to start than:

Favorite (recent) short films

I tried my best to narrow down the selection, but even getting it down to 10 proved quite hard! Please note that most of these were made/released in the past 10-15 years because that's as far back as my brain can think right now. (I only included links when they were provided by the filmmakers themselves)

Here they are:

10. When Sally Met Frank - Victoria Waghorn, 2007

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwjDcCzYkeM)

Yes, I have an obsessive fascination with plastic surgery, so this film is right up my alley! I can’t say more, except watch it if you think you can stomach it! Definitely one of the highlights from the Viscera film fest!

9. Laundromat - Drew Daywalt, 2010

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsHOLZxzN0E)

This one is everything a horror short should be: short & sweet with a nice ‘bang’ at the end.

8. Fantasme/Fantasy - Izabel Grondin, 2009

What can I say about Fantasy except that I found it exceptionally unsettling the first time I watched it; it is unarguably Izabel Grondin’s finest film and still makes me uncomfortable every time I watch it. You can read the review I wrote here. Available on the Viscera film festival DVD.

7. Wretched - Leslie Delano, 2007

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWSKFk25PFM)

This film hits home in many different ways; I think it's the most personal of all my choices. I love the approach of the subject matter and there are some brave directorial choices in there. Just enough dark humour to balance things out.

6. La Dernière Voix/City Without Windows - Julien Fondrede & Karim Hussain, 2001

Beautiful, poetic, haunting... and one of the most interesting aesthetic I've seen. Sadly, people don't make short films like this anymore. I don't know if it's been officially released, but you can find it floating somewhere...

5. Lipstick - Stacy Ponder & Shannon Lark, 2009

It takes real guts to tackle the theme of chronic masturbation seriously. Especially that of a female chronic masturbator. Ponder and Lark achieve this perfectly by offering a film that is nasty, twisted, unsettling, and totally great. Plus anyone who goes so far as to create what I call the 'cheese-grater dildo' scores major extra points.

4. God's Little Girl - Mitch Davis, 2006

There is something about this film... I still can't quite put my finger on it. Is it the haunting narration? Is it the main character's logic which somehow makes total sense? Is it the unexpected turn of the story? The stunning visuals? Probably all of the above. It makes me sad that Mitch Davis hasn't made another film since as it would have been really interesting to see what a feature from him would have been like.

3. Side Effect - Liz Adams, 2009

Two words: GUILTY. PLEASURE. The ending makes it win the Audience Choice Award pretty much everywhere it plays. Don't let anyone spoil it for you and try to hunt it down to see it for yourself!

2. Beautiful As You Are - Doug Mallette, 2009

(http://vimeo.com/27461061)

This is a true little gem. You know, the kind of film that makes you say 'I wish I made that film'? Well, there you have it. The simple, yet creative story totally blew me away when I first saw it. Oh and I just LOVE the ending. Highly recommended.

1. Cutting Moments - Douglas Buck, 1997

If you like your entertainment light, funny and enjoyable, I urge you, stay away from this film. If, like me, you like it painful and raw, this is the film for you. It is quite simply a brilliant piece of cinema. I’m trying to write more about it, but I’m still speechless. This is a film that forever changed me, and if I was given the choice, I would watch it again for the first time. But be warned, this is NOT for everyone. I simply can’t think of any other film that would have a stronger impact on me and, as far as short films go, it’s pretty hard to surpass. Definitely a masterpiece, IMHO. Available on the Family Portrait: A Trilogy of America DVD.

Honorable mention: Tous les hommes s'appellent Robert - Marc-Henri Boulier, 2010 which is currently touring the festival circuit.

Fun, fun, fun!

2011-08-26T15:17:00.001-04:00

Hi again friends,

Looks like today will be a day of updates!

First off, don't miss my interview tonight with the fantabulous Hannah Neurotica on Blog Talk Radio! It's happening tonight at 9:30PM EST! I can guarantee you won't be disappointed! Check out the rad flyer:

Also, later this month, on September 23rd to be precise, I'll drive down to Somerville, MA for a special Viscera Film Festival screening by the All Thing Horror team followed by the screening of my webseries Bloody Breasts (the integral of all the episodes so far) along with a few of my shorts! AND you guessed it, I'll be available to answer a Q&A! :)

For all the info, check out their poster:

That's it for now folks! More awesome news soon! :)

Little treat!

2011-08-26T10:55:00.000-04:00

Ladies and gents,

I'm delighted to finally reveal the gore-geous artwork for the RED poster! Of course, it still needs to be tweaked a bit by adding some credits...

Feast your eyes on this beauty created by the amazingly fabulous Marilyn Farley:

Reviewers needed!

2011-08-15T17:24:00.001-04:00

After keeping my lips sealed for too long, I can finally announce that the post-production on RED is finished!

A first round of festival submissions has been done, so stay tuned for screening dates near you! Rest assured, I will let you know as soon as the film is available on DVD.

In the meantime, I'm trying to gather as many reviews as I can. If you're a reviewer and would like to help me out, please get in touch with me and I'll gladly send you a screener copy or a dowload link for the short!

Help us create a buzz! :)

Shannon Lark and Olga in RED

Exciting news!

2011-07-13T08:33:00.000-04:00

So I did promise a big announcement re: BLOODY BREASTS. Well, here it is!

I'll be presenting my first panel during the opening weekend of the Fantasia Film Festival. What makes is even more rad is the awesome line-up of guests who kindly agreed to join me in a discussion about women horror filmmakers and the overall state of the genre when it comes to gender. And just to make things sweeter, it happens to be on the same day as the Viscera Film Festival, in L.A.!

Here's the link to the panel's page on the Fantasia website, and my co-panelists are:

Jovanka Vuckovic - former editor in chief of Rue Morgue Magazine, author of Zombies! An Illustrated History of the Undead, director of THE CAPTURED BIRD

Izabel Grondin - director of ASPIRALUX and FANTASME

Elza Kephart - director of GRAVEYARD ALIVE: A ZOMBIE NURSE IN LOVE

Kier-La Janisse - author House of Psychotic Women, co-founder of Blue Sunshine Psychotronic Film Center

It's this coming Sunday, July 17th at 3PM at Reggie's (inside the Hall building of Concordia University) and it's FREE!

See you there!

Many thanks to the wonderful Char Hardin!

2011-07-07T18:06:00.002-04:00

I first spoke to Char when she invited me to participate to Horrorphilia's first Girl's Night Out podcast with the Soska twins and Hannah Neurotica. Let me tell you I was immediately charmed by this incredibly kind, fun, and hilarious woman! In just a few minutes, she managed to put me at ease and I almost forgot we were recording a podcast! It was so fun, just like talking with a bunch of girl friends!

This week, she was kind enough to review three of my shorts and it is with great pleasure that I'm sharing these great reviews with you:

SNUFF

RECESSED

HOLLYWOOD SKIN

...and to make everything even sweeter, we'll be recording episode three of Girl's Night Out podcast this Saturday! Stay tuned as I'll let you know when the episode is online.

In the meantime, check out episode 2!

Episode 4: The F Word (feminism)

2011-07-05T15:26:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

Episode 4 of the webseries Bloody Breasts. This episode focuses on the relationship between feminism and horror.

It's positive press week + other fun stuff!

2011-07-02T17:20:00.001-04:00

I just had my first mention in the Montreal Mirror, our local arts & culture free newspaper, thanks to Florence T. and everyone at the Mascara and Popcorn Festival! The article written by the great Kier-La Janisse features the upcoming festival and namedrop yours truly.

You can check it out HERE or pick up a free copy if you're in Montreal! :D

Also, John Ginder posted a great writeup about BLOODY BREASTS on the Horrorphilia website.

HERE it is!

In other news, my short film REFLECTION is currently streaming (for free!) on BlackFlag.tv Simply follow the link and look for FRANKENSTEIN UNLIMITED in the schedule. My short is the 4th in the anthology!

Last but not least, I'll have REALLY exciting news about BLOODY BREASTS to share soon. Alas, I have to keep my lips shut until Thursday, so stay tuned and check out episode 4, which will be release on July 5th.

And don't forget to come say 'hi' to me at the Mascara and Popcorn screening on Wednesday night! :D

Upcoming Montreal screening!

2011-06-22T12:51:00.001-04:00

Hey folks,

In exactly two weeks, two of my shorts will play as part of the Mascara and Popcorn Film Festival!

On Wednesday, July 6th, 7PM at Mainline Theatre, the following two shorts will play along with 23 other local short films:

Yes, for those who are curious to know what my work was like before I turned to horror, here is one of the rare chances to see COMPLEX MODEL, a quirky tale about unconventional relationships I shot in 2006!

25 shorts films for $5! Don't miss it!

It's all happening at:

Mainline Theatre

3997, boul Saint-Laurent (c. Duluth)

See website for more info! Hope to see you there! :)

Episode 3 of BLOODY BREASTS is here!

2011-06-07T10:13:00.003-04:00

For those who missed it on Facebook and the website last Friday, episode 3 titled: Femme-made horror (part 2) is now online!

You can check it out HERE!

I'm so effin' excited!

2011-06-06T10:05:00.002-04:00

I honestly feel like a kid on Christmas morning. Why, you ask? Because this weekend, I spent a lot of time designing the end credits of RED with After Effects genius, Martin Gauthier! And you all know what this means... that the film is *almost* RED-y!!!

So yeah, because I'm horrible at keeping secrets, here's a nice little sneak peek of the actors credits:

That's a sexy cast, no?!

Of course, those are only freeze frames and the whole thing is even more awesome, but it's all I'm gonna show for now! ;)

Enjoy!

First official review of STRANGE & MACABRE TALES

2011-05-17T14:16:00.001-04:00

Some of you might remember my DVD compilation of early short films I released in February as a first step toward fundraising my first feature?

Well, here's the first official review, courtesy of Will Colby from the ever amazing website KillingBoxx! :)

Read it HERE.

Thanks Will!

For those who missed my initial post, you can still buy the DVD HERE.

Love, love, love!

2011-05-17T12:06:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone,

I've been pretty quiet lately, mostly due to a semi-lock down state in "thesis writing" mode.

So, for those not on Facebook, I recently was a guest on the first ever Horrorphilia Girls Night Out podcast, hosted by the lovely Char Hardin and featuring the lovely Soska twins and the totally rad Hannah Neurotica.

Click to check out the fun, insane and uncontrollable mayhem resulting from having all five of us share the mic!

Also, a big, mega huge thank you to KillingBoxx for being a constant supporter of BLOODY BREASTS! :) Speaking of which, I recently added a 'news/press' section on the BB website, so check it out for all the updates and to see who's talking about the project!

Now, for the cherry on top, Mike Snoonian from All Things Horror once again made my day (scratch that, he make my month!) by including me on his wicked list of 10 filmmakers to watch out for.

Check it out here and share the love!

That's it for now folks! More news soon!

Episode 2 of Bloody Breasts is now live!

2011-05-03T08:23:00.000-04:00

Episode 2: Femme-made horror (part 1)

You can also watch it HERE.

Mini-poll for those who read me

2011-05-02T16:37:00.000-04:00

Should I start blogging on this blog? What I mean is, should I start writing about other random things that are not related to my films, news, screenings, and/or reviews? In other words, are you interested in the (crazy) things that cross my mind?

Come on, I know you're reading me. Stop being shy and answer. Make your voice heard, I want to hear it. :)

BLOODY BREASTS - Episode 1: Women Love Horror?

2011-04-11T14:20:00.003-04:00

http://www.bloodybreasts-documentary.tk/ for more info!

A great interview with Casey Ryan

2011-04-11T14:19:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, I was interviewed by Casey Ryan about my webseries BLOODY BREASTS for his podcast THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR. Here's the interview for those who missed it!

And the link in case the embedding doesn't work!

Stay tuned for an in-dept report of my retrospective at the Bleedfest Festival!

For those who understand French...

2011-03-30T11:49:00.002-04:00

Here's a write-up of the Festival des Maudits Films de Grenoble where I went in January to present a program of short horror films directed by women!

The reviewer mentions HOLLYWOOD SKIN:

"La deuxième sélection était consacrée à la scène horrifique féminine québécoise. Qualitativement au-dessus de la première sélection, nous avons pu découvrir HOLLYWOOD SKIN de Maude Michaud, un très beau film sur la folie d'une femme qui veut à tout pri x mincir pour pouvoir réussir des auditions en tant qu'actrice."

Read the full article here.

Merci Alexandre Thevenot et Sueurs Froides.fr! :)

Official release date for BLOODY BREASTS!

2011-03-28T16:16:00.000-04:00

So, you might remember I was working on a documentary webseries on women and horror?

Well, it is with great pleasure that I announce the official launch of the webseries during the Bleedfest Film Festival!

The first episode titled "Women love horror?" will screen at the festival and will also be available online that same day (April 3rd, 2011) on the project's website!

Please help me spread the word!

Here's the Facebook event!

I HATE L.A. movie update

2011-03-28T14:50:00.003-04:00

As the premiere of I HATE L.A. (which includes HOLLYWOOD SKIN) draws closer, the official trailer is now available online and we have a first write-up by Big Daddy Horror Reviews!

Here's the trailer:

Don't forget to come check it out (along with a retrospective of my horror shorts!) next Sunday, April 3rd 2011 at the Bleedfest Festival in L.A.!

...and the love just keeps coming!

2011-03-22T10:08:00.001-04:00

This time it's from the lovely Jennifer Cooper in the UK! :)

She kindly included HOLLYWOOD SKIN as part of the WiH event Jennifer's Bodies AND she just interviewed yours truly for her blog.

Check it out here!

Also, speaking of:

The new website for I HATE L.A., the anthology project it was made for, is now up and running! :)

http://ihatelamovie.com/

If you're in or around L.A. on April 3rd, make sure to check out the premiere and come say 'hi' to me!

Exclusive preview: Photo series 3 & 4

2011-03-16T19:12:00.000-04:00

Remember that post about my photographic series?

It's with great pleasure that I preview my two most recent series!

Writer's Block

Starring: Isabelle Beaudoin & Jason McCullough

Prank Call

Starring: Anne-Marie Beaulne & Philippe Robillard

Stay tuned for more previews and for more info where you can see the complete series! :)

Big news!

2011-03-14T08:56:00.000-04:00

After forcing myself to keep my lips sealed for over a month, I can finally announce it publicly:

The fantabulous Fies sisters will be showing a retrospective of my shorts at the April edition of their monthly Bleedfest festival!

Yes, you read right, my first-ever retrospective! And this is all happening in L.A. to make things ever sweeter! I will be present for a Q & A after the retrospective which will show six of my twelve shorts, including the festival premiere of THE PORTRAIT.

The event will also present the premiere of I HATE L.A., the anthology project helmed by Elisabeth Fies, which includes my short HOLLYWOOD SKIN.

I will also be launching the first episode of my web-series BLOODY BREASTS during my retrospective! I'm working on a simultaneous fest/online launch, so I'll keep you posted as soon as I have more infos!

And... the retrospective will include a special, exclusive sneak peek at my upcoming short film RED!

It's all so exciting, no? If you can, try to be there! If you live in the area and wanna meet up, by all means shoot me a message and we'll arrange something. :)

It'll be happening on:

Sunday, April 3rd 2011

11am-4:00 pm

CAP Theatre
13752 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Because everyone loves to see a pretty woman butcher herself...

2011-03-03T00:32:00.001-05:00

I am pleased to announce that HOLLYWOOD SKIN continues its successful festival circuit!

Thanks to the Viscera Festival and the amazing Shannon Lark and Heidi Martinuzzi (I love you, ladies!), HOLLYWOOD SKIN was screened as part of a special Viscera showcase during the following past events (which I sadly forgot to mention, mea culpa!):

- The 2010 Sacramento Sci-Fi/Horror Show (during the Sci-Fi/Horror Film Festival portion of the convention) on September 25th 2010

- A special screening of the winners from the Viscera Film Festival in Athens, GA in honor of Women in Horror Month on February 5th 2011

- I'd also like to give a big shout-out to the fabulous Jennifer Cooper who gave HOLLYWOOD SKIN its Scotland premiere as part of her WiH month event Jennifer's Bodies on February 28th 2011. Also, a HUGE thank you to Lis Fies for helping to make this possible! You both rock!

Coming up:

- HOLLYWOOD SKIN will be screened on March 12th 2011 at the Plea for Peace Center. Again, thank you Shannon and Viscera!

and

- Thanks to the wonderful Heidi Martinuzzi, my short will also be screened at the California State University in Northridge as part of a Feminist Horror Film Festival hosted by the Women's Research and Resource Center on March 28th!

If you can, be there to the screenings and stay tuned for another BIG screening announcement coming very soon!

Exclusive preview: Photo series 1 & 2

2011-02-28T19:45:00.003-05:00

During the past few weeks, those who are following me on Facebook have heard me talk about needing models for horror-themed photo projects. Well, I am delighted to announce that I had the chance to shoot two of the 12 (probably more!) said projects over the weekend. Not only did I have a blast, I also had the chance to work with great models who were incredibly enthusiastic and helped make the experience unbelievably fun!

I am so excited about the outcome that I need to share a small preview with you! But first, here's a bit more about the project:

Through conceptual and (sometimes) sequential photography, I will explore different themes, subgenres or classic characters from horror movies; sometimes the photo series will reference a specific film or character, sometimes it will only reference a genre of horror. These photos will primarily be used as part of my upcoming webdocumentary series Bloody Breasts, but also as part of another big project which I can't mention at the moment.

So, without further ado, here's a tiny preview of the series Rest in Pieces and Killer Read! Two easy subgenres that were incredibly fun to mimic and shoot! Let's see if I did a good job and if you can name them! ;) Enjoy!

Rest in Pieces

Starring: Marlène Xanadu & Sebastien Montpetit

Special f/x makeup: Sebastien Montpetit

Killer Read

Starring: Andrea Butler & Philippe Robillard

All photos are copyrighted - Maude Michaud/Quirk Films

Stay tuned for more! :)

(If you're in Montreal and want to be part of future photoshoots, please do let me know!)

How Jen & Sylvia Soska made my day...

2011-02-23T21:50:00.000-05:00

It's simple, the love keeps on coming!

This time is from fellow-Canucks, filmmakers extraordinaire, wickedly talented femmes fatales, the gore-geous Twisted Twins!

Throughout the month of February, they've been featuring different women from the horror world, most of whom I really admire. You can only imagine my delight and pleasure when they told me that I was featured as part of this series!

Without further ado, here's the LINK! (and let me tell you, they did an amazing research job fishing out past interviews, pics, infos, etc...!)

You can't begin to imagine how great it feels when people you admire write such a great piece about you and tell you they admire you too! It is truly an honor to be featured on this blog and if you don't know Jen & Sylvia, you should check out their work right now! Not only are they crazy talented, they have totally awesome ideas, and they're insanely sweet! Plus, you get to double everything because there's two of them! :D

Jen & Sylvia, thank you! I love you with all my (twisted) heart!

Can you feel the love?

2011-02-22T21:38:00.000-05:00

...because I sure can and it's coming from Boston, MA!

In the past few days (and following a whole week of spring-like weather to make things even worse!), the temperature in Montreal has signigicantly dropped to -20 degrees Celcius (that's about -4 degrees Fahrenheit). Brrr...! Luckily, something nice is warming my heart and it's the kind words of Mike Snoonian writing a little intro to an interview I did for his website All Things Horror!

You can check it out HERE!

Thank you Mike for your great work and to the whole team of All Things Horror for your never ending support! You ROCK!

Strange and Macabre Tales - DVD compilation

2011-02-15T21:43:00.004-05:00

Ladies and gents,

It's heeeeeeere! My first ever DVD compilation of short films! After many weeks of intensive labor gathering old projects, converting them, printing, cutting and assembling everything (yes, everything is handmade by yours truly), I can finally offer you:

Included on this DVD:

SNUFF
A look through the camera lens of a killer set on making a 'snuff' film. Starring: Isabelle Stephen & Martin Plouffe.
*** Last year's unexpected festival hit! Check older entries for reviews! ***

THE PORTRAIT
A model witnesses a painter's obsession with creating the ultimate masterpiece. Starring: Arielle Paindavoine & Matthew Saliba.
*** Available for the first time! This film shot in 2008 was never released before! In fact, I just completed the editing earlier this year. ***

RECESSED
David's dreams are haunted by a strange woman. When he starts seeing her in his daily waking life, he seriously starts questioning his sanity. Starring: Daniel Thomas, Caroline Hurteau & Thalia Harwood-Farkas.
*** Shot on 16mm in 2005, this is the film that started everything! ***

Two of my early shorts, WAITING and PERCEIVE, are also included as part of the special features along with the trailers for RED and REFLECTION!

The DVD is NTSC region 0 (which means ALL regions).

Please note that all proceeds from this purchase go toward financing my first feature film, so you get to see my older work AND help me get my next project funded! :)

You can buy it here:

Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.

***NOTE TO MY MONTREAL FRIENDS: you can buy it directly from me and save on shipping! Do not click 'Buy now' and contact me for arrangements instead! ***

For international orders, please contact me for a shipping quote.

RED update

2011-02-12T17:59:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, I posted a trailer for my upcoming short film, RED, with a mention that it would be released in time for February/Women in Horror month, so I feel I owe everyone an update and an apology as February is here.

I unfortunately encountered editing delays due to health reasons, which means that I am just now completing the fine cut and getting everything ready for sound mixing. Let me tell you that I am so proud of this project and how magically it came together in the editing! :) For this reason, I don't want to rush the sound mix as I want everything to be just perfect, which means, sadly, not being able to respect the original release date.

However, I can say that IT WILL come out this year, just not in time for Women in Horror month and I want to apologize to everyone who was looking forward to that.

I will have something else to offer you to celebrate, so please stay tuned! In the meantime, here's a few teaser pics of the cast to help you wait:

The stunning Shannon Lark (making a special appearance)

The lovely Olga G.

The great Cameron Hartl

The wonderful Isabelle Stephen (in a special cameo)

Big Announcement

2011-02-07T09:20:00.001-05:00

We keep hearing about women waking up one morning and suddenly feeling they are ready to become a mother. Well, let me tell you dear readers that a few months ago, I've had a similar experience, albeit NOT of the motherhood variety.

I feel it is time for me to move on to something bigger, to something FEATURE LENGTH! Yes, I will be making my first feature and I couldn't have found a better idea than the one I've been cherishing and nurturing for the past 3 months. A bit like Athena springing out of Zeus' head, this idea came to me almost fully grown, just needing a few stitches here and there. I'll be keeping my lips sealed about it for now, but expect to hear more as soon as the project starts taking form.

Over the last years, I've had the privilege of meeting amazing people who encouraged me to take a first step toward that goal and who are actively supporting me in this endeavor. Because 2011 marks the tenth year anniversary of my first attempt at filmmaking, the timing couldn't be better!

It is going to be a long and wild ride, but I'm ready for it! To celebrate this new project and help me raise funds for it, I created a DVD compilation of my short films that I will have for sale here and on my website. It will be the first of many fundraising activities for the film; I will post more information as soon as I figure out my Paypal account and finish setting everything up.

See you very soon!

It's that wonderful time of the year again...

2011-02-02T01:41:00.001-05:00

...and thanks to all the wonderful women involved in the cause, it promises to be even bigger this year!

As you might guess, this makes me extremely happy, but what gets me even MORE ecstatic is the fact that the lovely Soska twins (fellow Canuks, YAY!) over at Twisted Twins Productions asked me to participate in their massive blood drive PSA in honor of the Women in Horror month!

It is truly an honor to be featured in such a fun video starring some of the coolest ladies of horror I've had the pleasure of meeting for such an awesome cause! Not only am I in it, but you can also see excerpts from my short HOLLYWOOD SKIN and from the upcoming RED! If you haven't seen it yet, make sure to check it out (you'll even understand where my pic comes from!):

Also, I kept my lips sealed, but now that the Women in Horror Month is here, you can expect a lot of fun updates and big announcements throughout February! Woohoo! Yes, I'm a bloody tease, but the month is only beginning ladies and gents!

Until next time, bleed for me, bleed for all the women actively working in horror and bleed for everyone who needs it! There can never be too many blood donations, so take an hour of your life to help someone in need!

Bloody kisses,

Public apology

2010-12-10T13:07:00.001-05:00

Earlier this year, I released a short film titled HOLLYWOOD SKIN that has been quite successful critically and on the festival circuit.

However, it has just been brought to my attention that I omitted to include in the end credit that it was developed and made as part of the I HATE L.A. anthology project. This project was started by my friend Elisabeth Fies in order to showcase the work of female genre filmmakers by challenging us to come up with a short film depicting a negative aspect of life in L.A. You can learn more about the project on the official website.

I apologize for this omission and for any inconvenience it might have caused. The correction will be made on future screener copies, so please, if you plan to talk about or review the film, I would appreciate your collaboration in appropriately contextualizing the short.

Thank you for your attention!

Sneak Peek of my latest project!

2010-12-07T11:18:00.000-05:00

Dear readers,

It's been so (too) long since my last update. I apologize for this and all I can say is get ready because the next few weeks will make up for it update-wise!

In the meantime, here is a little sneak peak at what kept me so busy:

RED - trailer from Maude Michaud on Vimeo.

RED is a sexually charged supernatural thriller about scopophilia, voyeurism and snuff films.

Slated for a February 2011 release (just in time for the Women in Horror Recognition Month), the film stars Cameron Hartl, newcomer Olga G., scream queen Isabelle Stephen and includes a special appearance by Shannon Lark.

Let me know what you think and stay tuned for behind the scene pictures and more info about the film!

Quirk Films invades Fantasia!

2010-07-22T00:03:00.000-04:00

I’m probably breaking a few bloging rules and etiquette by promoting events that are already past, so mea culpa and I promise many in-dept posts about what kept me so busy in a very near future!

But, in the meantime, let me just say that it is with great pleasure that I’m announcing that not one, not two, but THREE of my short films are playing as part of the Fantasia International Film Festival, here in Montreal! This is one of the biggest genre festival in North America (and my favorite!) so I’m psyched that my work is screening there!

First, there is REFLECTION (FRANKENSTEIN UNLIMITED) which screened last Sunday, July 18th at in the De Sève theatre. Sadly, I had to miss the screening because I was in L.A. promoting HOLLYWOOD SKIN at the Viscera festival (more on this very soon!), but from what I’m been told, there was a good turnout and the film was well received.

Then, SNUFF and HOLLYWOOD SKIN will both be featured as part of the Fantastic Weekend of Québec Shorts which will take place at the Impérial Cinema this coming weekend! The Fantastic Weekend is a special Fantasia event which consists in three days of short film programming that aims to showcase the work of local filmmakers.

SNUFF will screen on Friday, July 23rd at 11:30 PM.

HOLLYWOOD SKIN will screen on Sunday, July 25th at 3:30 PM.

I hope to see you there!

Screening of SNUFF in San Francisco tomorrow night!

2010-06-25T23:04:00.000-04:00

A Nightmare To Remember is a short film festival run by the amazing Reyna Young, aka Miss Misery from the Last Doorway Show. This year, festival goers will have a nightmare to remember because SNUFF is part of the official line-up of shorts! ;)

Saddly, I can't go, but if you're in the area, please do check it out and cheer extra loud for me!

Check out their nifty flyers for all the info:

P.S.: I've also seen two of the other shorts, DEATH IN CHARGE (which I love, love, love!) and HORROR OF OUR LOVE (which is one of the most refreshing take on the slasher subgenre I've seen in a while) and let me tell you that they're both worth checking out if you have the chance!

It's review week!

2010-05-31T08:29:00.003-04:00

Over the weekend I've had the (nerve-wracking) pleasure of receiving three links to reviews of my work. As you may guess, this is both exciting AND terrifying (because let’s face it, no one likes getting negative reviews)! I was relieved to find that I worried for nothing. :)

First off, we got another great review for FRANKENSTEIN UNLIMITED from Cinema Crazed which includes an overall positive response to my segment, REFLECTION:

“Maude Michaud's "Reflection" is Frankenstein tale about the ugliness of the human soul and how vanity can ultimately be our own undoing. Anna is a young disfigured girl who is granted the gift of plastic surgery to correct a scar on her face. But when she achieves true perfection in her own eyes--like that old adage goes--a monster is created. Anna is then forced to sit and watch what havoc she's wrought on the people in her life who stuck by her when she was deformed and face her own self-destruction pondering how her beauty was within, and her ugliness was unleashed once she became a superficial beauty. Michaud's direction is detailed and his is a think piece that works as a dissection of our own views of what is most valuable in our lives even if we lack aesthetic value.”

You can check out the full review by Felix Vasquez Jr. HERE.

Then, Nick Perron over at Micro-Shock reviewed the A.Normale Horror Movie Night from last week (May 22nd), and includes a mention of SNUFF:

“The first was called Snuff, which was by Montreal filmmaker Maude Michaud. Powerful powerful short film. It starts off from the point of view of a Snuff filmmaker stalking his next victim, and in a twist of fate -- has the tables turned on him by his would be victim. Filmed in glorious 8 mm.”

Check out the full text HERE.

And of course, fresh off the press and acting as the cherry on top, Mike Snoonian from All Things Horror features yours truly and reviews my two latest, SNUFF and HOLLYWOOD SKIN, which will both play this week as part of their monthly horror night in Somerville, Massachusetts! And I will be there for a Q&A. :)

This piece is worth checking out in its entirety!

Thanks Mike and everyone else who reviewed my work!

Very special screening of SNUFF and HOLLYWOOD SKIN coming up next week!

2010-05-25T18:59:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Mike Snoonian who saw SNUFF and sought me out, my two latest shorts will play at the next monthly All Things Horror screening, in Somerville, near Boston, MA!

It's gonna be a special edition of their monthly event that will spotlight women horror filmmakers and will feature, in addition to the aforementionned shorts, THE COMMUNE (an awesome feature by the totally kick-ass Lis Fies), FANTASY (an amazing short film by fellow Montrealer Izabel Grondin) and GIMME (which I haven't seen yet) by Monica Puller.

And I am delighted to announce that I will be going to the screening, which means, potential Q&A! :D

In the meantime, check out their kind words on my films:

"Finally, we’re extremely luck to show a pair of short films from Montreal director Maude Michaud (Quirk Films). Her new b/w short Snuff reverses the power dynamics of a standard horror film when a pervy stalker meets his match. Her latest work Hollywood Skin, tells the tragic story of how far a person will go to fit the perception of how a starlet should look."

All Things Horror presents the Women in Horror program

June 2nd, 2010, 7PM - Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA

Stay tuned for other exciting news and an real blog post coming very soon!

Upcoming Montreal screening of SNUFF!

2010-05-10T11:32:00.000-04:00

Montrealers will be happy to know that my short film SNUFF, which has been relatively successful in the U.S. festival circuit so far, will have it's first Montreal screening since its premiere in November 2009.

Here is more information:

Soirée d'horreur A.normale

May 22nd, 2010 (8PM) - Bar Katacombes, Montréal, Québec

See you there!

Another upcoming screening for SNUFF!

2010-04-15T22:37:00.001-04:00

Those of you in the Chicago area will be able to check out my short film SNUFF which will play as part of the Women of Horror 2 film festival organized by Horror Society!

Women of Horror 2 Film Festival – presented by Horror Society

May 1^st, 2010 – Chicago, Illinois

Needless to say, I’m ecstatic to have my film listed as part of such a great lineup (including two of my favorite female filmmakers, Devi Snively and Katherine Bigelow)!

That’s it for now, I’ll be back soon with more exciting news!

Quirk update

2010-03-31T08:54:00.000-04:00

I’m taking a very short break from filmmaking. Do not panic, I’m not stopping altogether, but rather taking a temporary break from writing/directing/shooting to finish editing projects that should have been done a long time ago (which will result in brand new shorts – YAY!) I’ll also take advantage of this hiatus to submit SNUFF and HOLLYWOOD SKIN to more film festivals, design the official Quirk Films website and create the posters/DVD sleeves for the films – activities that are quite time-consuming, but need to be done (oh if only I could afford a personal assistant!)

Also at the top of my to-do list: my documentary! According to my original plans, it was supposed to be completed by now… which is not at all the reality of things. When I started, little did I know that I would meet amazing and influential people who would help give a boost to my own short films career and that there would be a ‘Women in Horror Month’ along the way! I got sidetracked from the doc, but took an important step toward the future which is and has always been my #1 priority. All this to say that I pondered a lot about the constant evolution of the doc and I’m in the process of reshaping it altogether to make sure it gets maximum visibility and has the possibility to expand. I’m not saying more right now, just stay tuned for updates!

I should announce my next short film project at some point in June. Last fall I fell in love with an idea and I’m currently in the process of making it as good as it can be, if not perfect, and assembling the dream team to work on it. But in order to do it correctly, I need to complete the pending works which are sucking my energy and focus. Hence the hiatus.

2nd review for HOLLYWOOD SKIN!!!

2010-03-05T10:01:00.001-05:00

It seems like this is the week when the reviews are coming in! :)

Here is the lastest one from Peter Hall/Horror Squad:

"Hollywood Skin, directed by Maude Michaud
Hollywood Skin is, to say the least, bold. Maude Michaud's short holds an unflinching mirror up to Hollywood, reflecting back at it the extreme measures some aspiring actress will go to in order to be thin and pretty enough to make it in the movies. It's exaggerated for maximum impact in all the right places and I have a feeling it could make a solid reputation for itself as a viral success on the web were it a bit shorter. On the flip side, were it any longer (and this the early '90s), Hollywood Skin would have made for one hell of a memorable Tales From the Crypt episode."

You can also check it out in context HERE.

Interestingly enough, the 20-minutes version is coming soon, I think it will make it all the more interesting to see how people respond differently to it!

First review of HOLLYWOOD SKIN!!!

2010-03-04T20:15:00.002-05:00

Check out the first review of my latest short HOLLYWOOD SKIN by John Gholson from Cinematical.

"Hollywood Skin
Directed by Maude Michaud/Canada/Short

I really liked Michaud's Hollywood Skin, a film that has something to say, while also being completely horrific. In it, an aspiring actress moves to Los Angeles and struggles with her body image while trying to land a decent role. She's overweight, yet completely desirable, completely sexy in fact, and the pressure to be a certain type leads her to some very dark places. Michaud handles the material with an intimacy that never makes you feel like she's beating you over the head with her pointed message."

You can also check it out HERE, in context and surrounded by the reviews of the other great shorts that screened during the Pretty/Scary Bloodbath Film Festival.

I'm now tweeting!!!

2010-03-01T09:52:00.000-05:00

I'm giving Twitter a try. Dunno if I'll get the hang of it or just get tired of the useless repetition...

Add me (quirkfilms)!!! :D

Also, you can get quick, easy access to it by using this nifty little box, right here ==========>

Why Lis Fies is awesome...

2010-02-26T11:42:00.006-05:00

Check out her nice mention of yours truly on her blog:
Kid Sis in Hollywood

:D

Also,

Here are two blurbs about SNUFF from the Ghouls on Film event that went down last weekend in the U.K.:

"...and then a film that couldn't be more different in tone, Snuff. Snuff, directed by Maude Michaud, uses a super 8 camera to show the making of a snuff movie - but who will kill whom?"

Mention of the film from Flowers of Flesh and Blood

and

"Snuff (directed by Maude Michaud)
The first offering of the day to provoke some real chills, this film gives us a look through the lens of a snuff filmmaker, stalking his next would-be victim – until the tables are turned. A silent film in stark black and white with an oppressive electronic score, aesthetically it brings to mind Darren Aronofsky’s Pi, and in content it clearly embodies the female empowerment theme at the heart of Ghouls On Film."

Review by Ben Bussey from Brutal as Hell: Horror without Mercy

Interview with yours truly!

2010-02-25T14:15:00.001-05:00

I was interviewed by Sarah Jahier from Fatally Yours as part of the Women in Horror recognition month!

You can read/check out the interview HERE.

Also, a quick reminder that SNUFF will play this coming Saturday as part of the Women in Horror Film Festival in Athens, Georgia and that HOLLYWOOD SKIN will play the same night as part of the Pretty/Scary Bloodbath Film Festival in Addison, Texas.

:D

Wow, a real update!

2010-02-17T15:58:00.003-05:00

Not that the previous posts weren’t, but the original purpose of this blog was not only to serve as a publicity tool, but also as a way for me to keep everyone updated on projects, how things are doing , etc…

SO, here is the current state of things: I got caught in a wonderful (and unexpected!) whirlwind thanks to the Women in Horror Month, with its many screenings, requests for my short films, an interview and overall excitement! Amidst all that, I finished the sound mix for the 10-minutes version of HOLLYWOOD SKIN and I am currently working on the full 20-minutes director’s cut! Yep, you read right, there will be not one, but two versions of HOLLYWOOD SKIN and let me assure you that they are VERY different from one another! Of course, both will be included on the same DVD when the short will be officially released later in the spring.

Speaking of which, I am planning to screen during the same event all the short films I completed since last year and that haven’t had a public screening yet. I will keep you all updated as to when and where that will happen!

Stay tuned and keep celebrating women in horror!

Upcoming U.S. screening of HOLLYWOOD SKIN!

2010-02-12T14:09:00.003-05:00

It is with great pleasure that I announce the upcoming U.S. screening of my latest short (which is also part of the official Viscera selection of this year) HOLLYWOOD SKIN as part of the following event celebrating the Women in Horror Month:

Pretty/Scary Blood Bath Film Fest

February 27th, 2010 - Addison, Texas

Online reviews for REFLECTION

2010-02-10T11:25:00.001-05:00

As some of you already know, my short film REFLECTION was released on 09/09/09 as part of the FRANKENSTEIN UNLIMITED anthology. Since its release the project gathered a bunch of online reviews, so I made a de.li.cious page with all the links.

Here it is!

I also added it to the link list right there ---->

Sadly, I'm not yet allowed to exploit the film apart from the anthology, but here's the preview for those who are intrigued. :)

Reflection - trailer 1 from Maude Michaud on Vimeo.

HOLLYWOOD SKIN selected as part of the Viscera Film Festival!

2010-02-04T19:57:00.004-05:00

The Viscera Film Festival, a horror Film Festival that presents women created horror films from all over the world has announced the 2009-2010 officially selected Viscera films. Viscera judges Heidi Martinuzzi, Devi Snively, Elisabeth Fies, Stacie Ponder, and Shannon Lark are proud to present the following...

Barbee Butcher by Sophie Lagues

Beautiful As You Are by Doug Mallette and Mary Katherine Sisco

Hollywood Skin by Maude Michaud

I Spit on Eli Roth by Devi Snively

Mary Jane Go Round by Ginnetta Correli (Viscera Award Winner)

Mockingbird by Marichelle Daywalt

Salome's Picnic by Victoria Waghorn

Switch by Melanie Light

The selected films are placed on a compilation DVD which is viewed by Viscera's Sponsors, who are journalists, websites, artists, and affiliated Film Festivals for potential reviews/screenings around the world. The Viscera Film Festival will have its first screening in the Spring of 2010 (date TBA) in Los Angeles, celebrating Viscera's 2009, 2008, and 2007's selections, accompanied with an award ceremony.

Each selected filmmaker will receive a Viscera Statue and filmmaker Ginnetta Correli will receive the 2009-2010 Viscera Award for her film "Mary Jane Go Round." The Viscera Award is a monetary award suited specifically for women coming together exclusively or creating films on their own instead of participating in cat fights and talking about hairspray.

Upcoming U.K. and U.S. screenings for SNUFF!

2010-02-03T19:03:00.005-05:00

My short film SNUFF will screen as part of the two following events:

Ghouls on Film

February 20th, 2010 - Birmingham, UK

Women in Horror Film Festival

February 27th, 2010 - Athens, GA

Stay tuned for more upcoming screenings!

P.S.: Hurray for the Women in Horror month events!

The blog finally looks like... a blog!

2010-02-03T18:11:00.001-05:00

Thanks to the inputs and suggestions of my friend Anne-Marie Beaulne, I finally have a kick-ass banner for the blog!
I'm up and running for good!
If you have any suggestions for the look, content, etc., let me know!

Until next time, HAPPY Women in Horror Recognition Month!

Hello 2010!

2010-01-13T08:16:00.002-05:00

I'm ready to take over the world! Are you ready for me?