By CHRIS HAMMOND
Writer/Director Ryan Kruger made a splash earlier this year with his debut film Fried Barry, a highly original and bizarre story of a drug addict whose body is taken over by an extraterrestrial lifeform, and he’s back with a short experimental film #MEOWTOO. The film takes place in the near future where anthropomorphic felines walk hand-in-hand with humans. Enter sleazy film producer Alan (Alex Anlos), who meets a feline, named Meow (Suraya Rose Santos) who proves to be much more than just an easy target. With a musical score by artist Haezer (who also composed the soundtrack for Fried Barry), and neon-drenched visuals, this #MeToo inspired revenge fantasy is the perfect follow-up to Kruger’s breakthrough feature. We caught up with the filmmaker, who gave us a few words about the project.
Why did you choose to cover the touchy subject of sexual harassment in such a unique way?
I am always thinking out of the box of something we haven’t seen before. I thought of the story first and then I realized it could go hand-in-hand with the Me Too movement, which is very important. The film celebrates female power and survivors of sexual assault. I think sexual harassment is very common, especially in the film industry, and it’s up to men to prevent it.
Part of me wants to believe that this is the first time that Meow has been in this situation, but I struggled a little to decide after the film ended if she was ultimately the prey. Is there a chance we may see Meow make an appearance again in one of your productions?
The film is a ruthless revenge story that takes aim at sexual abuse to show that no offender is safe. She is a victim in the bar, but [we] also left it open that maybe she is teaching these bastards a lesson as well, and the story could do a 360. To the second part of your question: we may see meow again, I think it may be something I want to explore more. There was a small cameo in Fried Barry on the TV in the background.
How did you go about finding the right look for the prosthetics/makeup in the film?
I work with a very talented guy called Clinton Aiden Smith. He’s so amazing at what he does. He’s the best in South Africa and works on major films like Mad Max, Guardians of the Galaxy, World War Z, and many more. We have a great working relationship. I’ll go to him with ideas I want to do and try out and we go from there.
Are there any directors that inspire your unique visual style?
Well, I am a big fan of 80s cinema and a huge fan of David Cronenberg and John Carpenter. I just really like visual stuff and I believe you don’t always have to say anything to feel and be told something. The power of imagery and sound is a huge thing.
Experimental filmmaking is something you do well, but are there any existing stories you’d like to bring your cinematic eye to?
I am not a big fan of remakes. There’s a small percentage of stuff that I think could be remade, but I generally like to stick to my own concepts and tell them the way I want. It’s always a big thing when more people get involved in projects. That’s why I think big franchises, like James Bond… there are just too many people who think they have a vision and too many fingers in the pie.
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the industry hard, but have there been any positive outcomes for you?
I think it taught us all to appreciate a lot more things in life like family or what direction you want to head. We had nothing but time to think and that was important. [And] I worked my ass off even more with marketing Fried Barry. I must have done over 200 interviews! I had the time as I wasn’t filming, so [it] was the best thing I could do in this situation.
Science Fiction seems to loom large in your work so far. What’s one film or book that you want to preserve for generations to come?
I love the film Interstellar. It’s a masterpiece and more than a movie to me. [There are] so many levels in that film.
Are you working on anything right now that you can share with our readers?
I am busy juggling a few projects right now. There’s a feature documentary, a few scripts in the works, and a brand new experimental film called, wait for it… “ALIEN DICK”
Keep an eye out for #MEOWTOO, coming to a festival near you.
