By Kshalini Nonis

The movie Hooves written and directed by Akash Sunethkumara which was screened in numerous film festivals has enabled Sri Lanka to get international recognition. We had a chat with him.        

Can briefly tell us about the movie Hooves?

Hooves is my final short film and the culmination of a decade of filmmaking. The idea came from my cinematographer, Kasun Rathnasiri who told me about a story that happened to a friend of a friend that encountered a man with misshapen legs or hooves. This became the basis for the storyline and we were about to shoot the film in 2021 but we had to shut down for COVID. We only picked up two years later once producer Udeesha Dilanka came on board and the rest is history.

What are the international accolades the movie has won?

To date, Hooves has screened at 22 film festivals worldwide. It recently won the Best Short Film and the Audience Choice Award at the Spooky Empire Film Festival in Orlando, Florida – one of the biggest horror cons in the US. It also won the Best Horror Film award at Scared For Your Life Festival in New York last November.

As someone who plays a significant role in this movie how do you feel about putting Sri Lanka in the international film arena?

As the writer/director, I am pleasantly surprised at the reception this film has had worldwide. Seeing the audience reactions at festivals our team attended, it’s clear that people resonate with the story, which at its heart, is a cautionary tale of messing with the natural order via poaching. At the same time, it is authentically Sri Lankan and features an original folk creature. If anything, this reassures me that people have transcended the boundaries of language and connected with the film’s cinematic theme and values. Genre films are rarely made in Sri Lanka, but those are the type of films that tend to balance commercial viability and the art side of it. If anything, I am glad that we have been pushing genre flicks made on the island for the rest of the world to see.

How does Hooves explore Sri Lankan folklore?

Sri Lankan folklore is a topic that has not been explored in the cinematic medium, and if it has, I am unaware of it. Our folklore is usually tied to a moral story and in this case it is a cautionary tale of what happens to hunters that break the Sacred Hunters Code, which is inspired by a real law that people abided by since ancient times (they do not kill any animal that is feeding, mating or weaning). The Kura Raaksha acts as a force of nature, set on retribution if this code is broken by any hunter. Which is exactly what happens in this film.

Can you tell us about the cast and crew?

The cast was led by Danushka Dias who brings that bad boy but haunted personality to his character so well. Kavishka Warnakula plays the role of the mentor and provides exposition on the legend of the Kura Raaksha.  Sanjeewa Upendra brought his versatile skills as a seasoned theatre veteran to the role of Piyatissa. All three actors were cast months ahead and we rehearsed each scene multiple times. My film collective, the High School Junkies, have been working with me for the past 10 years and they contributed to this project from development to the final product. The film would not have materialised if Tharindu Sasanka, our line producer hadn’t linked me up with Udeesha. Also the film wouldn’t have had the reception and awards if Udeesha didn’t take it upon himself to submit it to all these festivals. Making a film is only half the battle, the other half of it is getting it in front of an audience.

Can you tell us about some of the main film festivals Hooves has participated in?

Hooves became the third short film of mine to screen at the San Diego Comic-Con’s Independent Film Festival. SDCC is the largest comic con in the world and it’s such an honour to have been invited there for the third time. 

Hooves also screened at Screamfest LA which is known as the Sundance of Horror. It also screened at Fantasia Film Festival in Canada, one of North America’s biggest genre fests and Raindance Film Festival, the UK’s biggest indie film festival.

You said that horror genre and folk horror genre is gaining recognition as creators explore local myths and legends. Can you give more details about this?   

We live in such a digital world organised by and functioning on algorithms. Back in the day people used to hop on the internet to escape their reality. Now we seek escape from the internet or this digital world. Folk horror, in a way, is the opposite of that. Old rituals. Unsettledness. Rural isolation. Forgotten myths and unknown creatures. This genre scratches that itch in a somewhat dark and cautionary way. It has its own mysterious allure which is why I think this subgenre of horror is currently doing really well.

What are your plans for the future?

Through Maktub Studios, a venture my wife and I started last year, we are currently developing a slate of 4-5 feature films. We already have an international executive producer on board for a feature version of Hooves, I cannot reveal who right now but in due time.  Already we are on the 4th draft and really enjoying this process since there is so much folklore to draw from and so much story to tell. Additionally, I am currently preparing to shoot my debut feature called Snowbirds, an explosive action flick which I have been working on since 2018.