His Housewas one of my favorite films of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Soon after celebrating its world premiere at the event, Netflix swooped in and scooped it up for release, and come October 30th, you’ll finally get the chance to see what first-time feature directorRemi Weekesand his two exceptional leads are capable of.
Wunmi MosakuandSope Dirisulead as Rial and Bol, a couple from Sudan seeking asylum in the UK. After making the harrowing journey, the government assigns them a house in a small English town. Initially they have some hope of starting a new life there, but then Bol and Rial soon come to suspect that their new home is haunted. Trouble is, due to the restrictions of the asylum process, moving is not an option.
While Weekes is the credited screenwriter onHis House, the idea actually started withFelicity EvansandTobyVenables. While working on his commercial projects, Weekes was assigned a production company that happen to share an office withMartin GentlesandEd King, two of the producers onHis House. When Weekes would visit the office, he’d chat with Gentles and King about his hopes to direct and feature. One day, they mentioned that Evans and Venables had an idea that hit a bit of a wall. Weekes cooked up a pitch for it and got the gig.
What was the key for Weekes when it came to cracking his version of the story? Here’s how he put it:
“We did so much research before writing the script and one of the things that I found really rich was, in the asylum process in this country, the government would often give someone a house to live in, but by getting a house you have to follow these really draconian rules. For example, you’re not allowed to leave the house, you’re not allowed to have a job, you’re given a very small amount money weekly, and this seems such a cruel and cold way to treat people who are trying to come to terms in a new home and moving forward [to] their new life. And I felt like, especially in the horror genre, in the haunted house genre, this seemed a particularly rich scenario to be in when you’re forced into a house that could be haunted but you’re not able to get out.”
For more from Weekes on his experience bringingHis Houseto screen, check out the full interview at the top of this article! Also, be sure to keep an eye out for a special episode of The Witching Hour with Weekes coming later this week where we dig into loads ofHis Housespoilers.
