Here Comes the Devil helmer Adrian Garcia Bogliano debuted 15 minutes of his new feature film Scherzo Diabolico to Fantastic Fest attendees over the weekend. Later, Shock was able to speak with the director – who has Late Phases arriving later this year from Dark Sky Films – about the status of the film and what we can expect from it.
Francisco Barreiro (Here Comes The Devil), actress Daniela Soto Vell, and cuban cult actor-director Jorge Molina (Juan of the Dead) star in Scherzo Diabolico which is a co-production from Boglianos Salto de Fe Films, U.S. based F, and Mexico based Mr Blue, rABYa Producciones, and Morbido Films.
The film finds Bogliano telling the story of a frustrated accountant who decides to kidnap a teenage girl who will become his worst nightmare.
Ryan Turek: Is this film based on an idea you hatched after Late Phases or is it something that you’ve been kicking around?
Adrian Garcia Bogliano: This is a project we’ve had for some time and we thought doing it after Late Phases was the right time. I wanted to make something a bit more personal and Spanish. Our experience in Mexico doing Here Comes the Devil was really good. We wanted to do something similar. It’s a very different movie, but we wanted to try to work with some actors we knew. The film is done and we have an assembly that we’re happy with. What we presented here because we didn’t have time to show the whole thing. We shot in July/August. The footage doesn’t explain what the movie is [laughs], but you get the idea.
Turek: Is it thematically similar to Here Comes to the Devil?
Bogliano: I’m still figuring out what it is. In a way, it’s a black comedy. Then again, it’s not a comedy. It’s a thriller that has comedy that works on some people. It may be more in line with Fargo or a European thriller. It’s not something you should be laughing with, but it provokes an awkward situation. I’m excited. I wanted to play with a structure that I’ve been seeing the Koreans doing. It starts as something simple and straight-forward, but just when you think you have it figured out, the movie turns in a different direction. I wanted to try something like that.
Turek: Is there anything you took away from your Late Phases experience that you applied here?
Bogliano: In terms of my personal experience, lot of things. It was a great experience working here. But I don’t think this film has anything to do with Late Phases so it’s hard to translate the feeling. [laughs] That movie did teach me a lot.
Turek: Does this film have distribution yet?
Bogliano: No, not yet. We’re going to shop it around. It’s a weird movie, but I think people are going to find it interesting. A lot of people we respect liked the footage.
Turek: As you put the finishing touches on this film, are you going to bounce back here for another American production?
Bogliano: Supposedly, next week, we’ll have some news. It’s exciting and, if it happens, it’ll be the biggest thing I’ve made by far. You know how it goes, it could changes. [laughs]
