REST

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

Rest is a film that straddles the line between psychological thriller/horror film and ghost story. It is also an intimate character study of a woman’s struggle with her inner demons, in this case her addiction to alcohol. 

Addiction and its vise-like grip is an idea that has long interested me, as many people in my family suffer from various addictions and I have often struggled myself against the temptations that I know lead to addiction. Addiction becomes obsession and the thing you want most is also the thing you shouldn’t have. It is an unforgiving cycle where escapes are often nothing more than false dawns. This is Iris’ story in Rest: ghosts, addiction, time and the powerlessness to know where to turn, who to listen to and how, if ever, to escape. What looks like salvation can quickly become damnation. 

Addiction can be a thorny issue to portray, and I decided early on that a non-linear, genre approach would not only serve the story and themes but present a new and fresh filmmaking challenge. In making this film, I was inspired by David Lynch’s Lost Highway, Lynne Ramsay’s We Need to Talk About Kevin, and Gareth Tunley’s The Ghoul.