Behind the Film: One of Us - Worcester Film Festival

Introduction

One of Us is an existential horror film by Stefan van de Graaff that explores a young man’s deconstruction in the midst of death and intergenerational demons. It stars Kit Connor and was made independently by The Jung School with backing from Northern Ireland Screen. It premiered earlier this year at the Manchester Film Festival.

Inspiration

The idea for One of Us came from the throes of deep despair after my mother abruptly died. Like many artists, creating was the only outlet that offered any respite. Any time I make a film, I begin with a large document of random thoughts and visions and ideas related to the piece I aspire to make, and the very first thing I ever wrote in that document was, “In the beginning the home is real, and the people are fake; by the end the home should be fake and the people real.” This film is my attempt at wrestling that idea into submission.

The Process

We shot the majority of the film in Belfast over a very rapid three weeks on a large stage that was a converted tyre factory. It had no heating, and filming began at the end of February, so it was extremely cold on set every day. Without spoiling too much, we built multiple, subtly unique versions of the home set on the stage for narrative purposes. But in spite of the cold, the rushed schedule, and the ensemble cast, it was an incredible experience. Working with such gifted actors and such fantastic support from the NI Screen and all the crew from Belfast was a dream. It was the rough-and-ready filmmaking style that I adore.

What It Means to Be a Finalist

Having One of Us selected for the Worcester Film Festival means a great deal. It’s clear that the festival is in the early days of a very long, successful future. We’ve been very selective about the festivals we submit to, and so to be considered by such a fantastic festival is the type of thing any filmmaker dreams of. Their curation is extremely high quality, the networking is strong, and it is a community that is very up and coming in terms of its creative power. Couldn’t be more thrilled to be attending.