WODA - A Short Folk Horror Film

Aim

The aim of this project is to create an amazing short horror based on Polish mythology and motivated by personal experiences.

WODA is a brutally honest perspective on xenophobia in today's Britain inspired by Polish folk mythology.

It follows Monika, a young Polish immigrant living in Britain. She is working a late-night shift at a corner shop when three drunk men start mocking her accent. It's nothing she's not used to until the everyday harassment escalates into an assault. Humiliated and hurt, she decides she'll need the help of darker forces to enact her revenge. 

In the film we see her summon the help of a Slavic water demon known as Wodnik (also utopiec, topielec) to seek revenge on those that hurt her.

WODA is not only a fast-paced thriller/horror but also an honest depiction of what it feels like to be an immigrant in today's Britain.

This project comes after many months of research and development. The images below are the results of some of our research. Through 5 months of testing out locations, equiptment and editing we were able to refine and develop the project as a whole.

Our project is an ambitious one, as we need to create a supernatural creature along with its world.

Wodnik - In our film, we have a Slavic water demon known as Wodnik. The costumes and make-up for this character need to be perfect. We have lots of references for this character that we wish to re-create. Your money will help us to create the perfect water demon.

Locations - We have very specific locations needed for this film. Subsequently, a lot of them will have a hire fee. We want this film to be as realistic and as gritty as possible and a huge part of that is the location. Your money will go towards being able to access the right locations for each scene, which we believe will enhance the quality of the film greatly.

Fantasy Worlds - In 'Woda' we visit Wodnik's realm. To create this we need studio space, complex lighting setup and experienced team to create a fantastical, void-like space. We have already done test shoots with some of the elemtents of a studio set up. We are really happy with how they turned out and cannot wait to experiment some more.

Julia Krawcewicz - Director

Julia Krawcewicz moved to Manchester from Warsaw 3 years ago and has a background in theatre, having both volunteered at several theatres and been a part of a youth theatre group for most of her teenage years. In the past three years, she has directed and worked on cinematography for student films both at MSA and in collaboration with Warsaw Film School.  Julia's immigration experience and her love for her native folklore are one of the film's main inspirations.

Molly Beecham - Producer

Molly moved up to Manchester from Dorset and has refined her skills in production over the last 2 years. Her interests lie in narrative shorts; especially comedy but is keen to get involved in projects of other genres, such as this one. She has been involved in many volunteer opportunities surrounding pre-production; such as working as the Production Lead for Sofar Sounds and as a Production Intern at doodledoMOTION.

James Grandi - Cinematographer

Based in Manchester, James is Cinematographer on this project and an aspiring Camera Assistant. His interests lie in narrative fiction, documentary and commercials. He has worked over the last year as a camera assistant on a range of productions from Bollywood and British features to commercials for companies such as Ridley Scott Associates and Reebok.

Joseph Croft - Sound Designer

Joe Croft is a Manchester-based sound recordist and designer, with a heavy interest in traditional and experimental fiction film. He favours heavy ambient soundscapes and a musical application of sound. He's worked on numerous short independent productions over the past three years, including work for Fountayne Films and a variety of actor showreel pieces.

Holly Chadwick - Editor

Holly Chadwick is an aspiring editor who has worked on a wide variety of films; including short films, commercial work and artist film work for research purposes. She has also worked for The British Council and has had films shown at Aesthetica Film Festival and RTS Awards. She is keen to work on other projects such as artist film, narrative and animation.

Aleksandra Spólnik - Production Assistant

Now based in Manchester, Aleksandra Spolnik moved to the UK 5 years ago and has a major interest in production and ADing. She has been gaining professional experience on the set of BFI funded short films alongside working with the MSoA. She is keen to work on a vast amount of projects including fiction, documentary, artist films and commercial work.

This project successfully funded on 12th April 2019