F1. Best Editing (Nominee)
All Hail
From Joshua Squires
A struggling politician makes a bargain for political power, only to watch his ambition manifest as a monstrous double that exposes how easily democracy, love, and identity can be corrupted by the hunger to win at any cost.
Joshua Squires is a Macquarie University student currently studying a bachelor of Media and Communications, majoring in Screen Practice and Production. He is a Sydney based filmmaker, specialising in Horror and Thrillers, with a keen interest in shock and body horror sub-genres. Their goal as a filmmaker is to help use their voice to give a voice to others who may not have one and to draw attention to important issues in contemporary society.
What inspired you and your work?
"All Hail" was inspired by today's swinging cultural shifts. Many politicians today forsake personal values in order to be successful, not actually fighting for what they believe is right, rather what is popular. Importantly, what has become popular in society today is terrifying. We are in a period of struggle, and many people are turning to more alternative and extremist communities in the search of belonging which has only led to further pain and cultural divide. This societal shift inspired me to make this film, and use horror to point out that these bold swings only lead to more suffering, not a desired instant fix. I was inspired by modern shock horror films, such as the recent Philippou brother's "Talk to Me" and "Bring Her Back", and also body horrors, such as David Cronenberg's "The Fly". These films deliver such poignant messaging through their horror, which was something I also wanted to achieve within the genre.