Godforsaken Film Spotlight

Today’s film spotlight focuses on the feature film Godforsaken directed by Ali Akbar Akbar Kamal.

What is the title of your film and what inspired said title?

The title of the movie is Godforsaken. The movie being a religious horror the title Godforsaken was a perfect fit.

Tell us a little bit about the story and origins of your film.

A young woman comes back to life at her own funeral with strange supernatural powers. Some say she is God, while some say she is evil. Being from Afghanistan, I could never avoid the ugliness of religious extremist. Although my family and I left Afghanistan when I was 1 years old, I could still feel the effects of it throughout my life. Godforsaken was originally supposed to be shot in Kabul, Afghanistan. After that deal fell through, I decided to shoot it in Harriston, Ontario. I also heard a story about a man that came back to life at his own funeral, acted like a toddler and then died. That story terrified me as a child and I always thought that would make a great movie hook.

Any films or filmmakers that inspired this film?

Not really. I do have filmmakers that I admire and copy. But this movie was not particularly inspired by any of them.

What is the goal of the film for you?

I am hoping to finally put my foot through the door as a professional director. Also MONEY. I am hoping it makes some or a lot of money. At the end of the day, the best calling card is the one that made money.

What has the journey been like getting the film into production?

The pre-production was a pretty typical for an indie production. A lot of budget related challenges which we overcame with the help of our great producers Mariah MacDonald and Chad Tailor. The production went really great. It actually went smoother than we expected. By the time I went into postproduction, Covid had officially hit Canada. It didn’t really affect the editing as I was the editor myself, but it did slow things down a bit as everything else happened via zoom.

One thing you learned from this project?

Sometimes what you get on the screen is just not what you had in your mind. It’s easy to get flustered and loose focus when that happens, so it’s always a good idea to take a 10 or even a 15 minute break, relax and view the footage with a calmer mind to see where you are going wrong and how you could fix it. Don’t be afraid to include the department heads, such as cinematographer, art director and actors and come up with a solution together.

How can folks find you and your film online?

I am on Facebook (Ali Akbar Akbar Kamal) and Instagram (personal – aaakbarkamal / professional – AliAkbarAkbarKamal). You can find the movie on streaming platforms such as Tubi, Amazon, terror film YouTube channel and Kings of Horror YouTube channel and a few other platforms. It will also be
available on Roku on in June.

Any last pieces of advice for fellow filmmakers?

Yes. Take your technicals seriously. A lot of start out directors believe that they don’t need to be technically sufficient since their job is to tell people what to do. All I am gonna say is don’t fall for this trap. Knowing your cameras, lights, etc. It makes you a much more efficient and effective director. I still have so much more to go when it comes to my own career, but I will always stand by this advice.

For more reviews and content stick with To Tony Productions and don’t forget to subscribe to our blog to stay up to date!