Life & Work with The Taxidermy Woman Written And Directed By Sophie Rusin

Today we’d like to introduce you to The Taxidermy Woman Written And Directed By Sophie Rusin

Hi The Taxidermy Woman, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
This upcoming independent horror short film tells the tragic story of a housewife’s death in 1953. Deemed too beautiful to be buried, she is instead preserved, stuffed, and put on display for all the world to see as she rots away. This disgustingly darling film is the brainchild of Sophie Rusin, who wrote, directed, and played the leading role of “The Taxidermy Woman.” A celebration of women in horror, the film also features impressively haunting cinematography from D.P. Sofie Verweyen with lighting by gaffer Nareh Dovlatyan (pictured together) and a chicly grotesque environment created by the production designer Pyae Phyo Pying (pictured inside The Taxidermy Woman’s display case, which she designed). The project was spearheaded by producers Daria Good – who acted in a featured role as well – and Dylan Turbow. With a cast of nine and a crew of a little under thirty, this ambitious tale of torment is set to make its bloody debut in 2025.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Though we faced a number of financial roadblocks, we were able to overcome them with the overwhelming generosity of all those who contributed to our project to make it possible. A great deal of time, resources, labor, and money were donated to the film and the end result is the kind of thing we can all be proud of. I’d like to thank everyone who helped get this project off the ground from the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful that this film had not only an incredible cast and crew but an amazing support system behind it as well.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The Taxidermy Woman is one of many scripts I’ve worked on over the years and had been saving for the right time. What intrigued me about it and why I ultimately decided that it would be the first short film I’d move forward with is the way I knew we, my team and I, could explore the dark complexities of the story in a small, contained environment – similarly to the way that the character herself is overflowing with bitterness despite being confined in her display case.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Take all the advice and help you can! Filmmaking is one of the most collaborative art forms there is, and listening to those around you is how you learn to grow. Even if you don’t agree at all with someone else’s suggestion there’s still an incredible value in getting a wide variety of perspectives. Problems will always come up when you least expect them and having an enormous list of solutions is always good, even if only one route is taken in the end.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taxidermywomanfilm/
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits
Cinematography by Sofie Verweyen, BTS Photos from Dylan Turbow