Fantasia 2017 Profile: Izzy Lee
“Themes of the oppressed cannot help but come out in my work; I’m pissed off about something most of the time.”
In For A Good Time, Call… we follow a man who uploads a homemade sex tape (that he recorded without consent, of course) and then tries his luck with a bathroom stall phone number, only to get a supernatural surprise that is much more than he bargained for.
Originally created for an anthology film that never came to fruition, Izzy Lee’s For a Good Time, Call… is a film that can check off many boxes: scary, suspenseful, relatable, traumatizing, gory, violent, and — somehow— even fun. In a similar fashion, Izzy checked off many boxes, too: director, producer, production designer — she even did all of the gory practical special effects makeup herself!
For a Good Time, Call… was written by Christopher Hallock — a festival programmer and film journalist — as a reaction to (and statement against) revenge porn and the horrible people that perpetrate this crime.
Izzy Lee is a film festival programmer as well as a film journalist for Birth.Movies. Death., Rue Morgue, Diabolique, and ScreenAnarchy.
Lee is also a recently published author with the short stories: Tilberian Holiday (Wicked Witches: An Anthology of the New England Horror Writers); The Lake Children (Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep); and I Did It The For The Art (Would But Time Await: An Anthology of New England Folk Horror).
For A Good Time, Call… had its World Premiere at Boston Underground Film Festival and has since screened at Slaughter Movie House Short Film Showcase, Chattanooga Film Festival, Portland Horror Film Festival, Snake Alley Film Festival, and Scares That Care Charity Weekend Film Festival (where it won four awards, including Best Short Film and Best Director), and will go on to screen several more times before the end of its festival run.
If you’re in Montréal, you can see the Canadian Premiere of For A Good Time, Call… at this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival, screening in front of Dead Man Tells His Own Tale at 7:30 PM on July 27th. GET YOUR TICKETS HERE.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got involved with filmmaking.
Izzy Lee: I never intended to get into filmmaking. I was an actor once upon a time, and I was always a writer and artist. After graduating art school with a BFA in illustration, I became a film festival programmer and journalist.
From there, I got so upset with the politics in the US, that I wrote a short called Legitimate about that shithead that discussed what and what was not a “legitimate rape.” I didn’t know if I could pull it off, but it worked, and I caught the film bug.
Tell us about FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL…. Where did the idea come from?
IL: I was in LA for the first time hanging out with my friend David Gregory (Severin Films). He mentioned that he was producing an anthology and I asked if he needed more films. To my delight, he said yes. I asked another friend, Chris Hallock, if he had any weird scripts kicking around, and he did. I read a few and For A Good Time, Call… jumped out at me.
The anthology is probably not going to happen, so I asked David if I could release the film on my own, and he agreed. I’m happy to say that it’s been playing some awesome genre festivals, such as Fantasia!
Your films tend to combine both supernatural horrors and the horrors of everyday life. What is it about mixing the two that excites you as a filmmaker?
IL: I’ve been watching horror film before I knew what the word “horror” really meant. I love it so much; being scared is rare, but it’s such a treat when it happens in film. The genre is a fantastic space to play with socio-political themes and explore societal angst.
Can you tell us about some/all of the other amazing women who worked on
this film?
IL: Diana Porter is a longtime collaborator; we’ve been involved in several films together, and not just mine. We click and I adore her. We were once called “the Scorsese and DiCaprio of New England horror filmmaking”, which is hilarious and complimentary.
Tristan Risk and I first met at Fantastic Fest where she was with the Soskas to promote their segment in ABCs Of Death 2. She was rad as hell and I knew I had to put her in something. Two months later, I flew her out to play a sick, vengeful spirit, and six months after that, I brought her out again to do some weird-as- hell stuff in Innsmouth (catch it on Shudder). She’s the most fearless person I know. When we get together, all hell breaks loose.
Tell us about why you are a feminist and why it’s important to your filmmaking.
IL: I’m a feminist because I’m a human being. The first time I was asked if I was a feminist, I didn’t know the true meaning of the word, which is so goddamn stupid. Shameful, really. I wear the badge proudly and themes of the oppressed cannot help but come out in my work; I’m pissed off about something most of the time.
Who are your favourite women working in the film industry?
IL: Off the top of my head: Karyn Kusama, Jennifer Lynch, Jovanka Vuckovic, Heather Buckley, Jill Gevargizian, Maude Michaud, Axelle Carolyn, Barbara Crampton, and Prano Bailey-Bond are all lovely, talented ladies.
What’s the best advice about filmmaking you’ve ever received?
IL: Filmmaking is at once the most fulfilling and the most frustrating thing I’ve ever done. As for advice, I met Wes Craven once. He told me to never give up. I try to remember that when things get hard.
What are you working on now/next?
IL: Good question. Having just moved to LA three weeks ago, with a week of that already spent here in Montréal at Fantasia, I’m currently exhausted and am trying to get a few features off the ground. I’ve started writing fiction in the meantime: you can find my stories in the horror anthologies Wicked Witches, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, and Would But Time Await: An Anthology of New England Folk Horror.
And now for some fun ones! If a movie about your life was created, who would star and what genre would it be?
IL: Definitely Katheryn Winnick, who plays Lagertha on Vikings. We bear a strong resemblance to each other — it’s almost creepy. It would probably be an existentialist drama with splashes of black comedy.
What is your favourite nonsense tchotchke that you own?
IL: I have a squishy stress ball that’s an eyeball that’s useful. I also have a few little plushy bats that are really cute.
What three people, living or dead, would you invite to your fantasy dinner party?
IL: Trent Reznor, Charlize Theron, and David Bowie. I’d resurrect him and give him 500 years’ more life.
Finally, recommend one #MUFFApproved film for our blog readers!
IL: Jennifer Lynch’s Chained is a master class in slow-boiling dread in mostly one location. She’s a fantastic director.
Check out Izzy’s production company, Nihil Noctem, on their official website and follow them on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date info on For A Good Time, Call… and for additional projects from Izzy and her team.
Lisa Gallagher is the Producer of The MUFF Society in Toronto. She is a lover of cats, carbs, and laying down.
Follow her on Instagram and Letterboxd.
