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Voodoo in My Heart

Emily’s boyfriend has turned into a zombie overnight. She has successfully tied him to the bed frame with a phone charger, but not before he was able to bite her. With nothing to aid her other than a phone and a musical keyboard, a weak and tired Emily must figure out how to prevent herself becoming a zombie before it’s too late.

  • Elias Williams
    Director
  • Lowri Roberts
    Producer
  • Charlotte Beaumont
    Key Cast
    Jupiter Ascending, Broadchurch, Waterloo Road
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Romance, Horror
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    December 8, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    6,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • BBC Arts
    Distributor
    Country: United Kingdom
Director Biography - Elias Williams

Elias Williams is an independent filmmaker and founder of online media platform, mandemhood.com. His filmmaking attributes include Channel 4 Random Acts film ‘Mansa Musa Riddim’ and ‘Samurai Blood’ which was officially selected for the British Urban Film Festival in 2019. Elias and his brother, Timon, have recently directed their first feature-length film together titled 'Last Summer in Oxford'.

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Director Statement

Zombie movies at their best are a commentary on society, and at their worst a cheap thrill. Few people know that the concept of a ‘zombie’ actually has its origins in transatlantic slavery and Haitian Vodou – a religion that was born amidst the culture clash between West African spirituality and European plantation societies. The first ever Hollywood zombie film, ‘White Zombie’, was based on a Haitian plantation and featured African zombies working in a sugar mill.

Voodoo in My Heart explores these historical themes through the dynamic of a modern relationship. With regards to Emily’s character, her story represents an acceptance of the cultural nuances that arise with having a Haitian boyfriend. While at first she is resistant and afraid of her boyfriend's zombie-like appearance, by the end of the story she accepts him for who he is after learning about the cultural history of zombies.

Ultimately, Voodoo in My Heart aims to place Haitian Vodou, a religion born from African spiritual practices during the slave-trade, back at the centre of the zombie genre. Without Haiti and its fascinating Vodou religion, it's very likely that zombie movies wouldn't exist today. This film encourages us to remember and respect the origins of the genre.