The History of Monsters

THE HISTORY OF MONSTERS is a project that is very close to me because it's the story of my mother. I was inspired by her courage, her sacrifice and her strength to push through a situation of abuse. This film represents the essence of what she went through after escaping a violent marriage. She was very young when she decided to focus only on raising me and my brother on her own, giving up all other aspects of her life. I believe she made this decision because she refused to let her past repeat itself. In this film, Evelyn refuses to be a victim much like my mother, and we explore the sacrifices she’s forced to make in order to ensure her safety. At the heart of my mother’s story lies a history of objectification and violence against the female gender. As a man I know I will never fully comprehend what it’s like to experience the world like Evelyn, but it’s very important for me to make an effort to grasp it. For these and many reasons more, this project became a compelling challenge as a film director and an imperative exploration as a man.

An interesting conversation could be had around the decision Evelyn makes at the end of the film. Some might consider it an immoral choice because she’s killing an innocent man. I believe that, after understanding what Evelyn’s been through, it’s impossible to blame her for making that decision. She did what she had to do. She was forced to make this decision to keep herself safe. The real guilty party is what drove her to this point: toxic masculinity, the history of monsters.