The discussion that followed after the screening of Peter Strickland’s new film In Fabric was heated from the very beginning. “Why does the man wash the figurines every day?” a person from the audience asked, referring to a scene from the department store horror story. “Because they are dirty from being touched by the customers,” replied the director. The spectator not having been convinced, the director added: “You are lucky to have seen the scene, they cut out this part in the USA as it allegedly depicts deviant behaviour. In the US, you can show murdering and quartering of a woman in the film, but not a woman menstruating and someone licking the blood.”
The discussion then turned to the soundtrack and various sources of inspiration for the film about a beautiful red dress that quickly kills their owners. “I wanted to make a horror movie at the most unlikely place, such as a shopping mall. To find an unknown in the ordinary,” the British director explained his intention. “I love shopping and certainly do not want to lecture the audience. The story has satirical background, but the death is conceived as a coincidence, not punishment. This is no slasher horror where the characters die after having slept with someone, which logic I have never understood,” noted Strickland.
The viewers at the Festival also asked whether they could follow the washing machine repair instructions, used to hypnotise one of the movie characters. “I have been on tour with the film for nine months and you are the first to have found out! I did use a real washing machine manual, but only chose the most expressive parts, so I would not recommend it for repairs. My intention was to show the force of a mantra and make a film that makes you sleep,” revealed the director.
