Horror works best when it comes from a place of emotion. In filmmaker Karim Shaker’s recent ten minute film, The Supper (La Cena) we see two couples on the verge of sanity, hoping desperately to find a solution. Carlos (Jordi Estupiña), Eva (Patricia Fuertes), Germán (Fonsi Liébana) and Mayte (Silvia Segovia) are discussing the prospect of privately adopting an infant that lay waiting in its nursery. The rich couple discusses their plans to offer the infant a better future expressing their reasons for looking for private adoptions as opposed to agencies, while the harried birth father does everything he can to keep the baby’s mother from having another breakdown.

A simple set up that would be lost on less talented filmmakers and performers. However, director Karim Shaker mines the set up for those uncomfortable moments of despair and confusion in a confusing time. Written by Shaker & Pablo Schumann the script is rife with nuance and played with a very sympathetically by the sincere cast. We believe the dilemma and buy into the set up hook line and sinker. Of course, this being horror, there is a nasty bend to it that is as delicious as the meal served. Yes, I am speaking in generalities and being impenetrably vague for a reason. This is another rare short film that works as a perfect Horror-d’oeuvre.

We had a moment to chat with Shakir on the film, his influences, and 

Q. How did the story for La Cena come about?

It all started with the idea of making a small story that took place in a single living room with four characters. You know, when you strongly feel the need to shoot your film and your budget is very low, sometimes you have to rethink your story to be effective with a limited production. This was the challenge in the case of La Cena. My aim was to build up an ominous rising feeling in the audience through the atmosphere. It’s a supper, yes, we are all familiar to this kind of situations, but from the first moment you can feel a layer of uncomfortableness and something that just doesn’t fit. That’s what pushes the story forward.

Q. What are your inspirations creatively?

My inspirations comes from very different places. As a musician and a filmmaker, the references and insights mixes up in my mind so I can see images while I’m listening to music or viceversa. So sometimes I can picture a whole scene by just listening or playing a piece. Speaking about cinematic references I can name a few of my favorites directors such De Palma, Carpenter, Spielberg, Hitchcock, Alex de la Iglesia… and many more. But in this special case of La Cena, I had inspiration from the great Roman Polanski and his supernatural horror masterpiece, Rosemary’s Baby and the work of Chicho Ibañez.

Q. What are your favorite Horror Films?

Wow. It’s always a hard question… but I’ll make the effort…  This all goes in my all time favorites (the order doesn’t mean anything):

• The Exorcist (1973)
• Prince of Darkness (1987)
• The Day of the Beast (El Día de la Bestia) (1995)
• Jaws (1975)
• Dressed to Kill (1980) 
• The Thing (1982)
• Poltergeist (1982)
• Alien (1979)
• Carrie (1976)
• Who Can Kill a Child (Quién Puede Matar a un Niño)(1976)

 Q. Where can we see La Cena?

The online public premiere will be from November 12th to the 20th, through FILMIN digital platform (https://www.filmin.es/) and inside the program of the well known spanish horror festival, Molins de Rei. Once this premire is over we’ll see the best channels to distribuite the short film. 

I’ll be posting all the news about it in my socials: Twitter: @Sprocket_es and Facebook: Karimshakerofficialfanpage.