While Canadian filmmaking twins Jen and Sylvia Soska are best known for the recent grindhouse film phenomenon known as Dead Hooker in a Trunk, they have also made a few kickass short films that aren’t well known.
In these shorts, all filmed after Dead Hooker, you can watch the growth of these ladies’ considerable filmmaking abilities. Each flick is more accomplished than the previous. But one element that is in place from the very start and on display throughout all their work is their wicked sense of humor. The Soskas weave a layer of dark wit into everything they do—and they do a lot. Don’t be fooled by their love of blood and guts; Jen and Sylv aren’t just gore gals. Over the course of their short career, they’ve touched on many genres, including documentary, drama and parody, as well as gruesome thriller.
Although the Soskas attended film school and have been acting since childhood, they really found their feet by diving into the deep end and making movies for themselves. It’s fitting that the first piece to see the light of day and gain them some attention was a short flick inspired by Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino is an obvious influence on Jen and Sylv, and they got the chance to pay homage to him when MTV sponsored a contest in which Canadian filmmakers submitted short films that riffed on Tarantino’s work. The contest was part of a promotion for Inglourious Basterds and Tarantino himself was the final judge. The Soskas’ entry, Tarantino’s Basterds, was chosen as a Top Three Finalist, and portions of it were shown on MTV Live. As you can see below, the ladies nailed some of Tarantino’s quirks while still displaying a personal style. For something made quick and cheap, this short is quite stylish and a whole lot of fun, especially if you know your Tarantino.
Tarantino’s Basterds:
From there, the twins began entering film contests. The next flick we’re looking at, The Hornet, was made as an entry in the 2009 24-Hour Film Racing event, in which filmmakers have 24 hours to write, shoot and finish a 4-minute film. Right after the ladies finished filming, their neighborhood suffered a 5-hour blackout, which left them with four hours to complete their entry. Luckily, they had their ridiculously talented collaborator CJ Wallis at the helm. With his assistance, they edited, mixed and completed The Hornet in less than three hours. The finished product snagged awards for Best Acting Ensemble (Jen and Sylvia Soska), Best Visual Effects (Jeffrey Zablotny) and was chosen as one of the Top 5 Best Films. The Hornet is ambitious, mixing elements of genres such as super hero, mumblecore and mockumentary in its four minutes, but it works well and shows these ladies have more than mayhem on their minds.
The Hornet:
The last flick we’re looking at today is closer to what the Soskas are best known for. bad girLs was made for the 2009 edition of Bloodshots, a 48-hour horror film competition. Filmmakers are given a line of dialogue, a weapon, a subgenre and a prop that must be included in a film no longer than seven minutes. The finished flick is a darkly funny, brutal tale of revenge that is an obvious precursor to Dead Hooker in a Trunk.
bad girLs:
And, just for fun, I’m including a bonus. Earlier this year, the Soskas, along with CJ Wallis, created what is likely the coolest public service announcement ever made. As part of the Women in Horror month celebration, the Twisted Twins shot a promo piece for a blood drive. Considering the filmmakers, you can probably guess how it turned out.
