And, below, other queer horror creators to watch for…
Since being honored as one of Windy City Times’s 30 Under 30 in 2019, actor-writer Jose Nateras has moved to Los Angeles, written a queer horror novella (Testament) and has had his first film script, Departing Seniors, produced and distributed.
Nateras, who had been a constant presence at such local theater companies as Red Orchid and Life Line, based his new horror movie in Chicago, filming here in the summer of 2022. An homage to films like Scream and Final Destination, Departing Seniors received its premiere at the prestigious Fright Fest UK and has since received worldwide acclaim, particularly in reference to its lead character, a resilient, queer Latin high school student.
To celebrate the Halloween season and Departing Seniors’ streaming debut on Tubi, Nateras recently sat down for a conversation with us about diversity in show business, the film’s themes and the joy involved with embracing all things that go bump in the night.
Windy City Times: First off, why do you think the gay community is drawn to horror films, Jose?
Jose Nateras: I think there are a couple of reasons that gay men (and queer folk more broadly) are drawn to the horror genre. On one level, there tends to be a heightened aspect to the performance and style in horror movies that tends to be appreciated by queer audiences. The size and scale tends to be bigger and more dramatic; the monsters and villains tend to be exaggerated and very often camp. Horror as a genre is specifically interested in the things that are on the edges of acceptability. It’s a genre that is interested in exploring taboos. This is something that, especially in times when mainstream LGBTQ+ representation wasn’t allowed, horror was a place for queer folks to see ourselves.
WCT: What films inspired you when writing Departing Seniors?
JN: For Departing Seniors, I took inspiration from a whole bunch of my favorite films. Scream, Final Destination, Heathers, Mean Girls, Jennifer’s Body, Clueless, Bring it On, Sorority Row, all played a big part in inspiring the movie. There are some dialogue references to movies like The Omen and call outs to flicks like Carrie, Psycho and more. You can see that not all of these movies are horror films. John Hughes movies were also big for us in making the movie, and setting it and filming it in Chicago and Chicagoland.
WCT: How much of your personal experience is reflected in Javier, the main gay character, in Departing Seniors?
JN: A lot of Javier is based on me in one way or another. In some ways, he also represents a version of myself that I wished I could have been back in high school. Javier is out as a high-schooler. At the time I was in school, that wasn’t where I was. But in terms of the way Javier handles himself and the way he dresses, all are inspired by me to a certain extent. At the same time, all of the characters have a certain aspect of me in there. From the teacher, Mr. Arda, to Bianca, even the mean kids, Ginny, Brad and Trevor, all embody parts of my experience.
WCT: How important was it for you (and director Clare Cooney) to film in Chicago and what essence do you think that brought to the film?
JN: It was super important for us to film in Chicago. Clare and I first met working in theatre and the indie film scene in Chicago. My producing partner, Dashawna Wright, is based in Chicago and it was always our goal to be able to film the movie here. I went to junior high and high school in the Northwest Burbs. When writing the movie, I had my old high school in mind. As I mentioned, John Hughes was an inspiration for us in making Departing Seniors as well, and his way of making Chicago- and Chicagoland-set high school comedies that never overtly say Chicago, but are so clearly set here—and then become able to represent America as a whole.
WCT: Thankfully, there is a bit more diversity coming through in our genre films. Black, female and queer creatives are truly entering the mix. What do you think is still lacking, though, and how can that be improved upon?
JN: I think it’s great that we’re starting to see more diversity for filmmakers getting to tell stories in the horror genre, I’d love to see more. The industry as a whole is in a bit of a precarious place that is overall very risk averse. Unfortunately, a lot of the people at the top who are making decisions are so focused on ‘sure things’ in terms of projects that will recoup their production costs and prove profitable. They are resistant to facilitating and making movies that don’t seem obviously mainstream. In terms of things that are lacking, I’d say diversity at the top of the production pyramid and more small budget features being greenlit that aren’t dependent on big budgets and established movie stars.
WCT: What are the most meaningful comments you’ve heard from the LGBTQIA community about the representation in Departing Seniors?
JN: It’s always nice to hear people say that they liked the movie. But I will say the things that really mean something to me, is when folks come up to me and say that they saw themselves in Departing Seniors. In particular, I’ve had people mention that the relationship between Javier and Bianca was the exact dynamic they had with their best friend and it wasn’t one they had seen on screen before. For me, the real heart of this movie is that friendship, so for that to be something audiences connect with was huge.
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Other queer horror creators to watch for
While Nateras may be among the newer generation of LGBTQ+ filmmakers creating scary indie magic, Racine, Wisconsin’s Jason Paul Collum has been producing queer horror projects for decades now. October Moon (2005) and October Moon: November Son (2008), its sequel, were among the first fright flicks to center around coming out, homophobia and to feature gay male characters at the forefront of the action. A documentarian as well, Collum is also known for Screaming in High Heels, a look at the legacy of genre actresses Linnea Quigley, Michele Bauer and Brinke Stevens, and Something to Scream About, an earlier, more varied take on the Scream Queen phenomenon.
Chris Moore, from Jackson, Mississippi, meanwhile, has become one of the community’s most prolific indie terror craft-smiths. While his features have always celebrated a sense of the other, Children of Sin and When the Trash Man Knocks, his latest projects, revolve, primarily, around gay characters. As a writer and director, his influences are varied as well. Sinis a demented distortion of the camp classic But I’m A Cheerleader. Trash Man, on the other hand, revels in the traditional slasher antics set forth by John Carpenter in Halloween. As a bonus, both films feature delicious, diva-tastic turns from Jo-Ann Robinson. A seasoned performer, Robinson began her career in Fred Olen Ray’s Scalps, an early ’80s, low budget creep-fest.
A true fan, Las Vegas’ Troy Escamilla often sticks closely to the classic slasher variant in his productions. His fun efforts, including Teacher Shortage and Mrs. Claus, are perfect seasonal escapes. Those with a love for the genre will also appreciate his casting choices. Tamara Glynn (Halloween 5), Debra Lamb (Wild at Heart, Stripped to Kill II) and Brinke Stevens (Slumber Party Massacre) often appear in major roles in his films. Hollow Lake, his upcoming feature, centers on a gay couple whose remote getaway ends up in macabre misadventure.
Lastly, keep an eye out for Chicago-based writer-director Nick Pospisol and his production company, Grisly Gaze. Family for Christmas, his gay horror parody of Hallmark Films, is currently hitting the festival circuit. Pospisol also produced last year’s Vague Sentiments, an emotionally-charged genre look at queer trauma that was a hit at various film events, as well.