EoM Senior Interviewer Thomas Manning recently spent time talking with writer and director Ken’ichi Ugana about his film The Curse, which screened at Fantastic Fest 2025. This gnarly, supernatural thriller comments on the increasingly dangerous potential of the digital world and its impact on our communication.
Yukino Kaizu as Riko in THE CURSE. Photo courtesy of Fantastic Fest/Rights Cube.
In this edition of EoM Presents, Ugana discusses his exploration of these themes as well as the film’s visceral sound design.
Thomas Manning: From the very first scene, I was taken by the camera’s unflinching gaze on the startling, gory imagery. How did you work to find the perfect timing of holding on these disturbing visuals to bring out their full potential?
Kenichi Ugana: The opening scene was a complex one, intertwining various elements such as acting, animals, cars, dolls, and VFX. That’s why we prepared thoroughly and tackled it, and in fact we did a fair number of takes for each cut. At the same time, it was the scene that required the most effort in terms of editing and sound effects. So we put a lot of effort into every step, but the reason it turned out so well is because the actors and staff demonstrated their amazing skills in every step.
Thomas Manning: One of the obvious themes of this film is the prevalence of social media stalking and harassment, as well as the very real, physical dangers of these issues that stretch beyond the phone screen and into the real world. As you explored these matters, what inspired you to bring in the supernatural element of the curse in this particular story?
Kenichi Ugana: Social media has become so over-the-top lately, and I’ve always wanted to make a film about it. But to make it into a film, I needed a story with more of a physical horror feel. A story about a curse incarnating seemed like the perfect fit.
Thomas Manning: The lead performance from Yukino Kaizu as the character of Riko was very demanding, and she delivered on everything that was asked of her. What impressed you the most about her performance from your perspective as writer and director?
Kenichi Ugana: She took what she was told very seriously. I’m very careful about the humorous elements that horror films contain, and in that case, no matter how ridiculous the situation or the lines, they have to take them seriously. If an actor wants to make you laugh, suddenly it stops being funny. In that sense, she was very talented.
THE CURSE writer/director Ken’ichi Ugana.
Thomas Manning: There’s a scene that features the physical destruction of a cell phone. Sometimes I feel that the world would be a better place if we all did this with our phones and were forced to communicate with human beings face-to-face again. Additionally, there is a physical manifestation of self-harm in this movie, which is reflected by the reality that phone addictions can be harmful to us. Yet, we still return to these devices despite knowing that they cause us pain. Were these some of the ideas about cell phones and communication that you were consciously considering while making this film?
Kenichi Ugana: That’s exactly right. We always seek convenience, but convenience carries the risk of omitting important things and losing our inherent power. Now, with the advances in computers and AI, I think we need to reaffirm the views and power that can only be seen by abandoning convenience.
Thomas Manning: I was very impressed with how this film maximizes the horror of silence. You show restraint at the right times, and release the tension at the perfect moments. What were some decisions you made as a filmmaker to get the most out of this suspenseful silence?
Kenichi Ugana: It’s popular to add a lot of music to horror movies these days, but I think that the real fear comes mainly from silence. Also, young people today watch a lot of videos of YouTubers actually going to haunted places, and I think they take reality more seriously. I thought of sound effects and silence as part of the music, so I created the sound very delicately.
Thomas Manning: Continuing on the topic of sound – I loved the foley sound effects that were used to accompany the violent and gory scenes I previously alluded to. Can you share about your collaborations with your sound design team on these sequences?
Kenichi Ugana: In film post-production, the thing I spend the most time on is sound. I always work with them, and they accommodate my preferences and even my most difficult requests. This time, I paid particular attention to where to highlight the sound effects, where to add sounds that sounded like big lies for the film, and where to add realism.
Official Synopsis:
Riko (25), a receptionist at a trendy salon in the city,, lives a quiet life in the city, sharing an apartment with her friend Airi. One day, Riko notices eerie changes in the social media posts of her Taiwanese friend Shufen, who starts uploading cryptic videos. Around the same time, a disfigured corpse washes ashore in Taiwan. When Riko’s attempts to contact Shufen fail, she teams up with her ex-boyfriend Jiahao to investigate, only to discover that Shufen died six months ago. However, her social media continues to post disturbing messages. Soon, supernatural occurrences plague Riko and Airi, leading to Airi’s horrifying death. Desperate for answers, Riko heads to Taiwan with Jiahao and Shufen’s sister Huijun to uncover the terrifying truth.
Screened during Fantastic Fest 2025.
For more information, head to the official Fantastic Fest The Curse webpage.
Thomas Manning is a member of the NCFCA, SEFCA, and CCA, and also the co-host of the television show and radio program Meet Me at the Movies. He has served as a production assistant and voting member on the Film Selection Committee for the Real to Reel Film Festival. Additionally, he manages his own film review and interview site, The Run-Down on Movies. Manning is a graduate of Gardner-Webb University with a double-major in Communications and English. His passion for cinema and storytelling is rivaled only by his love for the music of Taylor Swift.
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Categories: EoM Presents, Filmmaker Interviews, Stream
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