THE DOOR Unlocks an Unseen Side of Grief

People deal with grief in different ways. Some leave posessions untouched for years on end, closing the door on a room to trap it in time. Some take the opposite approach, removing traces of a person’s existence as a means to overcome loss.

It’s this method that inspired the story behind ‘THE DOOR’, an unsettling horror film written and directed by Alexander Seltzer and produced by Big Pig Production Co. Coming to terms with the loss of their daughter, bereaved parents Kara and Felix (played by Tanaya Beatty and Raymond Ablack), are dealing with “a parent’s worst nightmare,” grappling with grief that manifests as a door spontaneously appearing on a wall.

The door becomes a point of obsession throughout the narrative, its appearance directly linked to the couple’s fragile emotional state and desperation to rediscover all that they have lost. Exploring the impact of grief through the lens of horror, the film packs an emotional punch, showing how relationships and communication disintegrate when dealing with a loss so immense.

To find out more about the film – which premiered on June 30th at the LA Shorts International Film Festival – LBB’s Abi Lightfoot caught up with Alexander alongside Big Pig Production Co. producer Mark Delottinville.

LBB> Firstly, how did the premise and plot for ‘THE DOOR’ come about – were you drawn to any particular influences or inspirations?

Alex> The idea started with a visual: a door suddenly appearing in a wall. That image creeped me out and stuck with me, so I started writing right away. From there, I asked myself who would be the worst possible people for this to happen to, which led me to the characters of Kara and Felix.

I also try to write about things that genuinely scare me. For most of my life, I was against the idea of having children, not because I did not want them, but because the thought of loving someone that much and then losing them was terrifying. So, I took that personal fear and tied it to the image of the door. At its core, the film is about a parent's worst nightmare and the question of how far someone would go to get back what they lost.

In terms of influences, ‘The Night House’ was a big one for me, especially for its storytelling and atmosphere. I am also a huge fan of the tone and the use of cinematography and camera movement in ‘It Follows’ to build tension and unease. The relationship dynamic was inspired by the HBO remake of ‘Scenes from a Marriage’, which even served as a reference for production, with the warmth of the lighting and set design helping to ground the horror in something real and intimate.

LBB> How did you work together to bring the film to life, what was the production process and timeline like?

Alex> Mark had seen my first short film, ‘10-33’, at a festival and reached out afterward. We met for coffee and he asked me about other short scripts I was working on. A couple of months later, he texted me asking what I was doing in August. I said, “nothing”, and he replied, "Want to make ‘THE DOOR’?" From my perspective, it really was that simple.

That is a testament to the kind of producer Mark is. He immediately saw the vision I had for the film and committed to doing whatever it took to make it happen. He championed the project from the start and made sure we had what we needed to bring it to life.

Mark> To echo what Alex has said, it really was that easy. At the time, Big Pig Production Co. had just finished its first festival run with our first short narrative film, ‘Cruise’, and was waiting on funding through the CCA (Canada Council for the Arts) for another project. Knowing we wouldn’t have an answer on that until the fall, I wanted to invest and work on a project in between that, so that we would have a guaranteed narrative to push out to festivals in 2024.

With Alex being a writer/director, I knew that he had a firm grasp on what he wanted to do, and that all started with the script. I read it and I immediately loved it. I could see it easily being a visually interesting and enthralling short film, so the timing worked out really well. From there it was easy.

LBB> Is this the first time you have worked together on a film project? What was the experience like, and what were the key takeaways?

Alex> Yes, it was the first time we worked together, but definitely not the last because the experience was so positive. Whenever I needed something extra or there was a wrinkle in production, Mark would help us solve it quickly. For example, early in pre-production, Justin Black (the DOP) and I were shot-listing and realised we really needed an extra day of production. Mark made it happen.

For me, the key takeaway was the importance of surrounding yourself with talented, motivated, and genuinely good people. People who care about the cast and crew, care about the story you are telling, and are willing to push you to make the best work you can.

Mark> It was, yes, and hopefully not the last, haha. When he says “make it happen”, it really is code for spending more money, but when it comes to production, if you are able to make those types of things work and not exert physically or financially, it really is worth it. When you rush, you set yourself up for more failure, whether that be missing shots, not getting the continuity right, or putting people in a bad situation of being too tired by working too long a day.

What was great about working with Alex is that he really cared about feedback, and was open to just making the film better. It’s refreshing when everyone is working together and you feel like everyone is going towards one goal: making the best film.

LBB> On the surface, ‘THE DOOR’ is a horror film, but underneath, grapples with themes of grief and obsession – how did you find a balance to allow you to blend the weight of the horror genre alongside the film’s other themes?

Alex> For me, it was important to marry the horror elements and map them to the emotional drama happening below the surface. I wanted to make sure that every unsettling moment was tied to Kara’s grief and growing obsession with the door. Finding the balance came through a lot of rewriting, getting notes from my producers and screenwriting friends, and more rewriting.

LBB> Did you use any particular filming techniques or methods to make the film, and if so, how did they enhance the narrative?

Alex> One technique Justin and I talked about was in regards to how to delineate between the real world and the mirror world. So, we decided to use controlled, locked-off shots in the real world to help create a sense of tension and confinement, which would underline Kara’s feeling of being trapped and the suffocating weight of her grief.

Then, once we crossed into the mirror world, we went handheld to add a frenetic energy to the images, to reflect Kara’s unravelling. The goal was that the shift in style would make the audience feel her growing desperation and fear, reinforcing the emotional and psychological stakes of the story.

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LBB> The narrative is slow, building and suspenseful – how did you achieve this whilst retaining the audiences’ interest and sense of mystery?

Alex> Coming from an editing background, I am always thinking about when to reveal information and how to build tension piece by piece. I tried to let the story unfold at a careful pace, trusting the audience to stay with Kara as details were revealed slowly. A lot of that planning happened at the script and pre-pro stage, thinking through the drip-feed of information, camera moves, blocking, and transitions to create moments that would feel natural while building a steady sense of unease and mystery.

LBB> How did you work with actors Tanaya Beatty and Raymond Ablack to craft such a compelling, character-driven performance?

Alex> They are both incredibly talented, and I felt really lucky that they were interested in doing the film. We only had time for an online read-through, so there was not much rehearsal, but they understood their characters right away. We also spent time in pre-production talking through the story and their roles, which helped us stay on the same page.

On set, it was about giving small adjustments, exploring different approaches, and playing with blocking to bring their characters into focus. I think it’s their preparation and flexibility as actors that led to such strong, nuanced performances and gave me the options I needed to work with in the edit.

LBB> And why were Tanaya and Raymond the right actors for their roles, and how do their individual talents complement one another as well as the narrative?

Alex> For me, as soon as I pictured Tanaya and Raymond together, it just made sense. When I first spoke with Raymond, even over Zoom, it was his eyes that struck me. I could see the vulnerability there – that felt like Felix. Someone who had not only lost a child, but also the love of his life.

With Tanaya, I saw this powerful ability to hold a quiet stillness and then shift into raw, frantic desperation within a breath. The way she carries herself and how much you can read on her face, and then in a moment, seeing it turn into this cold, unreadable mask – that made her perfect for Kara. I knew their strengths would play off each other beautifully, and add real depth to the story.

LBB> The door itself is a key component of the set and the plot line. How did you work to integrate the door into the story in a way that didn’t feel forced or insincere?

Alex> I really tried to make sure the door felt like more than just a plot device. It had to be tied directly to Kara’s emotional state. It only shows up because of what she does… clearing out Ellie’s room. It is not just something creepy that shows up just because, but as a physical manifestation of her grief, obsession, and her desperate desire of getting back what she lost.

LBB> How has ‘THE DOOR’ been received since its premiere, and what’s next for the film?

​Alex> We had a great premiere and festival run that just wrapped up. It was amazing getting to see the film with audiences across the country and in the US, which is honestly one of my favourite parts of the whole process.

Next up is the feature version of ‘THE DOOR’! I have written the script and we are in development on it now.