Sinister Magazine sat down with filmmaker Sarah Falkiner to discuss Crimson, a chilling horror short born from a deeply personal and socially relevant story. Developed in collaboration with writer and lead actress Senyah Haynes, the film transforms the real-life struggles of uterine fibroids into a haunting nightmare that speaks to broader themes of medical neglect, bodily autonomy, and the unseen battles many women endure. Falkiner shares the creative process behind blending horror with social commentary, the challenges of an ambitious production on a tight budget, and the unique dynamic that made this collaboration so powerful. Crimson is more than just a film—it’s an urgent, visceral experience designed to leave audiences unsettled and, most importantly, aware.

The Inspiration Behind Crimson

Senyah had spoken about a grant she had received to tell a story about her experience with Uterine Fibroids. She had asked me to direct/produce the film. I read her script and it was a heartfelt story of a woman living with the pain and sadness many experience with Uterine Fibroids. However, I thought by turning it into a horror short, we could get more people to empathize with the pain she had experienced. Exploring real life through horror can turn a personal experience into a universal one.

Addressing Uterine Fibroids Through Horror

Senyah’s experience was (literally) a nightmare – and given that there were news reports coming out about connections between black hair straighteners and uterine cancer made it even more important to take the topic and make it interesting, horrifying, and understandable to the audience – which is what horror does. It takes one person’s fear and blows it up so anyone can feel it. I wanted this story to take the audience through a nightmare, not just be a public service announcement. One other piece that was important to me was making the story applicable to anyone. I have always been intrigued with the ambiguity and facelessness of the morality play “Everyman.” Together we spent a lot of time naming the characters that Imani would meet in her dream. Neverchild, The Grower, Dr. Butcher, and Tee-Tee needed to feel like they could be anyone.

The Creative Process Behind Crimson

The writing process with Senyah has been very fluid. I like to create the structure, or “the skeleton” and have no fear. She is the second layer that fills in all the blanks or strengthens what I have created. As writers, we both know how the other works and it is a matter of balance and trust. I also want to stay true to her experience and feel that when we write together it is truly a 50/50 process.

Challenges in Production

I think our biggest challenge was the location. The warehouse had a production value that we could never afford. It gave us space and the freedom to create a visually stunning light design. Which that credit belongs with our DP/Lighting Extraordinaire, Kurt Long. We discussed the feel/emotion I wanted for each scene and he created it. I particularly loved the light above Neverchild, which gave her this ethereal glow. The sass of Beauty cooking up some kitchen brew was also beautiful to me. However, we had trouble with fuse boxes that didn’t work and literally had hundreds of feet of extension cords to power his lights. Along with the tons of production value came mold. The space contained loads of it. We were a small, yet mighty cast and crew, yet we didn’t want to be in the space longer than necessary. It was also cold, so actors were kept warm until it was time to shoot their scene. How did we get through it? Laughter, good people, and an energy to work together and complete this short film. We were in the warehouse for 2 days and one day in my apartment for the bookends. When you run a small crew on a tiny budget, you have to be able to work together and have fun. Otherwise, there is no point and the creative process will become grueling.

Casting and Collaborating with Senyah

I love to work with Senyah. Early on, I auditioned her for a role that was not a good fit for her. However, the conversations we had during the audition really left an impression on me. I knew that I wanted to work with her again and I meant it! When I work with Senyah, it feels like we are both on the same wavelength and working together to shape the character. As far as a co-writer, I am more of the big idea writer – I see a story and want to tell it. Senyah is a word surgeon. She is precise to the point of a laser pen and every word has infinite power. I don’t think either way is wrong, but together we have created very powerful stories that have been borne from thought-provoking discussions. As a white woman creating with a black woman, I want to explore white privilege and the ever-present white fragility and to do that, I need to be available for critique and direction without expecting her to “teach” me. For this reason, whenever we collaborate on a project, we both bring our A-game because it is not only important, but it is vital in today’s world. It truly becomes a question of which idea do we follow next. Our ideas are limitless, but money is scarce.

Audience Reactions to Crimson

We’ve had good reactions – without fail people remark that the theme is impactful and often, I think especially because it’s horror, it has screened with other films that weren’t making quite as serious a social commentary. So it definitely stands out in that way. We have had some interpretations counter to our stated focus – like folks thinking it’s about abortion, which it’s not. But that’s spelled out in the text of the film – I think if they saw it again they’d catch what was missed the first time. My hope is that all the metaphors come through as well as the overt statements: sorrow over infertility, fears about legacy, physical pain, links to Black hair relaxers and reproductive issues, how medical practitioners treat women… all of that.

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