Jennifer Kent on how The Babadook became an Australian horror essential
Director Jennifer Kent reflects on why her 2014 film The Babadook, made while mourning her father, became a landmark Australian horror work.
Twelve years after The Babadook terrified audiences, writer-director Jennifer Kent celebrates its rise. The Babadook went from Australian box office flop to global cult classic and Halloween staple.
Kent made the film while grieving the loss of her father. Kent poured her sorrow into the story of a single mother battling a supernatural entity.
"I threw myself into that grief," she says. An American critic recently called it the best horror film of this century.
They praised its psychological depth. They highlighted its feminist lens on a woman recovering after suffering.
The film faced initial apathy from Australian audiences and distributors. It found its audience when it moved to streaming.
Kent is preparing to shoot her next film. The Girl Who Was Plugged In stars Sophie Thatcher.
It is based on a 1973 sci-fi novella. Filming starts in Sydney early next year.
- 2014
- Film release year
- 1973 novella by James Tiptree Jr
- Next film source
- Sophie Thatcher
- Next film star
- Sydney, early next year
- Filming location
Why it mattersThe Babadook's journey shows how Australian horror shifted from being dismissed as B-grade to respected as high art, paving the way for films like Talk To Me and Bring Her Back.
AustraliaThe film's success overseas has made it easier for Australian filmmakers to get horror projects funded and distributed at home.
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