‘Birth/Rebirth’: Laura Moss On Reimagining ‘Frankenstein,’ Thrilling Sundance & More [The Discourse Podcast]

In today’s episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo is resurrected by director Laura Moss to discuss the film “Birth/Rebirth.” The thriller follows a pathologist (Marin Ireland) who is attempting to cure death and receives a chance to test her experiment on a human being, forcing multiple lives down an increasingly dark path. The movie also stars Judy Reyes, Breeda Wool, A.J. Lister, and more. 

READ MORE: ‘birth/rebirth’ Review: Laura Moss’ “Frankenstein” Riff Is Alive, Thanks To Judy Reyes’ Stunning Performance [Sundance]

Joining The Discourse, Laura Moss discusses their first Sundance experience as a director, which included seeing audience members react in unexpected ways, prompting a heavy amount of buzz amongst horror fans. 

“It was insane to be a director there premiering the movie at midnight – it was pretty terrifying, to be honest,” Moss said. “The crowds were good. There were a few people who fainted during the movie, which I think helped with the buzz. But honestly, I think it might have just been the altitude and the drinking, so I won’t really credit my movie with it, but it was a fun little blurb.”

READ MORE: 14 Movies To See In August: ‘Passages,’ ‘Blue Beetle,’ ‘Bottoms’ & More

The film is a reimagining of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” through the eyes of two women – one doctor trying to save lives at any cost and one nurse and mother trying to save one life at any cost. During the chat, Moss discussed their connection with the original Frankenstein tale and how timeless it feels now. 

“The reason I love Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein,’ the novel, is because of these big life and death philosophical themes and I think that’s what really drew me to this idea in the first place,” Moss shared. “And then, when I got into the reality of plotting the movie, it became a lot less heady and a lot more immediately personal. We’ve all experienced grief and loss and the desperation to want to bring back a loved one or turn back time.”

Moss already has their next project lined up for when the strike ends, which is currently entitled, “Gordon.” Moss describes the film as a “horror comedy about a misdiagnosed sociopath who’s trying to date and be a good person in a sociopathic world.”

“Birth/Rebirth” is in limited theaters now and premieres on Shudder later this year. You can hear the full discussion below:

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