Profile | Filipino director on his new esports film, why he loves making horror movies, and surviving as a filmmaker in his country
- Mikhail Red says his upcoming esports movie Friendly Fire, which features the Filipino-made game Project Xandata, is ‘almost like a 1980s sports underdog film’
- He directed his first short at 15 and his first feature – Rekorder – at 21, which won him best new director at 2014’s Vancouver International Film Festival
On the battlefield, “friendly fire” can kill as effectively as anything more malicious. And in the immensely competitive world of esports, it can prove just as deadly. If only virtually.
Friendly Fire is the forthcoming feature film from Filipino director Mikhail Red – a movie without his usual suspects in its cross hairs.
“It’s a very different genre for me because it’s wholesome, rated G [all ages]. It’s almost like a 1980s sports underdog film, but set in the world of esports,” reveals Red during a video call from Manila.
The tale is told “from the perspective of a talented new player, Hazel [Loisa Andalio], who works in a struggling internet cafe to support her family. Her streaming goes viral and she is chosen to represent the Philippines in an international esports tournament in Hong Kong.
“It’s a story of self-discovery and pursuing your dreams – and features the Filipino-made, first-person shooter game, Project Xandata. Its makers collaborated with us and we’re honoured to feature Filipino game-development talent.”
Such a narrative departure is considerable for Red, 32, famed for his crime thrillers and horror movies.
