From A24 and writer/director Isaiah Saxon, the fantasy adventure film The Legend of Ochi is now playing in theatres (you can read our review at THIS LINK) and today on JoBlo Celebrity Access, our very own Eric Walkuski had the chance to sit down for an interview with stars Finn Wolfhard and Helena Zengel, during which they talked about working with all the creatures and props and much more! You can watch the interviews in the video embedded above – and be sure to stick around for the duration, as we also chatted with cast member Emily Watson and Isaiah Saxon!
The Legend of Ochi has the following official synopsis: In a remote northern village, a young girl, Yuri, is raised to never go outside after dark and to fear the reclusive forest creatures known as the ochi. When a baby ochi is left behind by its pack, she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to reunite it with its family. Helena Zengel plays Yuri and is joined in the cast by Willem Dafoe as Maxim, Finn Wolfhard as Petro, and Emily Watson as Dasha.
Saxon, a frequent collaborator on music videos with Icelandic songstress Björk, made his feature debut with The Legend of Ochi. Saxon and Encyclopedia Pictura produced the film with Traci Carlson and Richard Peete for Neighborhood Watch and Jonathan Wang with Year of the Rat. The Russo Brothers, Mike Larocca, and Angela Russo-Otstot of AGBO served as executive producers with Louise Lovegrove and Alex Plapinger. A24 handled the financing and distribution. Made on a budget of $10 million, the movie was filmed in Romania. The titular creature was brought to life through puppetry and was operated by 7 performers.
Our reviewer described the film as “perfectly pleasant family entertainment that’s easy on the eyes and even easier to digest” and “a sweet-natured and predominantly upbeat tale with an impossible-to-dislike friendship at its center.”
Have you caught a screening of The Legend of Ochi during its theatrical run? Check out our interviews with the director and cast members, then let us know by leaving a comment below.
