Interview by Paul Salfen
The electric hum of Fantastic Fest 2025 buzzes through Austin, Texas, where filmmakers, actors, and cinephiles collide in a celebration of genre-bending storytelling. Amid the festival’s whirlwind of screenings and late-night Q&As, I find myself in a lively conversation with director Avalon Fast and the cast and crew of her sophomore feature, Camp. The film, a haunting blend of grief, witchcraft, and the fierce bonds of female friendship, has already sparked whispers among festival-goers. As we sit down, the group’s camaraderie is palpable, their laughter punctuating the air like a warm campfire on a chilly night.
“It’s a hard story to tell,” Avalon admits, her eyes bright with the thrill of being back at Fantastic Fest, “but I’m just really excited to be on set.” She’s careful not to spill too many secrets about Camp, a story that follows Emily, a young woman weighed down by a traumatic past. Played with raw vulnerability, Emily’s journey begins as she arrives at a camp for troubled youth, hoping to find redemption as a counselor. Yet, the woods surrounding the camp hold more than just trees—they whisper, they beckon, and they challenge Emily to confront the curse she believes shadows her life.
The interview crackles with the cast and crew’s shared memories of filming. “We all got so close,” one actor shares, describing the set as a pressure cooker of emotions and humor. “It’s a tough movie to make, but we were constantly joking.” Another recalls a standout day shooting in L.A., a pivotal moment for Emily’s character arc. “It wasn’t an easy day,” they say, “but it was a big moment. When I think of set, that’s the first thing that comes to mind.”
The group’s dynamic mirrors the film’s heart: a story of found family. “We were listening to Bruce Springsteen on the drive to set,” another cast member laughs, recounting long drives in an RV, belting out “sad old songs” before stepping into the heavy emotional work of Camp. “It was like a summer camp, kind of,” they add, and the table erupts in agreement. This sense of camaraderie wasn’t just a happy accident—it’s woven into the film’s DNA. Camp explores how Emily, haunted by two devastating tragedies from her youth, finds solace among fellow counselors who embrace her without judgment. Their acceptance becomes a lifeline, a “veil of peace and forgiveness,” as the film’s synopsis poetically describes.
Yet, the woods are never far away. A mysterious voice calls to Emily, urging her to “go home,” pulling her between healing and the pull of her past. Fast, who both wrote and directed, crafts this tension with a deft hand, blending psychological horror with the raw ache of grief. “It’s elevated,” she says, hinting at the film’s layered tone. “You’re going to feel a lot—scared, happy, maybe even cry.” The cast nods, one adding, “I find a lot of joy in moments of connection, even when it’s super serious.”
For Fast, Camp is proof of her DIY filmmaking ethos, a thread carried over from her debut feature, Honeycomb. “You don’t need to ask for permission,” she tells aspiring filmmakers in the room. “You can make it with what you have—your friends, your phone, whatever’s available.” This sentiment resonates with the cast, many of whom landed their roles through an open casting call. “I had no credits, nothing,” one actor admits. “But they were open to my talent. It taught me you don’t have to follow the ‘right’ steps to get there.”
Another crew member echoes this, emphasizing the power of community in indie filmmaking. “There’s such a large community of filmmakers out there, so supportive,” they say. “You don’t need the fanciest camera or the biggest budget. Sometimes finding another way to do it makes it more interesting, stranger, better.” This scrappy spirit fueled Camp, a nonunion project that brought together a mix of first-time and emerging actors, including a standout performance from Viola, who one crew member calls “insane” in the best way possible.
As our time winds down, the group is buzzing about their next stop: Slamdance. I ask what audiences should brace for when they see Camp. Fast smiles, leaning forward. “It’s serious, but there’s joy in the mess of it all.” The cast agrees, their voices overlapping with excitement. “You’ll feel everything,” one says. “It’s like life—messy, scary, beautiful.”
As I leave the interview, the Texas sun dips low, casting long shadows that feel oddly fitting for Camp. Avalon Fast and her team have crafted something special—a film that dares to explore the weight of guilt and the redemptive power of connection, all while letting the woods whisper their secrets. Fantastic Fest 2025 is the perfect stage for this haunting, heartfelt tale, and I, for one, can’t wait to hear what those woods have to say.
