By Paul Salfen
The Alamo Drafthouse was still buzzing from the electric premiere of The Curse at Fantastic Fest 2025 when I caught up with Kenichi Ugana, the Japanese genre maestro whose latest film had the audience gripped by a chilling vision of social media’s dark side. Over the clink of glasses and the hum of festival excitement, Ugana sat down with AMFM Magazine to share his whirlwind experience in Austin, the global journey of his Taiwanese-Japanese horror hit, and his relentless drive to keep creating. With a mischievous grin and boundless energy, he dove into the conversation, revealing the passion behind his work and the terrors lurking in our screens.
“It was an amazing experience,” Ugana said, his eyes lighting up as he reflected on Fantastic Fest. “I’ve been wanting to come back ever since I screened Visitors – Complete Edition here two years ago. There are so many crazy people and great films.” The Austin crowd embraced The Curse with fervor, and Ugana couldn’t hide his delight. “After the screening, people were sharing such enthusiastic reviews with me. It made me so happy. And the second screening? Four screens at the same time! I can’t believe it.” The film, a twisted tale of a demonic force spreading through social media, follows Riko as she investigates her friend’s mysterious death, only to uncover a curse tied to the addictive pull of likes and shares. It’s a J-horror setup—think The Ring—but reimagined for the Instagram age, with a body count that piles up from Tokyo to Taiwan.
When I asked about his time in Austin beyond the screenings, Ugana laughed. “We ate a lot of BBQ and did archery. Very Texas!” His packed press schedule left little room for catching other films, but he managed to sneak into the short film program. “It was so crazy, so typical of Fantastic Fest,” he said, clearly thrilled by the festival’s wild energy. But his focus was on The Curse, a project that’s already carving a path across the globe. “I’m in Strasbourg now for the European Fantastic Film Festival,” he shared. “Over the next month, it’s screening at Sitges, Montreal’s Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, Kaohsiung, Nightmares Film Festival, and San Sebastian Horror & Fantasy. Many distributors have bought it, so I think it’ll be my most widely seen film yet.” For fans eager to experience its digital dread, Ugana hinted the wait won’t be long.
The Curse isn’t just a horror movie; it’s a mirror held up to our online obsessions. “This time, the theme is the dark side of social media,” Ugana explained. “I’d be happy if people feel the fear of that.” The film’s climax, a chaotic sequence shot at dusk with last-minute script changes, was a high point for him. “The staff and cast came together as one to finish it. That moment was unforgettable.” It’s this willingness to take risks that defines Ugana’s career. When asked about a time he went all in, he didn’t hesitate. “It’s always like that when I’m making a film. Writing scripts feels like my shoulders will stiffen and I’ll die. But something born out of hardship matters.” His advice to aspiring directors? “Don’t listen to seniors like me. Stick to your own style. You know your situation and where you want to go. Do what you want.”
Ugana’s output is staggering—four features since his 2023 Fantastic Fest debut—and he’s not slowing down. He teased another recent project, Incomplete Chairs, a bizarre premise about crafting chairs from people that premiered at Slash Film Festival to strong buzz. “I’m relieved it was so well received,” he said with a chuckle. As for what’s next, he’s already deep in the grind. “I finished post-production on a body horror about a father and daughter’s love the day before I came to Fantastic Fest. And in November, I’m shooting a sci-fi action musical romantic comedy.” The genre mashup raised my eyebrows, but Ugana just shrugged, as if juggling wild ideas is second nature.
As our chat wound down, his philosophy came into sharp focus. “You’re going to die someday, so you might as well do what you want,” he said, half-smiling. “The day will come when I’m too ill to make films or offers stop coming. Until then, I want to enjoy filmmaking as much as possible.” With The Curse poised to haunt audiences worldwide, Ugana’s fearless approach—both to his craft and the terrors of our digital age—ensures his stories will linger long after the screen goes dark.
