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Peter Vass built his career one short film at a time, growing a YouTube following of more than 120,000 before co-writing and directing the comedy features Laid in America and Bigfoot Famous. Banshee marks a sharp and deliberate turn: his solo directorial debut and his first step into horror, shot on film in Ireland and steeped in the folklore he has loved for years.
Set in the 1880s, Banshee follows Róise, whose family is haunted after she discovers a mysterious comb, triggering a series of deaths in her village. It is a period piece with a modern pulse — a story about the old world colliding with the new, carried by a heroine who thinks ahead of her time.
Key Takeaways
- Banshee is Peter Vass's solo directorial debut and his first work in the horror genre, a full pivot from his comedy background.
- The film was shot on 35mm film — a first for Vass — forcing a leaner, more rehearsed, more intentional way of working.
- A feature version is already deep in development, with hopes of shooting in Ireland in 2027.
Below, Vass talks folklore, the discipline of shooting on film, and returning to a festival that helped launch him.
Interview
What drew you to make this film, and why this story, why now?
I've always been a big fan of folklore and mythology, and have wanted to film something in Ireland for a while. Entering the horror genre, folk horror would be my favorite sub genre, and I love world building. So creating a historically accurate folk horror in Ireland was about as exciting of a short film concept that I could imagine. Even though it is a period piece (1880s) there are still themes, such as the old world vs the new, that still resonate today.
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making the film?
Constantly having to cut shots from the shot list throughout the shoot. I went from 90 shots total on the shot list, to only 68 in the end. Having to combine 2-3 shots into one shot, on the spot with time pressure, was some of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of filming Banshee. I believe it challenges you to become a better filmmaker.
What tool, technique, or mindset shift helped most during production?
This was my first time shooting on film, and it was such a creatively satisfying feeling. Logistically, you are limited with how much you can film as the media isn't infinite. And it costs money. Therefore you have to really know what you are doing to shoot as efficiently as possible, meaning lots of rehearsal for both camera and the actors. I found this made the process so much more fun, although added pressure, and helped discover moments in rehearsal that made it into the final cut.
How does your film fit within, or push the boundaries of, its genre or form?
Although the film takes place in the 1880s, I believe it gives a modern twist to the folk horror genre where we are following a woman who is ahead of her time in terms of her way of thinking, and pushing back against Irish tradition and folklore. I think the atmospheric vibe and tone of the film sits nicely in the genre, and I hope to expand upon that in the feature film.
What is the greatest strength of independent filmmaking, and how did you lean into it here?
I think having the ability to make creative decisions that are best for the story, through camera movement, framing, etc, without having to bend the creative knee and say yes to a bunch of people who may not have a creative bone in their body, is one of the perks of independent filmmaking.
What does it mean to have your film selected for HollyShorts, one of the world's premier short film festivals?
To have the LA Premiere be at HollyShorts is such an exciting moment for me, as I live in LA and have a big community here, but have also been an alumni to the festival a few times over. Back in the day, I was screening my comedy sketch shorts, and now to come back with a folk horror shot on film in Ireland, is a wild experience that I am very much looking forward to.
How has this film shaped the kinds of stories you want to tell next, and where does it go from here?
It's completely shifted my focus onto telling more folk horror stories, specifically time period horrors in other countries. I would love to do a Greek folk horror (as I'm Greek) and tell more of the beautiful Irish folklore stories. We're already deep in development on the feature film, hopefully shooting in Ireland in 2027. At the core of all my work is a desire to make people feel something — I hope audiences get to escape into a world that feels of a different time, yet relatable, enjoy the story, and maybe have a moment of fear here and there.
Main Cast & Crew
- Peter Vass — Writer/Director. An award-winning director whose career began with a YouTube following of 120k+ for his short films, leading to the comedy features Laid in America (Universal) and Bigfoot Famous (Gravitas). Banshee is his solo directorial debut and first horror film.
- Narayan Van Maele, ISC — Director of Photography. BAFTA- and IFTA-nominated cinematographer and Berlinale Talents alumnus. Credits include An Irish Goodbye (the first short film to win an Oscar, BAFTA, and IFTA), GUTLAND (shot on 35mm; TIFF premiere; Luxembourg's 2019 Oscar entry), and Fréamhacha (Frewaka), Ireland's first Irish-language horror feature, which premiered at Locarno and earned his third IFTA nomination.
- Die Hexen — Composer. IFTA-winning and BIFA-nominated Irish composer known for haunting, avant-garde scores blending orchestration, electronic textures, and ritual sound. Credits include Fréwaka (IFTA Best Original Score, Sitges Award), You Are Not My Mother, Double Blind, Am I Dead, and El Hor, with contributions to Oscar-longlisted works including Lamb, Saul & I, and Stigma.
- Eileen O'Higgins — Lead Actress. Brooklyn, Billy the Kid, Mary Queen of Scots.
- Francis Magee — Lead Actor. Game of Thrones, Rogue One, Kin, Layer Cake.
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