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Variety is the spice of Grimmfest 2025 and Peter Tsigaridis' wild shocker Frankie, Maniac Woman is truly unique. Here we chat to Peter about this extraordinary movie.
STV: Did you know from a young age that you wanted to work in the film industry?
PT: Yes, I’ve been captivated by cinema and more precisely horror films for as long as I can remember. As a kid, while most children were watching cartoons or family movies, I was hiding in dark closets, pretending to hunt witches and vampires. By the time I was six, I was already mesmerized by films like Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Halloween. But it was Scream that truly sealed my love for the genre. I was obsessed with its opening scene, it was the most terrifying and fascinating thing I had ever seen. Ghostface, in particular, left a lasting impression on me, and I even begged my mom to buy me the mask for Halloween. Not long after, I started borrowing my parents’ camcorder and teaming up with my brother and stepbrother to make our own horror films. We’d reenact scenes from Scream, Halloween, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, completely lost in the world of make-believe. Those moments were pure creativity and joy. And it was then that I knew I wanted to become a film director.
STV: Where did the idea for the movie come from?
PT: The idea actually dates back to 2016, shortly after Dina and I first met. We were discussing the idea of making a film together. She came from a comedy background but had a deep love for horror, so we quickly began brainstorming. At the time, we wanted to make a slasher, but we didn’t yet have any cast or actors attached. Naturally, we imagined a story built around Dina as the centrepiece. From there, it felt organic for her to draw on her own personal struggles and experiences to shape Frankie, the serial killer. It wasn’t until we began making the film that we realized just how unique and original the concept truly was.
STV: Did you write it with a cast in mind?
PT: Only with Dina Silva as Frankie!
STV: What was you writing process alongside Dina Silva who also plays the pivotal role of Frankie?
PT: The writing process was incredibly smooth. Dina and I would bounce off ideas while I would be writing the script on my computer. Sometimes she would write a scene on her own and I would write another on my own and then we would meet compare and combine things while coming up with new ideas. The film took years to make, and the character of Frankie has been brewing in our minds for so long that it eventually felt very natural to just write her journey. For us, Frankie is Dina‘s evil alter ego, it’s as if she existed in an alternate reality!
STV: Did you have much budget to play with?
PT: Definitely not! Of all my films, this film has the smallest budget.
STV: Where did you find such incredible locations?
PT: Thank you so much. Dina and I know Los Angeles very well. And we’re always on the lookout for good visual spots. We focused on East LA because it’s a little less known internationally I’d say. When it comes to the desert, I wanted to give the last part of the film a western/texas chainsaw massacre vibe and Joshua tree was the perfect landscape for that.
STV: Though the film is bloody and brutal it does have a strong social message, how did you ensure that wasn’t lost withing the gore and mayhem?
PT: Thank you, I’m glad you say that. I think we didn’t get lost because the centre of the film is Frankie’s character itself. Whatever she does, whatever she says, everything is motivated by her social issues. I think everything comes from the writing of the character. The gore is just some sort of spicy sauce we added to the story!
STV: The effects are pretty inventive, were they all done on set?
PT: Thank you! Yes, they were all done on set. As a horror fan, I love practical gore. I feel like everybody does, and it was important for me to make sure the gore was on point!
STV: Will you and Silva work together more in the future?
PT: ABSOLUTELY!
STV: The movie has gained praise and comparison to the work of John Waters, you must be happy with that?
PT: I’m very happy about that for sure! But believe it or not, Dina and I aren’t too familiar with his work. We’re now gonna dive deep into female trouble and divine!
STV: You’re becoming a bit of a regular at Grimmfest, do you still get nervous when your work shows there?
PT: I actually still do. Especially for this film. “Frankie” deals with sensitive issues and can be seen as very provocative. But the film has good intentions. I’m extremely happy and grateful that the Grimmfest is willing to champion a film like “Frankie”. They trust my work and they are not afraid to showcase bold super indie filmmaking.
STV: So, what are you working on at the moment?
PT: I’m developing new scripts that I can’t wait to share with the world!
STV: Pierre Tsigaridis, thank you very much.
