Romola Garai is no stranger in the United Kingdom for her work in film, television, and theatre.

So now it came for her turn in the director’s chair, she wrote a unique horror tale Amulet to showcase her talents in that spot.

The movie stars Carla Juri, Alec Secareanu, Imelda Staunton, and Angeliki Papoulia in this freaky story.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Following an accident that leaves him homeless in London, former soldier Tomaz is brought to the rotting home of Magda, a lonely woman in desperate need of help as she looks after her dying mother. Though at first resistant, Magda eventually welcomes him into their lives and allows him to help her care for them. But as he worms his way into their routine and begins to fall for Magda, Tomaz starts to notice strange, unexplainable, and ugly phenomena. Something seems very wrong with the mysterious old woman who never leaves the top floor, and Magda may, in fact, be enslaved to do her otherworldly bidding.

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LRM Online spoke to director Romola Garai on a Zoom video conference call. We discussed her feature film directorial debut, using practical versus CGI effects and the attraction towards horror films.

She is well known for her performances in romantic and dramatic films such as Atonement, Angel, I Capture the Castle and Suffragate. The actress also appeared in television shows with The Crimson Petal and the White, The Hour, Born to Kill, The Miniaturist, and Emma. Additionally, she was nominated twice for Golden Globe in The Hour and Emma and a nomination for BAFTA TV Award for The Crimson Petal and the White.

Although this is her feature debut—she has directed a short film Scrubber that was nominated for Short Film Grand Jury Prize at 2013’s Sundance Film Festival.

Magnet Releasing pushes Amulet in theaters and on demand this Friday, July 24.

Watch the exclusive interview below and let us know what you think.

Source: LRM Online, Magnet Releasing