Kevin Ko’s 2022 horror film “Incantation” sparked international interest when it was picked up by Netflix. Hear the story of the man behind the film that stole sleep from thousands of horror fans across the globe. Although he makes horror films, it may surprise you to hear that Kevin Ko (柯孟融) is also terrified of all the horror elements in his films! In this documentary, Ko shares why he makes horror films and how they helped him discover his purpose in life. When Ko was in college, he was heavily inspired by Japanese horror movies, which led him to create a short horror film of his own. This film, called “The Print” (鬼印), was widely circulated online, becoming an early example of a viral video in Taiwan and earning him interviews with several local production companies. This film kick-started his career in the film industry, and he began working as an editor. After graduating from college, Ko returned to directing horror films with a slasher-horror movie called “Invitation Only” (絕命派對). Ko describes how this film challenged the Taiwanese production team. For this project, they learned storyboarding and gore techniques from international films to create more convincing depictions of violence and gory scenes. Ko’s most recent film, “Incantation” (咒), gained international attention for its found-footage elements and convincing depictions of folk religious rituals. The director discusses how he wrote the script to make the audience fear being afflicted by the same curse that haunts the protagonist and her daughter. The result? Audiences fear they too may be cursed. Although Ko must consistently convince fans that his movie is safe to watch, he feels honored that the film could reach so many fans in Taiwan and abroad and connect so deeply with their lives, despite cultural differences. For Ko, this is the greatest honor a filmmaker could receive.