Horror is a genre that divides people widely: some love it, and others steer clear of it entirely. Danielle Tully, an author and filmmaker specializing in horror fiction, spoke with City Times to discuss the complexities of the genre. Tully began her career in storytelling with production and scriptwriting in her native Germany before coming to the UAE in 2009 for a position at Image Nation Abu Dhabi. Her impressive projects have included the critically acclaimed Fair Game, box office hits such as Contagion and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and the Oscar-winning film The Help. In recent years, Tully has shifted her focus away from film production to explore storytelling in different forms. “The art of storytelling in filmmaking can be compromised by the number of people involved,” Tully shares. “So I decided to start writing my own story.” The result was her debut novel, Hotel on Shadow Lake. The book has been published in 12 countries and translated into five languages. Tully has since authored two more novels and is currently working on her memoir. She also teaches writing and filmmaking at Middlesex University. Tully finds that horror’s universality is what fascinates her the most. Unlike other genres, such as romance or comedy, horror is not culturally specific. “I love what HP Lovecraft once said: ‘The oldest and strongest emotion is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown’.” Tully shares that her German background has influenced her storytelling, drawing from her exposure to dark fairy tales such as the works of the Brothers Grimm and The Sandman. These stories tap into primal fears and have stayed with her, sparking her curiosity in exploring the reasons why such disturbing stories were told to children and adults alike. While the horror genre has evolved over the centuries, one thing has remained consistent: the use of symbolism and layered meanings. Tully believes Stephen King is a master at this and appreciates his work for its enduring appeal. She sees King as the Charles Dickens of his genre- a gifted storyteller that taps into human emotions. She also recognizes the purging quality of horror, arguing that horror stories actually allow people to release their fears. Tully’s experience working on the Emirati horror film Djinn taught her about the tradition of horror in the Arab region and the UAE. She was particularly inspired by the concept of djinn, a new and unique entity in global cinema. For the film, Tully conducted extensive research on djinn to stay true to their original context in Arab culture, exploring Islamic and Quranic references. Although Djinn did not live up to Director Toby Hooper’s reputation, Tully hoped that it would pave the way for more horror films in the UAE and the Arab region. She continues to support this vision through her work at the university, teaching the art and craft of writing and filmmaking.
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