Can you tell me a little bit about how Rat King came about, what was it about Joonas Jaatinen story that connected with you as a filmmaker?

 

Rat King was born in 2020, during the period when the pandemic forced restaurants to close. Joonas was working as a chef at the time, in a restaurant with a very peculiar pest controller. He often told me about him. His physique and style immediately reminded me of the character we eventually created: impeccably dressed, with a long braid that resembled a rat’s tail. We would often talk about how he would make such an interesting film character.

​

When April 2020 came and Joonas was stuck at home, we realised it was the perfect moment to start writing the story. The absurdity and magical realism in the tale resonated deeply with my own style as a filmmaker, but it was also the themes of survival and identity that really drew me in. These were subjects I had been exploring in my own life for some time, and it felt exciting to engage with them through this story.

​

What was the process co-writing your screenplay with Joonas?

 

The process was really a beautiful one. Joonas was very generous with his story and open to my ideas. Since he’s my husband and we were already living together at the time, a lot of it involved sitting on the sofa together, breaking down the characters, and bouncing ideas back and forth. Then there was also a lot of individual work, before returning to the sofa to share and refine what we had developed.

 

Did you have any apprehensions about directing Joonas? 

 

Not at all. I’ve known Joonas for a long time, and even before he began acting, I always knew he had great potential as a performer. Watching him throw himself into this role, so meticulous, dedicated, and passionate, was truly inspiring. For instance, he lost a lot of weight to embody Rat King, and he practiced the sounds of a rat with his mouth for hours every day. It was his first narrative role, and with limited resources and time, we made sure we were as prepared as possible. Seeing him bring the character to life on set was one of the most rewarding experiences of the whole process.

 

What was the message you wanted to say with this film and do you think you achieved it?

 

I don’t like to spell out a specific message with my films. I’m drawn to the idea that the same film can mean different things to different people, much like a painting can evoke unique responses from each viewer. For me, the goal was to explore the themes of survival and identity as fully and honestly as I could, and hopefully the film resonates emotionally with people, whatever that may be for them.

 

How essential was the creative collaboration between you and your team when working on Rat King?

 

It was absolutely crucial. Filmmaking is a team sport. Rat King wouldn’t exist without the vision, dedication, and creativity of the people I worked with. Each person brought their own ideas and expertise, and the collaborative energy shaped the film in profound ways. For example, through my collaboration with our editor Sam Allen, it is that we decided to film some pickup shots of a maze set representing East London, which feels like such a key part of the film now. 

 

What was the most challenging scene for you to film?

 

I’d say the most challenging scene was the alleyway sequence at the end of the film. We were running out of time and had to leave the location, so we only had two takes to get it right. It’s a continuous steadicam shot, which meant everything had to align perfectly: the camera movement, lighting, and, of course, the performances. We got a last minute reward when a fox appeared behind the characters at the back of the frame, and entered the building at the exact moment the character River does. I had associated an animal to each character when developing the script, Rat King was the rat, Laila was the cat, Leon was the bird, and River was a fox. So to say this was magical is an understatement. 

 

Have you always had a passion for filmmaking?

 

I’ve always had a passion for films. I’m an absolute film nerd. From the age of three, I was obsessed with watching movies, including Pedro Almodóvar’s work, which I definitely couldn’t understand at the time, but was fascinated by nonetheless. It wasn’t until later that I realised I could actually make films myself and turn that obsession into a career.

 

How did you create your visual language?

 

I didn’t really plan it, my visual language developed naturally as I directed projects throughout my film school years. I think it’s a melting pot of all my influences: the avant-garde and expressionistic filmmakers I love, the cultures I come from or the literature and art I was exposed to.