Independent horror comedy often thrives when sharp physical humour meets unabashed creature mayhem. Director Quentin Lee has cast two-time Canadian Screen Award winner Josette Jorge as the female lead in his upcoming feature Curse of Undead, teaming her with Kim’s Convenience star Andrew Phung for a bloody send-up of supernatural panic.
Jorge steps into the role of Tala Everybody, an ambitious online creator who finds herself stranded in the middle of a black-magic reanimation plot on an isolated Philippine island.
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The assignment marks another creative reunion for the Vancouver actor, who recently acted opposite Tzi Ma and Kyle Toy in Lee’s upcoming drama The Way You Dance and made guest appearances on Phung’s sitcom Run the Burbs.
“Having worked with both Quentin Lee and Andrew Phung on separate projects, I knew I wanted to be involved when the two joined forces,” Jorge said. “As a proud Filipina-Canadian, I’m especially excited to be part of this Canada-Philippines co-production and to help bring Curse of the Undead to life.”
Sorcery, Documentaries, and Carnage
The film tracks a down-on-his-luck Canadian documentarian who travels across the Pacific to film what he expects will be an ordinary non-fiction project.
Instead, he stumbles into a necromancer’s supernatural rebellion. While racing to survive the horde and expose the truth on camera, he discovers that the raw footage meant to salvage his career carries a lethal ancient hex.
Phung, who stars as the beleaguered filmmaker and produces the film, praised Jorge’s comedic range and screen presence.
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“Josette Jorge is a powerhouse of a performer who can effortlessly move from comedy to drama and everything in between,” Phung said. “Her body of work is filled with excellence in every role she’s taken on, and I can’t wait to jump into this bloody over-the-top zombie movie with her!”
Lee noted that he envisioned Jorge for the part as soon as the project came together.
“When Josette reached out about working together again, I sent her the script for Curse of Undead because I thought she would be perfect for Tala Everybody, a social media influencer with a lethal edge,” Lee explained. “I’m thrilled she’s joining us.”
A Decade in the Making
The project brings together experienced genre creators behind the scenes. Lee penned the screenplay with bestselling horror author Grady Hendrix, whose novels include My Best Friend’s Exorcism and How to Sell a Haunted House.
Executive producer Roger Garcia, former head of the Hong Kong International Film Festival and the Asian Film Awards Academy, initiated development on the concept with Lee more than ten years ago.
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British Columbia company Margin Films Ltd. is financing and producing the feature as an official Canada-Philippines co-production, with Lee, producing partner Cindy Au Yeung, and Phung leading the team. The production continues their commitment to centering Asian North American voices in genre cinema.
Meanwhile, Lee continues his work in comedy television, releasing the third season of his stand-up showcase Comedy InvAsian on digital platforms alongside co-creator Koji Steven Sakai.
