MANILA, Philippines - Filmmaker Darren Lynn Bousman’s supernatural thriller 11-11-11 is focused more on the nearly fervent cult that has formed around the number. The film, starring Timothy Gibbs and Michale Landes, follows a writer who, following a recent tragedy, travels to Barcelona and becomes plagued by the mysterious, possibly ominous number leading up to the titular date. Bousman spoke recently about some of his research into the number that gives his movie its title, and the threats he received after 11-11-11 was announced.
How long have you been thinking about 11-11-11 as a project? What was its genesis?
“I researched it for a while and found out about the kind of cult around 11-11 — like what the true meaning of it was, and it was not at all like what I thought it was, it had nothing to do with simple numerology. I can tell you that since being introduced to this 11-11 phenomenon, I’m kind of obsessed, and I think the more you think about it, the more you will see as well how the number 11 permeates your life, and how important it is to your life. So it’s a built-in ticking clock, and every movie has a ticking clock, only this time it’s more phenomenal and chilling.”
Did you have any trepidation at all about getting some kind of negative reaction to the religious element?
“I’m not preaching in this movie. And where films kind of walk the tightrope and where they fall over is where they try to tell people what to believe in. You can be an atheist and watch this movie, you can be extremely religious and watch this movie, it’s not like I’m taking a side, saying ‘This is it,’ it’s very subjective. Here is this story that takes place in this world. I’m not saying that this exists or this doesn’t exist, it’s up to the audience to figure out what they want to believe in, and in fact, it represents both sides from an atheist and a religious person as the two central characters.
“So, no, in that respect I really wasn’t worried, but I will tell you that I did get death threats from the — they’re called ‘Eleveners’ — about making this movie. Numerous ones. I’ve made some of the most graphic, horrible things in the last couple of years, from throwing people in needle pits to cutting peoples’ heads off, and never so much as a negative word. But the minute they announce I’m making a movie called 11-11-11, people come out of the woodwork.”