SUNIL PERKASH is a prolific boots-on-the-ground producer who loves films and is passionate about filmmaking. You may not know his name, but you know his films. Blast from the Past, Premonition, Salt, Enchanted, Spy Intervention, just to name a few. And now Sunil adds LAST SURVIVORS to that list. I spoke with him at length in this exclusive conversation talking not only about LAST SURVIVORS, but some of his prior films plus a little tidbit of what’s to come with the highly anticipated Disenchanted.
Surrounding himself with like-minded collaborators, you will find some common threads among the films of SUNIL PERKASH, be it director Drew Mylrea, actors Alicia Silverstone and Mark Famiglietti, actor/producer Drew Van Acker, or even thematic aspects in a “fish out of water” vein. And it all truly comes together with LAST SURVIVORS, with a strong assist by the pandemic lockdown!
Directed by Drew Mylrea with script by Josh Janowicz, LAST SURVIVORS stars Drew Van Acker, Stephen Moyer, and Alicia Silverstone. Taking us into a barren yet beautiful post-apocalyptic world where Troy has spent the past 20 years raising his now-grown son, Jake, their life together has been almost Edenesque in its creation and existence; a perfect wooded utopia thousands of miles away from the rest of the world. When Troy is severely wounded, Jake is forced to travel to the outside world to find life-saving medicine. Ordered to kill any humans he encounters, Jake defies his father when he meets a mysterious and kind woman, Henrietta. As Jake continues this relationship and learns more about the world outside his cloistered existence, Troy determines to do whatever it takes to get rid of Henrietta and protect the perfect utopia he created.
While he produces studio films and indies alike, SUNIL PERKASH is a true champion and believer in independent films and how that impacts telling stories that he wants to see and tell. Enthusiastic and energetic, he goes into great detail talking about what he looks for in story and how he likes to see “culture clashes and people with disparate points of view coming together” while being “fascinated by this idea of humanity versus hatred and how you can be so hateful towards humanity”, something we see pan out in LAST SURVIVORS.
Digging into LAST SURVIVORS, we cover, among others, the story origination, casting, cinematography, production design, editing, score, and the importance and benefit of shooting on location in Montana in winter at the height of pandemic lockdown. As a producer, Sunil leaves no stone unturned when it comes to his knowledge and involvement in his productions. And each film is the better for it.
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 02/02/2022
