Melbourne Documentary Film Festival 2026: Silver Screamers | Interview with Sean Cisterna

If cinema is an art that brings people together, the process of making it can be just as unifying. That’s exactly what Silver Screamers beautifully demonstrates. Directed by Sean Cisterna, this refreshing feature-length documentary is full of warmth, humanity, and the uplifting power of collective creativity. The film follows the joyful journey of a small group of retirees who come together to help make a short horror film, sharing their life experience while eagerly embracing new skills along the way.

With generosity and infectious enthusiasm, the film shows how the project transforms everyone involved. It sparks meaningful intergenerational connections, encourages personal growth on both sides, and offers the seniors a welcome escape from routine and isolation.

In the wake of an exciting festival run, Silver Screamers is landing in Australia, at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, where we had the pleasure of speaking with director Sean Cisterna.

Aurélie Géron: We really appreciated the subject of the film, it is a wonderful community initiative! How did you first come up with the idea for this project?

Sean Cisterna: Thank you! I sort of created it from scratch after I kept getting rejected from various film funds – hey, it’s the same sad story of every filmmaker!  But then I came across a federal funding opportunity that had to do with keeping seniors active in their communities, and so I took that failed film rejection and spun the application to work for a “filmmaking workshop for seniors”. And thus the project was born. That led me to thinking a lot about the role creativity plays as we get older, and I wondered what would happen if a group of seniors were given the opportunity to make something completely unexpected. Not a craft project or a choir, but a horror film. It was such an absurd idea that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. We began reaching out to retirement homes, seniors’ centres, church groups and community organizations looking for volunteers, and what started as an experiment quickly became something much bigger. The documentary grew organically as I realized the real story wasn’t just the horror film they were making, but it was how the experience was changing the people making it.

Aurélie Géron: Were the seniors who volunteered chosen based on their expertise? The pitch they were initially given to introduce the project does not appear to specify required skills, yet the team that was formed is made up of well-identified and complementary talents. Was this just a coincidence?

Sean Cisterna: It really was a happy coincidence. We weren’t looking for people with filmmaking experience at all. We simply asked, “Would you like to help make a horror film?” and let curiosity do the rest. Some people had artistic backgrounds, others had never held a camera before. As we got to know them, we started matching personalities and interests to different filmmaking roles. Lucia’s artistic background naturally led her toward production design. Sonny had experience with various consumer cameras over the years, so he gravitated back to the camera. Diane had worked in theatre, so special effects makeup felt like a natural fit. We weren’t building a team from résumés, but rather from people’s enthusiasm. That was one of the lovely surprises of the whole project.

Introducing a group of first-time filmmakers ranging in age from 72 to 96 meant we all had to rethink how we worked.

Aurélie Géron: The film captures moments of questioning and doubt, highlighting how the professional team had to adapt their own practices to fully integrate the seniors who volunteered. Was it important for you to show that the process wasn’t as simple as it might seem, and that it takes the commitment of the entire team for the project to succeed?

Sean Cisterna: Absolutely. If we’d only shown the successes, it wouldn’t have been an honest documentary. Filmmaking is challenging even when everyone on set does it for a living. Introducing a group of first-time filmmakers ranging in age from 72 to 96 meant we all had to rethink how we worked. We slowed things down, we explained more, we adapted equipment and schedules, and sometimes we had to throw our original plans out the window altogether. But that’s where the magic happened. It stopped being professionals teaching seniors, and became everyone learning from each other. I think that’s why the film resonates. It shows that meaningful intergenerational inclusion takes patience and commitment, but the rewards are well worth it.

Aurélie Géron: The short film on which the protagonists are working appears to have been shot in a house with fairly confined spaces. How did you approach the logistical challenge of shooting two films in the same location?

Sean Cisterna: It was definitely one of the biggest challenges. We were essentially making two films at once: The Rug and Silver Screamers. The historic house wasn’t particularly large, so our documentary crew had to become almost invisible. We kept our footprint as small as possible, anticipated moments before they happened, and accepted that we couldn’t capture everything. Sometimes we’d quietly step out of the way because the horror film needed the space. Other times we’d squeeze into a hallway or corner just to capture a genuine interaction. We embraced that documentary mindset of observing rather than directing. In the end, those limitations actually helped the film feel more intimate because you’re right there with everyone as it unfolds – good or bad.

Aurélie Géron: Did the seniors participate in the making of the documentary’s ending, which itself borrows from the conventions of the horror genre?

Sean Cisterna: Yes, they absolutely did. Without giving too much away, we wanted the ending to celebrate everything they’d accomplished while also paying tribute to the genre they’d spent months bringing to life. It felt important that the documentary itself reflected their sense of fun. By that point they’d fully embraced horror filmmaking, so ending with a playful wink to the audience felt like the perfect way to close the story. It was very much in keeping with the spirit of the group.

I hope Silver Screamers starts conversations that continue long after the credits roll.

Aurélie Géron: What do you hope to take away from presenting your film at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival?

Sean Cisterna: First of all, it’s an honour simply to be invited to screen at this prestigious festival. Australia has such a vibrant documentary community, and Melbourne audiences have a reputation for really embracing (and creating) character-driven films.
Beyond that, I hope Silver Screamers starts conversations that continue long after the credits roll. One of the things I’ve learned travelling with the film is that these themes are universal. Whether you’re in Canada where I’m from, Australia, or anywhere else, people respond to the idea that creativity doesn’t have an expiry date. If someone leaves the theatre inspired to start a creative program in a retirement community, invite an older relative to try something new, or simply rethink what’s possible in later life, then the film has done exactly what I hoped it would do. That’s the greatest takeaway I could ask for!

You can follow Silver Screamers on Instagram and Facebook or follow director Sean Cisterna.

This article is part of a collaboration with the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, presented online from July 1–31, 2026, and in cinemas from July 7–19, 2026.