Queer Horror The Office is Mine Short Reveals Workplace Politics Can Be Killer.
Office politics are about to take a deadly turn.
Making its debut at film festivals this summer is The Office is Mine, a biting and darkly comedic tale of workplace horror that reveals something about the competitive nature within us all.
The result of a creative collaboration between filmmaker & queer horror advocate Michael Varrati (Tales of Poe, He Drinks) and celebrated actor & filmmaker Ben Baur (Hunting Season, #Adulting), The Office is Mine is a searing, satirical, and blood-soaked portrait of what happens when we allow our perceptions of our social standing dictate our self-worth.
Written and directed by Varrati and based on a story concept by Baur, The Office is Mine stars Ben Baur, Chris Salvatore (the Eating Out franchise, The Quiet Room), and Navaris Darson (The Other Two, American Horror Story), with supporting cast that features Sarah Nicklin (Nun of That, The Haunting of Alice D), Phylicia Wissa (It Hits You When You Know It, Santa Clarita Diet), and Chris Baker (Baker Daily).
Synopsis: Despite the corporate monotony of his job, Zac (Baur) feels like he’s got it all figured out. As the “only gay in the office,” his penchant for hot gossip and “in the know” recommendations have assured his place as the most fabulous employee in another wise dull landscape. Or so he thinks. With the arrival of a new hire, the ultra-chic Tristan (Salvatore), Zac suddenly feels like the very thing that makes him stand out is in jeopardy. What’s more, Zac finds himself increasingly convinced that Tristan is intentionally trying to replace him. Despite the assurance of his boyfriend, Owen (Darson), that all is fine…Zac can’t help but slipping further into a world of paranoia and self-doubt. As Zac’s world begins to unravel, it sets him on a collision course with Tristan…who may or may not be all that he seems. As the two men propel toward a violent and unpredictable confrontation, only one thing is certain: The office isn’t big enough for the both of them.
“Michael and I had been trying to find a project to do together for a while,” says Baur of the film. “…and we kept coming back to stories where we used horror as a commentary about things in our lives and our community. As someone who has been in and made a number of queer films and shows, I became really interested in the ways in which gay men can be really horrible to each other…and I thought using horror was a great way to explore that idea.”
“Ben and I had been bouncing around all sorts of queer horror concepts,” says Varrati, “When he came to me with the idea of a guy in an office who feels threatened by the arrival of another gay person…it really struck a chord. I’m interested in the dynamics of queer interaction, and I think sometimes we’re very territorial with each other and push each other away when instead we should be in each’s other’s corner. Once the idea was planted, I went off and wrote the script in the matter of a few days. It just flowed out of me, because I related. There’s a lot of dark humor in the piece, but it comes from a place about how we need to be better to each other and ourselves.”
In addition to the involvement of Varrati, Baur, and the film’s all-star cast, The Office is Mine is produced by Brandon Kirby (I’m Fine), and features cinematography and a score by Andrew J. Ceperley (Narcos: Mexico).
The Office is Mine is set to debut on the film festival circuit this summer, with a premiere date to be announced.
