Creating a Maniac: Director Pierre Tsigaridis & Star Dina Silva on the Origins of Frankie, Maniac Woman

Heaven of Horror recently spoke with writer/director Pierre Tsigaridis and writer/actor/musician Dina Silva about their new horror film, Frankie, Maniac Woman, which is playing film festivals around the world.

For their new feature Frankie, Maniac Woman, director Pierre Tsigaridis and lead actor/musician Dina Silva dive headfirst into the blood-splattered, darkly comedic heart of modern horror. The film marks their most personal—and wildest—collaboration yet, born from nearly a decade of friendship, creative trust, and a shared love of slashers with sharp edges and even sharper commentary. What began as a conversation about the double standards women face in the entertainment and music industries evolved into a stylish, vicious, and unapologetically character-driven horror film with something to say—and plenty of fun saying it.

We had the chance to ask Pierre and Dina about the origins of Frankie, crafting a killer with purpose, last-minute casting chaos, the thrill of writing original music for the film, and even an unexpected musical cameo that made its way into the final cut. They also share how actress Stefanie Estes (fresh off a standout performance in Soft & Quiet) joined the project, and what fans can expect when Frankie, Maniac Woman slices her way into wider release.

Read on for the full interview—equal parts insightful, candid, and exactly as delightfully chaotic as you’d hope from the team behind one of the most exciting new indie horror movies.

Read our review of Frankie, Maniac Woman here >

How did you get the idea for making Frankie, Maniac Woman? Was it always the plan to have Dina Silva in the lead role?

DINA & PIERRE: The idea for Frankie Maniac Woman actually goes all the way back to the very beginning of my friendship with Dina, almost nine years ago. We bonded instantly over our love of horror, and right away, we knew we wanted to make films and shorts together. At some point, we asked ourselves, “Okay, if we were to write a horror movie, what would it be about?”

Dina said something that really stuck with me: she wanted to write from her real life. So I asked her what truly grinds her gears. And at the time, it was the double standard women face in the entertainment and music industries, how beauty can sometimes take you further than talent, and how frustrating and unfair that dynamic is.

That sparked the core idea: what if we exorcised the demons through a slasher film? What if our killer targeted the very thing that society overvalues, outward beauty? Since we both grew up loving classic slashers and iconic horror villains, the concept clicked immediately. Mixing horror with dark comedy also felt natural, especially because Dina originally came from comedy.

With just the two of us, me directing and Dina acting, it quickly became obvious that she had to be Frankie. We’ve always shared a deep level of trust and a very instinctive creative shorthand. To make a film like this, especially one so violent, provocative, and unapologetic, you need someone who understands you completely and has your back through the entire process. We didn’t want anyone placing restraints on who Frankie could be. So the project became this very intimate, fearless collaboration between us. Once we started filming, it all just felt incredibly natural, like the movie had been waiting for us since the day we met.

Pierre, when did you decide to play the role of Jerome? (for the record, this casting was perfect)

PIERRE: Thank you so much, I’m really happy to hear you enjoyed my portrayal of Jerome. What’s funny is that I was never supposed to play him. Dina and I had another actor lined up, but he canceled at the very last minute, literally the morning of the shoot. I remember feeling completely deflated, wondering how we were going to recover.

Then Dina just looked at me and said, “Why don’t you play him?” It was a wild idea because I had never acted before, but as a director, I thought it would be an amazing challenge. I honestly believe every director should step into an actor’s shoes at least once; it changes the way you communicate and gives you a whole new respect for the process.

Once I committed, it turned out to be incredibly fun. Dina and I had already shaped this character together, so slipping into Jerome felt strangely natural. And playing such an evil character was a blast; it let me explore a very dark, exaggerated side of the story in a way I didn’t expect.

It also made the rest of the shoot smoother. Since so many scenes were just Dina and me, we suddenly had more flexibility in our schedule. And in the end, taking on the role actually deepened our collaboration, on-screen and off-screen. What started as a potential crisis became one of the most rewarding surprises of the whole production.

When did Stefanie Estes join the project?

PIERRE: Stephanie actually reached out through her agent a while back after watching Two Witches. She told me she loved the film and wanted to know if I was working on a sequel or if there was any chance we could collaborate. The timing was wild because I had just seen her in Soft & Quiet on Netflix and had been completely blown away by her performance.

It really felt like synchronicity. We met soon after, and because I was in the middle of casting Frankie Maniac Woman, I immediately thought of her for the role. It was one of those perfect-timing moments where everything clicked.

I’m incredibly grateful to have her in the movie; she elevates the entire film and brings such a compelling, unsettling energy to Frankie’s journey. She’s the kind of actor who transforms a character into something unforgettable.

We loved the soundtrack! Is it possible to buy it?

DINA: As of right now, the music hasn’t been released yet, but we’re planning to put the full soundtrack on Spotify soon. We’re also considering doing a limited-edition vinyl pressing, which we’re really excited about. We’ll definitely announce it the moment it becomes real.

Thank you so much for digging the music; it truly means the world to us. And fun fact: Pierre is actually the drummer. And yes, when that vinyl comes out, we’ll make sure a copy finds its way to you.

Did you write the music for the movie, or was it in your back catalogue?

DINA: Yes, we wrote all the songs and music specifically for Frankie Maniac Woman, with the exception of one track: “Falling,” the song Frankie performs in the studio for Harland. That one actually existed beforehand; we wrote it with our band back in 2017, and it ended up being our most popular song at the time. Since it fit the emotional tone of that moment perfectly, we decided to bring it into the film.

All the other songs were newly composed with the same band members, and creating them was honestly one of the most fun parts of the process. Writing songs for a film you’re making is such a different kind of storytelling; it lets you shape the world from another angle.

And there’s a little piece of Frankie lore at the very end of the movie. The credits song is actually a full improv that was born completely by accident. We were shooting a scene at my old job, Tomato Pie in Silver Lake, and one of the regulars wandered in and ended up watching us film all night. That regular just happened to be Tim Armstrong from the punk band Rancid.

After we wrapped, he picked up a guitar and started playing. I started singing, and Suzie Moon, my coworker at the time, spontaneously joined in. We all started riffing and jamming together. And out of that late-night chaos, they created “Slicin’ Bitches.” It was pure magic and the perfect energy to close the film.

PIERRE: I also want to add that our amazing composer Matheo Techer did an amazing job scoring the rest of the orchestral music.

Dina, how did you come up with your hilarious IMDb biography?

DINA: First off, I just wanna say thank you for asking. That is a wonderful question. I believe in radical honesty. And everything in that bio is true. I don’t like to take myself too seriously. What you see is what you get! And I guess now I need to change the ending to my bio because I finally finished something!

Do you have any plans for making a new horror movie together? *fingers crossed*

DINA: You never know what the future holds. We definitely think this will be the first of many! It’s the second film we’ve done together (after Two Witches) and will not be the last!

How and when will horror fans get to watch Frankie, Maniac Woman in a wider release?

PIERRE: Right now, we don’t have an exact release date for Frankie Maniac Woman just yet, but we’ll be announcing updates very soon. What I can say is that “she”, Frankie herself, is absolutely coming in 2026. We’re incredibly excited to share the film with horror fans, and once our release path is fully locked, everyone will know. Stay tuned… she’s on her way.

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You can read our review of Frankie Maniac Woman here >