How ‘Outside’ explores generational trauma and the monsters within ourselves

Beauty Gonzalez and Sid Lucero in a scene from “Outside.” Image: Courtesy of Netflix

For Sid Lucero, Beauty Gonzalez, and Marco Masa, working on the psychological horror film “Outside” was a learning and unlearning experience, as it reminded them of the dangers beyond the zombies outside their fictional home.

Set in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, Francis Abel (Lucero) and his wife Iris (Gonzalez) and their sons Joshua (Masa) and Lucas (Aiden Tyler Patdu) find refuge in the mansion of Francis’ parents. But while they spend their lives in isolation, they discover that unresolved generational traumas and hidden demons are greater than the undead.

“After doing ‘Outside,’ I had to go out of the country just to get myself together. It was a rollercoaster of emotions,” Gonzalez told INQUIRER.net in a one-on-one interview. Also joining her were Lucero and Masa, who are a far cry from their soulless characters in the film.

The actress didn’t undergo any preparation for Iris. Instead, she put her trust in the “beautiful script” written by Filipino-Australian filmmaker Carlo Ledesma, and in her co-stars to get her through its gut-wrenching storyline.

“Trust is a big thing. I believe that preparing too much might end up making my portrayal look unnatural,” she said, explaining her process behind giving life to Iris. “I like it raw and real. And just follow the direction of the script because Direk Carlos wrote such a beautiful story.”

(From left) Sid Lucero, Beauty Gonzalez, Marco Masa, and filmmaker Carlo Ledesma during a dialogue for the film “Outside.” Image: Courtesy of Netflix

Masa, on the other hand, said Joshua bore the weight of generational trauma that his onscreen father has harbored since childhood. “The impact of generational trauma will pass on to generations,” he said, recalling what his character endured throughout the film.

One of the noteworthy scenes that shows the film’s message of generational trauma — a familiar scenario that Filipino families go through — is Joshua’s determination to prove his worth to Francis, even going so far as to take other people’s lives.

Portraying his character reminded Masa that many children do not have the privilege of being recognized by their parents. “Especially at my age, it’s also a big thing [for kids] to seek validation from their parents. They would do everything to show that their efforts are worth noticing. I’m really happy that I had the chance to bond with my family after taping.”

There was a moment of silence when Lucero pondered upon what he had to learn and unlearn while doing the psychological horror film. “This whole project was different for me because — I don’t want to get into it that much — but I was going through some weird thing in my career and how I was doing my job,” he admitted.

Lucero showed the range of his acting prowess in “Outside” through the lens of Francis. From the surface, his character seems to be a father who’s determined to protect his family from the zombies. But as the film progresses, Francis turns out to be a father with unresolved issues, harbored hatred, and a lot of dark secrets worse than the undead monsters roaming around their home.

“For some reason, doing this job and watching everyone do their jobs just hit me so personally. It affected my career. It ignited something in me,” the actor explained. “I don’t want to get too personal because it’s too boring but that’s what I took home from the film.”

When asked to expound more on his response, Lucero said the film was a “personal experience” that ignited something in him. And while doing this project was “awesome” for him, it lit a fire that he needed to keep going.

“I think the way people were being themselves made me realize that I should place myself in the world that I’m in. Let’s just leave it at that. This movie — I told my castmates and my director this — it was a very personal experience,” he said. “Yes, we did the film. And the experience was awesome. But it did something to me like all my projects after this, I ate it up. I was on fire after this.”

(From left) Sid Lucero, Beauty Gonzalez, Marco Masa, and filmmaker Carlo Ledesma pose for photos during a dialogue for “Outside.” Image: Courtesy of Netflix

Are horror films fun?

Since “Outside” contains horror elements, laughs were heard after Gonzalez admitted that she’s not a fan of horror films. She then clarified that while she doesn’t enjoy seeing films of this genre, the process of making them is what excites her.

“I don’t like to scare myself. But I love doing horror because it’s challenging,” she said. “It’s like comedy. You have to think about the timing and if your reactions and intentions of scaring others are done right.”

It’s common among horror fans to be scared or judgmental toward the character’s “stupidity.” Masa agreed that characters in horror stories would sometimes make foolish decisions, but taking on the genre taught them how to understand where they’re coming from.

Aiden Tyler Patdu, Marco Masa, Beauty Gonzalez, and Sid Lucero in a scene from “Outside.” Image: Courtesy of Netflix

“I sometimes get annoyed when the main character would make foolish decisions as well. But I’ve come to the point where — since I’ve been making movies as well — I understand them. It makes sense after all,” said the former child actor.

Seconding his onscreen son, Lucero said he would rather appreciate the art behind horror stories than dwell on the characters’ “stupid” decisions throughout its storyline.

“All of the above. I find them [scary and I find a character’s decision stupid]. But at least for me, it’s really more of how I would do the [horror film itself]. I admire the art behind it,” he said.