A new member of the Red Clan is out making his directorial debut, “Posthouse,” helmed by Nikolas Red, who is the son of Raymond Red, the brother of Mikhail Red, and the cousin of Rae Red.

“Starting my first feature, I really wanted to find my own footing instead of leaning heavily on them,” confesses Nikolas. But it’s impossible to completely separate Nikolas from the family legacy of award-winning independent filmmakers. “My dad’s influence goes way back — he exposed me to classic cinema at a very young age, including a DVD box set of silent horror films like ‘Nosferatu,’ ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,’ and ‘The Golem.’”

Nikolas is the go-to editor of his brother, Mikhail, in “Eerie,” “Dead Kids,” “Block Z,” “Deleter,” and “Lilim,” among others. “One of the biggest lessons I picked up from working with Mikhail is film language— knowing when to compromise and reshape a scene if it’s not working,” relates the 2022 MMFF Award Best Editing winner.

Editing has taught him that a film remains malleable in post-production, and in some cases, he would essentially rewrite scenes during the edit. “That flexibility has been invaluable for me as a director,” he adds.

What was his inspiration for “Posthouse?” He answers, “Mainly working as an editor, I think it was inevitable that my first film would be rooted in my own experiences in the cutting room.”

He started the concept of his debut film while working alone at night during the editing of “Eerie.” “I saw an ‘anomaly’ in one of the raw footage I was assembling,” he muses. “This disturbed me but also sparked the idea to make a film about an editor being haunted.”

“Posthouse” follows a film editor and his daughter who race to bring back a lost Filipino horror silent film. It uncovers a manananggal, targeting the family’s roots and plagued legacy.

His influences go back to silent-era directors like Robert Wiene (“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”), Benjamin Christensen (“Häxan”), F.W. Murnau (“Nosferatu”), and Paul Wegener (“The Golem”). “I also admire how films like ‘The Tingler’ and ‘The Babadook’ used ‘a film within the film’ as a horror device,” quips the University of the Philippines student.

His biggest challenge was working with the actors. “As an editor, you’re often removed from that side of the acting process, but as a director, you have to be fully engaged with performance — listening, collaborating, and being open to their suggestions.”

Produced by Studio Viva and Evolve Studios, for Viva Films, “Posthouse” stars Bea Binene, Sid Lucero, Rafa Siguion-Reyna, with Ryza Cenon and Carlitos Siguion-Reyna. “I was fortunate to work with incredibly talented actors who were generous with their insights and also receptive to my vision, which made that transition a lot smoother,” recalls the 31-year-old filmmaker.

“Posthouse” was first discovered at the NAFF Fantastic Film School (2020), where the concept was first developed. It joined the Fiction Lab at the Full Circle Lab Philippines and went on to win the VIPO Award and Asian Discovery Award at the Network of Asian Fantastic Films (NAFF) at BIFAN 2022.

When we asked his brother, Mikhail, if he was going to give a passing mark to Nikolas, he replied, “Yes, it’s a good film.”

“Posthouse” is going to the Osaka Asian Film Festival, with screenings from Aug. 29 to Sept. 7, 2025. “Festival screenings were always part of the plan from the beginning,” admits Nikolas. “For a debut filmmaker, having the film travel and be seen by different audiences is important.” Produced by Studio Viva and Evolve Studios for Viva Films, “Posthouse” screens in local cinemas nationwide on Aug. 20, 2025.