Director Emily Turner on Revisiting Aileen Wuornos' Story in New Documentary

The Unseen Interview

• 💡 The documentary "Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers" explores a new perspective on serial killer Aileen Wuornos, prompted by access to a never-before-seen two-hour interview she gave on death row.
• 🔑 This interview was with her friend, artist and filmmaker Jasmine Hurst, who had been corresponding with Wuornos and held onto the footage for years, wanting it to be shared appropriately.
• 🎯 The director, Emily Turner, highlights that this interview deviates from Wuornos' consistent claim of killing the seven men in self-defense.

A Complex Persona

• 🎭 The footage reveals a different side of Wuornos, showing her as soft, compassionate, and charming, which contrasts with the public perception of her as a cold-blooded killer.
• 🧩 Turner notes that Wuornos' demeanor shifts within the interview, moving from anger to tenderness, presenting conflicting and contradictory aspects of her personality.
• 🧠 The film challenges the easy categorization of individuals, suggesting that Wuornos' complexity doesn't fit neatly into pre-defined boxes.

Filmmaking and Trust

• 🤝 Documentary filmmaking relies heavily on building trust and cultivating relationships to gain access to personal stories.
• 🎥 Turner's colleagues at BBC Studios spent four years building a relationship with Jasmine Hurst to secure the interview footage.
• ✨ The initial moments of the film, showing Wuornos in a relaxed, friendly state, were particularly arresting and served as the director's entry point into the project.