The new sci-fi film Garm Wars: The Last Druid is something of a hybrid, combining live-action and animation. Directed by the renowned anime director Mamoru Oshii, it marks Oshii's first film foray into English-language territory and also marks the first major starring role for its female lead Khara (Mélanie St-Pierre), with verteran sci-fi actors Lance Henriksen and Kevin Durand co-staring.

Hailing from Canada, St-Pierre is a seasoned actress with plenty of experience, as well as a deep love for all things science-fiction. Enstars recently got the chance to catch up with St-Pierre to talk about the film, her starring role, food and more.

Enstars: Tell us about Garm Wars: The Last Druid and your character Khara.
Mélanie St-Pierre: The film takes place in Annwn, a world at war, populated by tribes of clones called Garm. I play Khara, a clone fighter pilot for the Columba Tribe. While in battle against the Briga Tribe, I rescue a mysterious trio: Wydd [Lance Henriksen], a Kumtak tribal elder; a sacred animal called Gula; and Nascien [Summer H. Howell], a young Druid, the last of her kind. After fighting their captor, the ruthless Briga soldier Skellig [Kevin Durand], we all embark on a long journey to the holy land of Dual Grund to seek the truth of our existence and to find meaning behind our endless warring. Along the way, our uneasy alliance quickly becomes a true camaraderie as we face off against the giants, titan-like guardians of Dual Grund.

What drew you to this character?
I was already a huge fan of Mamoru Oshii's work and the moment I saw the breakdown for the audition, I knew exactly who Khara was. Oshii's protagonist women all have a certain gravitas and serenity. They are old souls. There aren't very many strong female protagonist roles in action or sci-fi and I was very excited about the opportunity to portray such a unique and introspective character, all while getting to do incredible fight choreography and live in this alien world conjured up by one of my favorite anime directors of all time. It was a real treat!

How did you prepare for a role like this?
There were many layers to the preparation I did for this role. I relied heavily on my knowledge of the trademark Oshii heroine and doing some martial arts growing up also really helped me get into the serene warrior-like nature of Khara...I was also very fortunate to feel extremely prepared to undertake such a physical role due to my background in ballet, acrobatics and circus. I was a professional trapeze artist and contortionist growing up, and those disciplines really lent themselves well to the agility and combat skills that Khara needed to have.

Okay, so give us three reasons why people should see this film.
First I'll guarantee the film is unlike any film you've seen before! Oshii really broke the mold and created what I would consider a new genre. Part action, part sci-fi, part animation and part live-action [so] I think Garm Wars is really unique...Second, the film is gorgeous. Toronto VFX company Intelligent Creatures created some breathtaking visuals and really brought the world of Annwn to life. And third, I think people will get a special treat with the Garm Wars' soundtrack. Oshii's long-time collaborator Kenji Kawai made a score that still gives me goose bumps. Some of the Garm score has lyrics that are in Gaelic. There are many Celtic themes in the film. [They're] sung by traditional Mongolian singers [though]. The result is really beautiful. Garm Wars truly is a feast for the senses.

This is your first major starring role, what did you take away from the experience?
Shooting Garm Wars was the absolute time of my life. Everyone on the production was so close-knit and I ended up with a new family that we jokingly refer to as the "Garmy." Many of us still talk regularly...It was a really unique kind of shoot with an international team speaking three languages (English, French and Japanese) and we shot it in a storyboard format, sometimes line by line, which was so different from anything the cast had ever done before. And though none of us will probably ever do another project quite like it, I think we all truly grew from the experience.

This film is full of action sequences, were there any that were your favorite to shoot?
The fight between Skellig and Khara was my absolute favorite! Kevin and I started fight training several weeks before the start of production. We worked with the incredibly talented Hitz International stunt team from Vancouver who really took the time to choreograph something unique and creative. It was really grueling, and I remember production sent someone over to our hotel with a jumbo bucket of Epsom salts to soak in, but I adored every single minute of it.

What do you hope people take away from watching this film?
Something I really love about Mamoru Oshii films is that the audience can get something different from them every time. Oshii likes to use a lot of references in his films, often religious or cultural, and you might not pick up on them all the first time you see them. His philosophies and themes seem to really stay relevant no matter when or where you see his films, and Garm Wars is no different. Despite the fact that it takes place in an alien world populated by clones, they seek the same answers we do: "Who are we? Why do we fight?" I hope that people who see this film leave inspired to introspect and dream all while enjoying the spectacular visuals and action!

Since you're a major sci-fi fan what are your favorites in literature, film and television? Why?
The very first sci-fi book I read when I was little was Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. After that I was hooked. The combination of fiction and theoretical physics has always been my favorite, throw in some fantasy and I'm on board! Though it may be considered more fantasy than sci-fi, I have to list The Dark Tower series from Stephen King...The X-Files, Battlestar Galactica and Firefly were my favorite sci-fi shows, though this past year I really got into Extant with Halle Berry. It's fantastic! As for films, I love everything from Aliens and the original Total Recall to Inception to Donnie Darco. It's impossible to name only a few!

Switching gears since it is officially fall and we know you enjoy cooking, what is your favorite fall dish? How about dessert?
If I had the afternoon to cook, I'd have to say a Tourtière, a traditional Québécois meat pie, but in a pinch, my absolute go-to fall dish is a spice-rubbed steak with roasted corn salsa. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but my favorite fall dessert would have to be red wine poached pears topped with walnuts and cinnamon. Beats pumpkin spice any day of the week!

Garm Wars: The Last Druid is out on VOD now.

Tags: Garm Wars: The Last Druid Mélanie St-Pierre