If there’s one thing I’ve learned from attending and writing about horror film festivals over the past few years, it’s that the short film selections often end up being more interesting and memorable than the features. I have a real soft spot for short-form horror fiction, and I frequently find […]
From the Festivals
DEBONE (Panic Fest 2026)
Is there something in the water at Korean universities? Before Debone kicks off, it states on screen that it’s the work of a remarkable student, which basically means that writer/director Lee Dae-han’s debut feature is of such a high standard that even his old teachers at university applaud his work, […]
Dead Bloom (Panic Fest 2026)
Eco-horror has never felt so timely as a genre. From the rise of AI threatening clean water, to water companies pumping sewage into seas and rivers, there are constant headlines of man-made threats to our environment. At the heart of it is corporate greed and indifference, no matter how much […]
Creature of the Pines (Panic Fest 2026)
From its origins in movies like Cannibal Holocaust, The MacPherson Tapes and The Blair Witch Project, found footage has evolved from a way to imply unreal events took place in the real world into a surprisingly expansive genre. It struggled in the early 2010s when it seemed every other horror […]
Break A Leg (Panic Fest 2026)
Within the indie sphere of any art form there will always be room for projects where performers make their own opportunities rather than waiting for someone else’s validation or permission. It’s the lifeblood of the independent ideal, and one of the reasons why so many actors transition into directing, and […]
Dead Media (Panic Fest 2026)
The age of streaming is the age of convenience. Everything you fancy watching is available at the press of a button, all wrapped up in a much more affordable price than buying or renting individual films. But with the rise of streaming, we audiences have lost something beautiful – bonus […]
Buffet Infinity (II) (Panic Fest 2026)
It’s a beautiful day in Westridge County. The sun is shining, the birds are behaving strangely, the local fringe religious movement are advertising their upcoming book fair, and a large sinkhole has opened up in the car park outside everyone’s favourite new spot to eat… Buffet Infinity! Offering a seemingly […]
Pitfall (Panic Fest 2026)
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: James Kondelik’s Pitfall is a slasher set in the woods – which maybe needs a little more context because “slasher‑in‑the‑woods” is one of the alpha tropes of horror. It’s a stereotype that’s so baked‑in it reads like a joke, but the spoiler […]
The Burning of Broken Beak (Panic Fest 2026)
One of the first things I do when a film festival drops its programme is scan the catalogue for the titles that leap off the page, which is almost like picking goofy horse names for the Grand National – sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn’t. For Missouri’s Panic Fest, […]
The Plan (Slamdance Film Festival 2026)
Sometimes, friends are exactly what you don’t need. For every smidgeon of love and support, there’s a wave of loyalty and peer pressure that comes with it, taking a bad thought and turning it into a frightening reality. A very 2020s version of that precise tension is found in Jessica […]