Long wanting to catch Kenichi Ugana’s work, it wasn’t until we caught the inimitable punk fever of last year’s The Gesouidoz (at London Fanta) that we finally caught up with the eclectic director making a name for himself on the international festival circuit. When his name popped up again for […]
From the Festivals
Our Picks from Fantasia Film Festival’s 2026
Happy 30th Anniversary to Fantasia Film Festival, the Montreal‑based titan of the genre space. Over the past three decades it has grown from upstart festival to one of the few global events genre fans look to for upcoming trends, talent breakouts, and the next 12 months of must‑see titles. Put […]
Seahorse (Raindance Film Festival 2026) A Compassionate Feature Debut
Having just completed its run at the UK Raindance Film Festival, Seahorse is an affecting and well-intentioned feature debut from Canadian actor & filmmaker Aisha Evelyna. As well as writing and directing the film, Evelyna also takes the lead role of Nola, a Toronto woman seeking stability following a stay […]
Littermates (Dances with Films 2026) A Whimsical, Well‑Crafted British Oddity
Scott Tinkham & Michael Woloson’s feature debut fills me with the best kind of nostalgia. Before the most destructive vote in British political history, independent British cinema was in a far healthier place, to the extent that it felt like there was a genuine breakthrough of a new creative voice […]
Kikuyu Land (Sheffield Doc Fest 2026) A journey into the truths a nation keeps buried
Paraphrasing one of the younger subjects of Andrew H. Brown and Bea Wangondu’s documentary Kikuyu Land (fresh from screening at Sheffield’s DocFest), a young man who has probably seen far too much far too young notes that, like any country, there’s the version the world sees and the version kept […]
Panic Fest 2026 – Online Shorts Roundup
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 […]
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 […]