Tag Archives: film

UK Release Schedule: January – March 2022

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FRIGHT…
 The Last Thing Mary Saw 
 Starring:
Rory Culkin, Isabelle Fuhrman, Stephanie Scott 
Winter, 1843. A young woman is under investigation following the mysterious death of her family’s matriarch. Her recollection of the events sheds new light on the ageless forces behind the tragedy. 
Release Date: The Last Thing Mary Saw will stream on Shudder from 20th January 
 Shepherd 
 Starring:
Tom Hughes, Kate Dickie, Gaia Weiss & Greta Scacchi 
Eric Black is lost after the mysterious death of his adulterous wife. Running from his past to a new job as a Shepherd, he becomes trapped alone on a majestic, weather-beaten island with an ominous secret. One man’s spiralling madness meets a vengeful supernatural force. What starts as the perfect wind-swept escape becomes a race to save his sanity and his life. 
Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXUUOi4Y4ZI  
Release Date: Shepherd will be available on Blu-ray & Digital Download in February 
THRILL…
 HOME 
 Starring:
Jake McLaughlin, Kathy Bates & Aisling Franciosi 
When a 40-year-old man returns home from prison, he must confront the demons of his past. The directorial debut from Franka Potente, starring Academy Award Winner Kathy Bates (Misery, Richard Jewell), Jake McLaughlin (Warrior, Savages) and Aisling Franciosi (The Nightingale, The Fall). 
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_RnoLT7QPg 
Release Date: Home will be available on Digital Download from 24th January 
HELP 
 Starring:
Louis James, Emily Redpath, Sarah Alexandra Marks & Duncan James 
 Help follows Grace, who after a painful break up visits her friend Liv who is living in the idyllic English countryside with her boyfriend Edward and his dog Polly. The trio start the weekend in high spirits but dark revelations soon cascade the weekend into chaos. 
Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgSXweKXQLs  
Release Date: Help will have limited screenings on 15th February 
DRAMA…
 American Night 
Starring:
 Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Emile Hirsch, Paz Vega, Jeremy Piven & Michael Madsen
A neo-noir set in New York City’s corrupt contemporary art world where the art dealer John Kaplan and the ruthless head of New York’s mafia, Michael Rubino, fight for money, art, power and love. 
Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR0kFifm-sg
Release Date: American Night will be available on Digital Download from 7th February 
Hip Beat 
Starring:
Samuel Kay Forrest, Marie Celine Yildirim, and Judy LaDivina
Angy is a political activist fighting against the system while searching for love in the Berlin queer community. 
Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijhFQyGKE-w
Release Date: Hip Beat will be coming to Digital Download Q1 
 Master Cheng 
Starring:
 Pak Hon Chu, Anna-Maija Tuokko & Lucas Hsuan
When a mysterious stranger arrives at a small café in a remote Finnish village, accompanied by his son, he is looking for something – or somebody – but nobody can understand what. Unable to speak the language, he manages a few words in English with the locals, but all in vain. Taking pity on him, the owner, Sirkka, finds a place where he and his young son can stay, but it is only when he volunteers his services as a cook that the real transformation begins, and it is one that will have a profound effect on the entire village. 
Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDsRqK9p9yI 
Release Date: Master Cheng will be in UK cinemas from 11th March 
 1944: Hitler’s Secret Weapon 
Starring:
 Yaroslav Kucherenko, Anton Karlinsky, Lilia Ostapovich, Pavel Aldoshin
 The gripping true story of Leonid Berenshtein – the commander of a partisan battalion in World War II – who located the secret facility where the Nazis were developing their last hope for victory. 
Trailer: https://youtu.be/3phkuWEsAZA 
Release Date: 1944: Hitler’s Secret Weapon will be available On Demand & DVD from February 7. 
 A Long Walk 
An old Laotian man discovers that he can travel back in time and speak with the dead.
Release Date: A Long Walk will be available On Demand from February 28 
SMILE…
 In The Strange Pursuit of Laura Durand  
Starring:
 Makis Papadimitriou, Michalis Sarantis, Anna Kalaitzidou
An award-winning and hilarious road movie, loaded with an amazing and eclectic soundtrack. ‘In the Strange Pursuit of Laura Durand’ is a feel-good, touching and very original story, that stays with you long after watching.
A hit on the international festival circuit and in its native Greece, where it’s still enjoying a long and successful theatrical run. 
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/613538835 
Release Date: In The Strange Pursuit of Laura Durand will be available on Digital Download in January – date TBC 
 Sideshow  
Starring:
 Les Dennis, Anthony Head, April Pearson
When two inept criminals break into the home of a washed-up psychic in search of hidden loot, they get a lot more than they bargained for. 
Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHtM6F-fCqI 
Release Date: Sideshow will be in UK Cinemas Q1! 
 Bite Me 
Starring:
Christian Coulson, Annie Golden, Naomi Grossman, Naomi McDougall Jones
Bite Me is a subversive romantic comedy about a real-life vampire and the IRS agent who audits her. 
Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTYfjIWOUbI  
Release Date: Bite Me will be coming to Digital Download 8th February 
LEARN…
 Caught In The Net 
 Documentary exploring the world of online sexual abuse of children succeed in turning an experiment into an act of social intervention. 
Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMJ95a6tAjg 
Release Date: Caught In The Net will be available on Digital Download from 7th February 
EVENT…
 Measured
Measured is a witty and moving new play examining the hidden consequences of an eating disorder for the sufferer and those who love them. Exposing the emotional turmoil of the illness without glamorising its dangers, Measured questions how effective recovery can be in a society that still wants women to be as ‘little’ as possible.
Release Date: Measured will be coming to the The Hope Theatre Q1 

UK VOD Release: The Last Thing Mary Saw

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Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thrillers and the supernatural, will release their upcoming Shudder Original The Last Thing Mary Saw, premiering exclusively on the platform, on Thursday, January 20th.

The film stars Rory Culkin (Waco, Halston), Stefanie Scott (Insidious: Chapter 3) and Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan), and is written and directed by Edoardo Vitaletti, making his feature length film debut.

Southold, New York, 1843: Young Mary (Scott), blood trickling from behind the blindfold tied around her eyes, is interrogated about the events surrounding her grandmother’s death. As the story jumps back in time, we witness Mary, raised in a repressively religious household, finding fleeting happiness in the arms of Eleanor (Fuhrman), the home’s maid. Her family, who believe they are seeing, speaking, and acting on God’s behalf, view the girls’ relationship as an abomination, to be dealt with as severely as possible. The couple attempt to carry on in secret, but someone is always watching, or listening, and the wages of perceived sin threaten to become death, with the tension only heightened by the arrival of an enigmatic stranger (Culkin) and the revelation of greater forces at work.

The Last Thing Mary Saw was produced by Isen Robbins and Aimee Schoof of Intrinsic Value Films, Harrison Allen and Madeleine Schumacher of Arachnid Films, Stephen Tedeschi and executive produced by Scoop Wasserstein.
 
The Last Thing Mary Saw will be available on Shudder from 20th January 2022

UK VOD Release: In The Strange Pursuit of Laura Durand

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Smart Dog Productions will release In The Strange Pursuit of Laura Durand for Digital Download on January 31st.

Antonis and Christos are down on their luck, disconnected from modern society and surviving mainly on Christos’ unemployment benefit. Their only escape in life is their passion for music and their 8-bit band, Speed_28. 

The two friends are united by their common, platonic love interest, Laura Durand, a porn star of the ’90s who disappeared mysteriously years before. As the friends’ lives go from bad to worse, they decide that the time has come to start the quest for Laura Durand. 
An award winning and hilarious road movie, loaded with an amazing and eclectic soundtrack, In the Strange Pursuit of Laura Durand is a feelgood, touching and very original story, that stays with you long after watching. 

The film has been a hit on the international festival circuit being Officially Selected at Tallinn Black Nights, Mons International, Sarajevo Film Festival, Athens International, Monte Carlo Comedy Film Festival, Red Rock Film Festival, Sunscreen, Cannes World Film Festival and more. 

In the Strange Pursuit of Laura Durand will be available on Digital Download from 31st January

UK VOD Release: American Night

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The Movie Partnership have shared a new poster and images for their upcoming Neo-Noir, American Night, which will be available on Digital Download from 7th February.  

The film includes a star-studded cast of Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors / Vikings), Emile Hirsch (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood), Jeremy Piven (Mr Selfridge / Entourage), Hollywood hard-man Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs / Kill Bill) and Paz Vega (Rambo: Last Blood / The OA). 

American Night is neo-noir set in New York City’s corrupt contemporary art world. After the theft of Warhol’s ‘Marilyn’, a series of unexpected events turns an art dealer’s life upside down as he fights with the ruthless head of the New York Mafia, Michael Rubino, for money, art and power. 

The film also marks the feature length directorial debut for Italian director, writer and producer, Alessio Della Valle. Pop music fans will also be able to spot singer Anastacia, who appears in the film as well as writing and performing the film’s lead song. 

American Night will be available on Digital Download from 7th February 

Experience12 tests your pop-culture knowledge this Christmas!

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 Featuring the best of TV, Gaming and Film from the past year 
 To view the full image & take part in the challenge please visit: www.experience12.com/xmas  
We have finally made it to the end of the year and if there is something we can all agree on, it’s that we have had some amazing entertainment to help us get through it! As is tradition, the incredible team at Experience12 are back at it again with their pop-culture Christmas challenge, and this year it is back bigger & better than before!

As the world opened up following the pandemic, 2021 proved itself to be a bumper year for entertainment. October alone saw 16.4 million cinema admissions – the biggest October since 2012. Consumers are watching nearly 4 hours of TV a day, which although down on 2020 during lockdown, it’s still 50% more than 2019. Also now 93% of 16-24-year-olds are playing video games, which is also up from 73% in 2020.

To celebrate our love for pop culture Experience12 have created their largest pop culture Christmas challenge yet. Hidden in their IP isometric illustration is a total of 47 references across film, TV and video games – some more overt than others, but a true pop culture aficionado will spot them all. We’ve included a tease of the full image above, but head to www.experience12.com/xmas for the full experience! 

UK VOD Release: Ted Bundy – American Boogeyman

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The Movie Partnership have today confirmed that the upcoming crime thriller Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman will be released in the UK from 6th December across iTunes, Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Sky. 

Chad Michael Murray, best known for his roles in One Tree Hill and more recently Riverdale & Marvel’s Agent Carter will play the notorious serial killer alongside horror icon Lin Shaye (Critters, Insidous film series) playing Bundy’s mother, as well as Holland Roden (Teen Wolf) and Jake Hays who makes his feature length film debut. 

Notorious killer, Ted Bundy (Chad Michael Murray), stalks the highways of gritty 1970s America looking for his next victim. Hunting him are FBI agents Kathleen McChesney and (Roden) Robert Ressler (Hays) as they lead the largest manhunt in history to apprehend America’s most infamous serial killer. 

Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman will be available on Digital Download from 6th December and can be pre-ordered here

UK VOD Release: Slumber Party Massacre

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 Starring: Hannah Gonera, Frances Sholto-Douglas, Alex McGregor 
Lightbulb Film Distribution are delighted to share the poster and trailer for new horror feature, Slumber Party Massacre. Featuring an all-female principle cast, this feminist reimagining of Roger Corman’s 1982 cult-classic is smashing the glass ceiling. Slumber Party Massacre will be released on Digital Download on 13th December and  DVD from 10th January. The film had its UK Premiere at Abertoir Horror Festival in November and has also been selected as the closing film of Soho Horror Festival. 

Written by Suzanne Keilly (Warrior Nun, Ash vs Evil Dead) and directed by Danishka Esterhazy (The Banana Splits Movie), the film stars Hannah Gonera (Spell, Jamillah and Aladdin), Frances Sholto-Douglas (The Kissing Booth, Black Mirror), and Alex McGregor (Searchers, Blood Drive).  

A slumber party turns into a bloodbath when a psychopath wielding a power-drill disrupts the fun. There really is no rest for the wicked at this slumber party… 

Commenting on the release, Peter Thompson, Sales & Acquisitions Director at Lightbulb Film Distribution, said: “We are thrilled to be bringing this iconic slasher remake to audiences in the UK and Ireland. Esterhazy manages to bring a fresh perspective to this horror sub-genre, whilst capturing the essence of the much-loved original. She is an exceptional filmmaker. Gore, jumps and laughs – Slumber Party Massacre has it all.”
Slumber Party Massacre will be released on Digital Download on 13th December and on DVD from 10th January 2022 

#SlumberPartyMassacre

Icelandic psychological mystery Quake to have World Premiere at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

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Ursus Parvus have released the poster and trailer for Icelandic haunting mystery title Quake, which will have its World Premiere (November 20th) at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF).

Based on the best-selling novel, Grand Mal/ Quake: A Novel, by Audur Jonsdóttir, which was nominated for the Icelandic Literary prize and picked out by Toronto International Film Festival as one of their 2021 Industry Selects, Quake stars Anita Briem (Journey to the Centre of the Earth, The Minister), Edda Björgvinsdóttir (Under the tree, The Valhalla Murders) and is written and directed by Tinna Hrafnsdóttir (Margrete – Queen of the North, Valhalla Murders, The Minister), and produced by Hlín Jóhannesdóttir of Ursus Parvus.

Quake follows Saga (Briem), a single mother in her late thirties, who gets hit by a fierce epileptic attack walking in a public park with her six-year-old son resulting in a total memory loss. Afraid of being considered unable to take care of her son, Saga attempts to hide her state from others and occupies herself digging for the answers she needs. As she struggles to gather bits and pieces from her forgotten life, repressed memories that Saga unconsciously blocked as a child suddenly start to come back, revealing a painful truth about herself and the past. 

Quake is a shocking and revelatory exploration of the blurred lines between fact and fiction, reality and imagination, and where mother ends and child begins.

Quake will have its World Premiere at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on November 20th and be released in Iceland in January 2022.

UK VOD Release: Red Snow

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 Starring: Dennice Cisneros, Nico Bellamy, Laura Kennon & Vernon Wells  
“Red Snow is the Christmas vampire movie that you never knew you needed” – The Hollywood News  
“Amusing and smart thanks to likeable leads and a witty script” – Horror DNA
“Smart, funny and solid entertainment” – Eye for Film 
Central City Media is excited to share their new comedy horror thriller, Red Snow. Fear not, this vampire-filled comedy horror will provide plenty to sink your teeth into as it comes to Digital Download on 6th December. 

Written and directed by Sean Nichols Lynch (Prep School), the film stars Dennice Cisneros (Exile, NCIS), Nico Bellamy (Boy and Girl, The Way of the Iron Buffalo), Laura Kennon (Prime, Escalate), Vernon Wells (Commando, Mad Max 2), Alan Silva (Fist of the Vagabond, Acceleration), Edward Ewell (The Lepers), & Olivia Pintz (Lil Peep : Life is Beautiful, The Alternate).  

Aspiring vampire-romance novelist Olivia Romo is spending her holidays alone, holed up in her snowbound cabin near Lake Tahoe and racking up rejection letters from publishers. Until one night, an injured bat slams against her window. Sympathetic to creatures of the night, Olivia takes the wounded critter inside her garage to nurse it back to health.

The next day, however, Olivia is delighted to discover that the bat has transformed into a handsome vampire. His name is Luke. He’s not a fan of crosses, garlic, or sunlight, but he seems to take a strange liking to Olivia.

The unlikely companions get to know each other and start to form a tenuous friendship, but Olivia grows suspicious of Luke’s intentions as his past begins to catch up with him. First, there’s the strange detective who comes looking for Luke and his dangerous associates. Then, there’s the pale figures creeping outside Olivia’s cabin at night.

And at last, Luke’s old vampire friends come out of the shadows and into Olivia’s cabin. They want Luke back, but first they want to help themselves to his tasty new friend… 
Red Snow had its World Premiere at FrightFest and won BEST FILM at Dead Northern Horror Film Festival in York 2021 

Red Snow will be released on Digital Download in the UK & EIRE from 6th December 

108 MEDIA BOARDS MORAYO AKANDÉ’S UK-JAPAN COMEDY-HORROR’KONBINI ZOMBIES’ 

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108 Media, a global content financing & media rights management company focused on emerging markets, has picked up the screenplay to KONBINI ZOMBIES, a British-Japanese comedy-horror actioner set in Japan. They will produce and distribute the feature film, with an expected April 2022 start of principal photography in Tokyo and London. 

The film will be written and directed by BIFA and BAFTA-nominated Scottish screenwriter/director/actress Morayo Akandé in a feature-length debut. She developed the concept while living in Japan and considered the deep societal connection of its ubiquitous 24/7 convenience stores (“konbinis”) to the Japanese family dynamics and the country’s quickly transforming labour force, due to its ageing population and international workers. 

Envisioned with internationally diverse East-West actors and crew, the hyper-kinetic and colourful film will be in both English and Japanese languages and revolves around the early days of a national zombie outbreak. When the only 24-hour convenience store in a dead-end town outside Tokyo is suddenly rampaged by undead salarymen, it forces its rag-tag team of slacker clerks, led by the shy and reserved Mayumi, to step up and protect their konbini at all costs. 

Director Morayo Akandé says of the project and the partnership “I’m really passionate about telling universal narratives and elevating underrepresented voices. I aim to deliver a bold and unique project that inspires audiences to see Japan from a new perspective. 108 Media shares this vision of amplifying strong diverse content with me, and with their wealth of experience and knowledge within the industry, they will help enrich and elevate this exciting and unique project.” 

KONBINI ZOMBIES is developed, financed, and packaged across Asia, UK and Los Angeles with 108 Media as the lead studio with Justin Deimen, Micah Tadena, Matthew Wilson, and Moyo Akandé producing, and Ryo Ebe and Abhi Rastogi executive producing from Tokyo and London respectively. The deal was brokered by Rob Kraitt from Morayo’s agency, Casarotto Ramsay & Associates and Justin Deimen from 108 Media. 

Ryo Ebe, Managing Director of 108 Media Japan says “This is the new way of cinema and television as we see it. Morayo is a perfect creative collaborator and has such a strong style that we can’t help but want to share it with the world alongside the rest of our premium slate of Eurasian projects in the coming months.” 

Justin Deimen, President of Production of 108 Media says “We’re always embarking on creating fresh creative and producing alchemies across our offices and teams around the globe; fusing unique talents, stories, and cultures together through organic co-productions as international content continues to thrive in our evolving viewing habits.” 

Casting is currently underway with KONBINI ZOMBIES launching sales during the Tokyo Film Festival’s TIFFCOM21 content market and will be presented to potential co-production partners in Japan and Asia. 

Headquartered in both London and Singapore with key sales and producing offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, and Manila, 108 Media will produce the title under its upcoming genre label geared towards international markets with a key focus on empowering new creators with cross-cultural IPs.