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Dead Northern Festival News and Reviews Reviews

Dead Northern 2024 Festival Review – Slasher, Thriller and Creature Shorts

Safe (Directed by David Yorke

Shattering all predictions is David Yorke’s Safe, a microshort that stuns with its humour and dark wit as we follow a unique ‘home invasion’ by a knife-wielding masked killer. The clever amalgamation of horror and comedy is not an unfamiliar sight, yet Yorke’s ability to create thrilling scenes of intense horror with a left-field ending is a lesson in original, artful filmmaking. 

Skulk (Directed by Max Ward) 

Claire (Elina Gavare) wakes in the night to the sound of screaming foxes. She remains annoyed yet unfazed at the common disturbance, that is, until she sees a strange figure outside her window. It’s not unusual to hear the screeching cries of foxes in the dead of night, with their innate raspy, almost-painful sounding screams being the nocturnal anthem of the British public. However, does it ever cross one’s mind that what they think are foxes calling out could be human screams or something even worse? This is precisely what director Max Ward so effectively conveys in Skulk. In the wee small hours of the night, the mind plays tricks on us, and with imaginations running wild, our worst nightmare seems only around the corner, or in the case of Skulk, maybe it’s already inside…

Body Worn Video (Directed by Tony Hipwell) 

From the filmmaker behind short films Standing Woman (2021), Bad Penny (2022) and the co-director of Zomblogalypse (2022) is Body Worn Video, a found footage horror. The film follows officers Cane (Oliver Devoti) and Adel (Chantelle Alle) as they answer a worrisome call concerning child abuse. Body Worn Video pulls a fast one with its unexpected genre twists that range from an occult-heavy ambush to a full monstrous assault. The effect of a body cam being the lens enhances the authentic and serious tone of the film, ensuring full immersion whilst the wildly nerve-wracking series of events unfold. 

The Curse of the Velvet Vampire (Directed by Christoffer Sandau Schuricht) 

Two horror fans meet in a cult video store to screen the mysterious film “The Curse of the Velvet Vampire”. This Danish short film has a movie-within-a-movie, meta-esque quality at the hands of the on-screen vampire film watched by the obsessed genre fans. As such, director Christoffer Sandau Schuricht peppers in plenty of cinematic detail, from the heavy stylisation that thrives with its ultraviolet lighting all the way to the vampiric infusion that is reminiscent of the beloved sleazy vampire sexploitation films of the 1970s. 

Nervous Ellie (Directed by David Yorke) 

The painfully shy Ellie (Kelsey Cooke) struggles to tame her nerves during a first date with Danni (Sophia Capasso), resulting in unforeseeable consequences. Award-winning filmmaker David Yorke succeeds once again in proving his stellar talents, with Nervous Ellie being a true feast to behold. As the film unfolds and its terrifying yet oddly stunning conclusion nears, the audience is treated to an immense performance from Cooke, the ‘Nervous Nellie’ herself. Although a short film, Nervous Ellie delivers a thrilling ending that the lucky viewers will long remember. 

Black Hole Barry (Directed by Alejandro Alberol) 

Prior to Scott’s (Michael Batten) boyfriend Robin (Joseph Potter) moving in, he ventures out for one last wild night of freedom. Unbeknownst to him, his secret philandering will soon result in an almighty reckoning. The exceptional results of this demonic horror are a testament to independent filmmaking, with its extremely unique and unorthodox exaggeration of adulterous characters being a hilariously dark and twisted spin on genre cinema. 

The Mannequin (Directed by Emelie Dahlskog) 

A hardworking seamstress (played by director Emelie Dahlskog) creates a mannequin based on her own form, but after a series of creepy events, she suspects that the mannequin has a mind of its own. The Mannequin taps into fears of existential angst, particularly how lack of progression in professional development can lead to deep-rooted anxiety over the self. This premise is materialised by the presence of the mannequin (Michelle Ljungcrantz), whose seemingly vacant appearance represents a lack of autonomy, as well as being a haunting, eerie force of horror. 

What A Catch (Directed by Thomas Pickering)

A Victorian fisherman’s (Nathan Geering) late-night fishing trip takes a sinister turn. It’s of no surprise to learn that director Thomas Pickering is a lifelong cinema aficionado, with What A Catch being a clear love letter to the potency of the horror genre. The short film has a rare mix of slow burn patience in revealing its source of terror whilst still being maximalist in its portrayal of bloodied horror. 

Little Brown Bird (Directed by Peter Rogers)

On the shortest day of the year, the overworked farmer Kate (Eliza Butterworth) must care for her ailing father (John Rhys-Davies), who has dementia and is convinced that something is hunting them. Little Brown Bird is an emotionally charged film that tackles the living loss of a loved one through dementia, with the relationship between Kate and her father being a focal point for the affective narrative to flourish. In tandem with the riveting, poignant story is the film’s moving scoring, which has a softness akin to a lullaby that works to further the dimensional relationship between the father-daughter bond amidst an air of uncertainty and mystery. 

Do Not Open (Directed by Samuel Terence McNally)

Do Not Open follows three friends (John Sinclair Evans, Leah Rogers and Adam Deary) who head to a remote countryside house, only to discover that the house has another guest stalking them, a formidable creature that can only be seen when it wants to be. This incredible short film was shot and animated entirely on Super 8, which embodies a raw, nostalgic take that adds gravity to the ‘found footage’ rhetoric of the plot. Throughout, the diegetic lens captures an almost voyeuristic aura that emulates this idea of an omniscient creature lurking amongst the group. 

You can catch the films Saturday 28th September at this years festival, tickets here!

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Dead Northern Festival News and Reviews Reviews

Dead Northern 2024 Festival Review – Demonic Shorts

Collection Only (Directed by Alun Rhys Morgan)

Estranged friends Nye (Steffan Evans) and Daf (Tomos Gwynfryn) go to collect a free armchair from a seemingly lonely, frail elder woman (Olwen Medi); however, when a cascade of sinister events unfold, the pair must fight to make it out alive. Collection Only defies expectations as this thoroughly creepy feature tackles more than just its immensely unsettling atmosphere, with the film exuding bouts of humour amongst its lead characters. It is made clear that the bond between Nye and Daf has deteriorated over time, leading to the distanced pair grappling with a lost friendship, all the whilst being tormented by an evil force. 

Embrace (Directed by Axel Zeltser)

Inconspicuously lying in a Parisian alleyway is a bucket that Mélanie (Natte You) walks past every day unbeknownst; that is, until the ever-present bucket suddenly catches her eye. Although Embrace is a micro-short consisting of only two minutes, the film is significantly potent, with the visuals and lighting being grandiose and superb, alongside the vividly alarming and disturbed ending that grabs the viewer with a chokehold and refuses to let go. 

Daughters of Evil (Directed by Adam Taylor and Natasha Malone) 

In 1966, a nameless girl group consulted a spirit board to seek out the perfect band name – ‘Daughters of Evil’ (consisting of Natasha Malone, Jenessa Michelle Soto and Ariel Ditta). However, along with their new ensemble title, they were also possessed by demons. Decades later, YouTuber Vivian (Taylor Shaye) summons the demonic band back from the dead. Daughters of Evil is drenched in a hybrid swinging-sixties meets satanic-panic horror style. This distinctive aesthetic melts together the vibrant, exuberant rock-n-roll music culture of the time with a brutal, outlandish and, at times, grotesquely brilliant dose of devilish horror. Whilst the in-movie band started as a narrative force, the Daughters of Evil have since risen from the screen and are now a real band with a rockingly nefarious sound. 

Dance with the Devil (Directed by Tim Khvan) 

This mockumentary follows the geezer-like Father Marcus (Dean Kilby) and his intern Pete (Flinn Andreae), who provide domestic exorcists for the homes of London. Whilst exorcism-themed films tend to have a serious connotation about them, Dance with the Devil is a bonafide rib-tickling horror comedy that stands alongside acclaimed genre mockumentaries such as What We Do in the Shadows (2014) and Wellington Paranormal (2018-2022). There is a particular quirk to Dance with the Devil that makes it so rewatchable. It’s the casualness that the demon-fighting duo have to their rather serious profession, with the pair donning holy water filled water guns, requesting a ‘cuppa upon arrival at the most monstrous of situations, and the darkly macabre yet hilarious quips spoken so naturally by the utterly fantastic leads. If Dance with the Devil is anything to go by, director Tim Khvan has a very exciting filmmaking future ahead. 

Easter Eggs (Directed by Lewis William Robinson) 

A bizarre and spooky Easter Bunny (Tommy Walton) stalks a young man (Elijah James) who comes across a bundle of chocolate eggs, trapping him in the Bunny’s domain, a hellish, liminal space. Out of all the holiday figures, whether it’s the jolly Saint Nick or Valentine’s Cupid, the most unsuspecting antagonist force is that of the beloved Easter Bunny. However, abandon all happy memories of this furry friend as the director creates a freakish, uncanny, hellraising short that captures the Easter Bunny like never before. The Bunny’s abnormal territory is not what one would expect; instead, it is an oddity that is comparable to the dreamlike works of Lynchian cinema that challenges reality and transports the viewer into an unnatural landscape. 

Match (Directed by Victor Basallote) 

Bored and unable to sleep, Rachel (Adelaida Polo) takes to a dating app, leading to an accidental match with the possessive Zalir (Vanessa Orrego). Themes of obsession and overbearing domination run a mock throughout this sharp thriller, with Victor Basallote’s capacity to create terror through a minimalistic approach making the chilling atmosphere all the more sinister. Match thrives on a less is more approach where Zalir’s presence is continually suggested rather than overtly shown, creating a film that slowly builds until it reaches a menacing and unforgettable peak. 

The Rising of the Sap (Directed by Susie Jones)

Produced by the BFI is Susie Jones’ The Rising of the Sap, a folk horror short following Bea’s (Darci Shaw) unwitting journey into ‘The Rising’ and her mother Elizabeth’s (Joanna Scanlan) fight to stop it. Where this film flourishes is the performances, which work to elevate Jones’ outstanding story following the darkness found lurking within the human condition. As the film unravels, the folkloric elements intertwine with the character study of Bea’s fascinations and Elizabeth’s troubles to create a horror saturated with paranoia, isolation, manipulation and deception. Adding to the thought-provoking narrative is the film’s masterly composition of evocative imagery that is both gritty and visceral yet charmingly sauve. 

Five Turns (Directed by Sam Dixon and Sixto Perea Rubio) 

The struggling Alyssa resorts to an atypical treatment to cure her condition. However, a caveat states she must only perform the treatment five times. Five Turns is deliberately ambiguous and perplexingly covert, leaving the viewer in the dark until the very last moment, where the bubbling tension and unease reaches a pinnacle peak, resulting in a nightmarish reveal. Directorial pair Sam Dixon and Sixto Perea Rubio join forces to conjure a short horror that has an immense visual appeal, with the rich cinematography combined with the bewitching, electrifying soundscape which fashions a film that is not to be missed. 

Puzzle Box: The Glitch (Directed by Jack Dignan)

 In 2023, director Jack Dignan released Puzzle Box, a terrifying found footage horror that explored demonic twists and turns under the guise of a claustrophobia-inducing found footage lens. Dignan is now back with a spin-off that utilises the brilliant labyrinth-like structure of Puzzle Box. Puzzle Box: The Glitch follows two friends (Noah Fowler and Elessa Donnelly) whose venture to buy drugs leads to an all-encompassing glitch. The premise of a disorientating, maze-like puzzle that ambushes, muddles and essentially tortures its victims is truly harrowing to consider, let alone be witness to. As the film becomes increasingly convoluted and complex, strong emotions of dread and uncomfortably thrive as the characters experience a situation that is derived from the most startling of nightmares.

You can catch the films Saturday 28th September at this years festival, tickets here!

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Dead Northern Festival News and Reviews Reviews

Dead Northern Festival 2024 Review – The Stickman’s Hollow

The Stickman’s Hollow resembles a multifaceted labyrinth, feeding its complex story bit by bit, acting like a serpentine. It is the slow feed of a terrifying story, the intricate weaving of eerie details and the intimate mode of filmmaking that make this found footage horror unmissable. 

The film chronicles three connected chapters following a series of people who learn the hard way about the mysterious and horrific truth behind the terrifying ‘Stickman’s Hollow’, a seemingly quaint lake that brings about hell for anyone who dares to trail its path. 

Writer and director Jack Cox is an expeienced filmmaker who began his years behind the camera working on small-budget cinema with New Horizons, the Roger Corman founded company, before moving onto a successful career in animation. Having spent years in the animation field, Cox has traversed back to horror, and with The Stickman’s Hollow, its evident that the horror genre will be all the better for it. 

The film’s ambitious premise of dissecting the lore of ‘The Hollow’ into three parts, is part of what grants the outcome as being a standout piece that thrives in originality. In other words, not at one single moment does the threat of a predictable ending arise. The first of the triptych-like structure follows a young family who venture off camping, settling at the ominous Stickman’s Hollow for some recreational fishing, however, it’s not long before strange whisperings and disturbing events culminate into an almighty finale.

The second entry takes us on the journey of a priest who is tasked with treating the roots of a family whose daughter appears possessed, which ends in a genuinely startling, fierce tragedy, and a series of questions as we begin to piece together the enigma behind the ‘urban-legend-esque’ terror of The Stickman’s Hollow. As the film nears its boiling point, we are delivered the third and final act that boldly connects the three episodes, and offers a gut-punch of an ending that leaves you craving more and more of this striking horror.

Composing the heart of the film is all of the plentiful mystery, mythology and lore, which is made all the more effective due to its detailed backstory. The Stickman’s Hollow is based on a chilling true story from Cox’s childhood of girl who became lost in the local Vancouver woods. And the story goes… the lost child was presumed to be dead, but after a year had passed there were reported sightings of a feral child roaming the forest and eating the remains of animal carcasses. Found near the spotted sightings were strange carvings of male figures, which all point to sinister misdeeds.

Whilst The Stickman’s Hollow is a fictional story, Cox based the tale on the countless, spine-chilling questions that arise when one thinks of a story of such calibre. What happened to the missing girl? How did the carvings come about? And why do missing persons cases in the backwoods go unsolved? Fictional or not, this is nightmare fuel! 

Amplifying the intensity is the fact that the filming location is that of where the backstory occurred, conjuring a level of dread that is often difficult to capture on screen. Adding to the unease felt is the film’s found footage fashion that immediately immerses and stirs a level of uncomfortable immediacy. The suspense brought forth, the anxiety formulated and the foreboding alarm mould together throughout this noteworthy expedition into The Stickman’s Hollow. 

You can catch the film Friday 27th September at this years festival, tickets here!

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Dead Northern Festival News and Reviews Reviews

Dead Northern Festival 2024 Review – All This Time


All This Time
chronicles the infinite time loop that Grace (Emily Rose Holt) has found herself trapped in. Joined by an elusive vampire, Elias (Dan de Bourg), Grace must unravel a string of veiled secrets to escape the treacherously eerie time glitch and return to normality.

Writer and director Rob Worsey delivers a standout, complex and thought-provoking second feature that, alongside his zombie-themed feature debut, Among the Living (2022), proves that Worsey is a talent to be watched. Worsey’s uncanny ability to stir tension and assemble well-crafted scares that linger like a troubling night-terror are at an all-time high throughout All This Time.

The film dabbles in equal amounts of trepidation, theatrical drama, and gothic horror to form an unholy trinity of emotively triggered fear. For instance, as we see Grace come to terms with the disturbed histories that lie in wait, not once does the film become gimmicky in its scares; instead, bouts of unease are stirred, and waves of darkness are weaponised, collectively espousing a film that is as tonally rich as it is visually impactful. 

As teased above, All This Time is steeped in a gothically minded atmosphere where the isolation of grandness meets a shadowy, stunningly designed sense of unmistakable dread. In its iconographical form, All This Time employs its grandiose setting, impressive costume design and haunting, moody lighting to showcase its gothic roots, which all combine to create a film that is worthy of watching with the volume off just to absorb the sheer ‘look’ of it all. 

Matching the mysterious ambience is the film’s brilliant performances from the likes of Rose Holt and de Bourg, alongside the excellent Emma Pallant. Independent cinema has a habit of bringing about the most spiffing of exhibitions of talent, with All This Time being no exception to this rule. Throughout the entire runtime, the executions are all acted out with such compelling authenticity that draws the audience in and has them hanging on to every last word.

Shifting onto the horror elements, All This Time makes use of its groundhog-like narrative to conjure a sting of anxiety that innately wizzes up an unnerving sense of being trapped, contained and unable to make sense of everyone and everything.

On a theoretical plane, this inability to flee has the power to be suffocating and grim, but Worsey boldly propels this notion by infusing a vampiric spin. Fanged fiends, bloodsuckers, ‘The Count’, Dracula – however these immortal creatures have been cinematically developed before, All This Time, decides to take a unique spin on the vampire tale through its utilisation of a character-study based approach to storytelling. Keeping spoilers tightly under wraps – what can be commended is how the film continuously toys with the motives of the characters. Rarely do we know what to believe and who to trust throughout the running enigma of it all.

In total, All This Time will both move and provoke, pervade and resonate. Ultimately, this is not a film to be missed.

You can catch the film Friday 27th September at this years festival, tickets here!

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Curiosity Corner Dead Northern Festival News and Reviews Events

Mad About Horror at Dead Northern 2024!

We’re thrilled to announce that Mad About Horror will be an official sponsor of our Film Festival event in York  27th – 29th Sep 2024!

Mad About Horror are the leading online retailer in the UK and Europe for specialist horror masks and collectibles. As the largest official European retailer of Trick or Treat Studios, they bring the latest US releases to the UK and Europe, offering a wide array of masks, collector’s items, and replica props.

In addition to their partnership with Trick or Treat Studios, Mad About Horror showcases a vast selection of leading collectible brands including NECA, Mezco and Sideshow as well as niche brands such as Black Heart Models, Pallbearer Press, Infinite Statues. 

They also have a huge range of Halloween animatronics, masks and decorations. Renowned for sourcing the latest Halloween props and animatronics from the US, Mad About Horror pride themselves on retailing items that are rarely available this side of the pond.

With an extensive product range specialising in all thing’s Horror and Halloween, Mad About Horror serves as the ultimate one-stop shop for horror fans. Their passion for the genre is evident in their commitment to staying up to date with latest releases and engaging with the horror community. 

Looking to bring the thrill of the big screen home? Explore their Horror-movie section, featuring a wide array of collectibles, officially licensed masks, and an exclusive selection of Waxwork Records for soundtrack enthusiasts. Whether you’re expanding your horror collection or hunting for the perfect gift, Mad About Horror has everything you need to recreate the cinematic horror experience.

Shop with them now by clicking here

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Dead Northern Festival News and Reviews Events

Dead Northern 2024 – Early bird tickets available now!

The Dead Northern Horror and Fantasy Festival is coming back in 2024 – Expect a huge line up of new feature films, classic feature films, short films from some of the worlds best up and coming horror film makers, Q&A’s, live music, awards and our signature HORROR THEMED LIVE EVENTS.

Dead Northern is a Film Festival that pushes the boundaries and puts the FESTIVAL in the Film Festival! VIP Weekend Passes, day passes and individual screening tickets are available.

Details of the full line up released August 2024, limited VIP tickets available at a discount until 31 May 2024.

Grab your tickets here…