Forbidden Worlds Film Festival
The Bristol Aquarium Cinema
16-19 May 2024
KILLER QUEENS, OUTER WORLDS
AND A GENRE CINEMA ICON
Bristol’s biggest repertory genre film festival is back!
For our May 2024 edition, we’ll be celebrating some of cinema’s most deadly women and director Peter Hyams, transporting audiences to spectacular inner worlds, stunning outer spaces, and – of course – the video shop archives.
Launched in May 2022 at the Bristol Aquarium Cinema, Forbidden Worlds Film Festival is Bristol’s leading genre film festival dedicated to screening repertory fantasy, action, science-fiction and horror films from around the world, and celebrating the people who made them.
This year, Forbidden Worlds Film Festival will also be honouring the career of veteran screenwriter, cinematographer and director Peter Hyams by naming him the FORBIDDEN WORLDS LEGEND and screening three of his most iconic films – Capricorn One (1977), Outland (1981) and Timecop (1994) – that demonstrate his genre-film credentials across the decades.
As part of this year’s line-up, Forbidden Worlds is unleashing cinema’s KILLER QUEENS with screenings of B-movie classic Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958); Kathryn Bigelow’s cult thriller Blue Steel (1990), featuring festival favourite Jamie Lee Curtis as a rookie cop targeted by an obsessed witness; Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (1972), starring Meiko Kaji in one of her most iconic roles; Geena Davis as an assassin with amnesia in The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996); blaxploitation royalty Pam Grier in Foxy Brown (1974); and a brand-new 4K restoration of Luc Besson’s genre-defining Nikita (1990).
Whether journeying inside the human body or visiting a telepathic planet in a faraway galaxy, audiences will also be treated to some classic and cult sci-fi adventures with INNER WORLDS & OUTER SPACES, which will honour the 40th anniversary of sci-fi classic The Last Starfighter (1984), and include a very rare big-screen outing for the cult Soviet-era black comedy Kin-dza-dza! (1986), alongside Roland Emmerich’s groundbreaking 1994 actioner Stargate, which spawned a universe of TV series and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and Joe Dante’s Oscar-winning visual effects extravaganza Innerspace (1987).
The festival is also hosting an inaugural GENRE FILMMAKERS OF THE FUTURE: SHORT FILM SHOWCASE, where attendees can enjoy action, horror and sci-fi shorts from filmmakers both local and international.
Finally, there will also be screenings of cult and classic genre films FROM THE VIDEO SHOP ARCHIVES of Bristol video shop 20th Century Flicks. The festival will be premiering the brand-new 2K restoration of Indonesia’s infamous fantasy adventure The Devil’s Sword (1984) and celebrating the 30th anniversary of one of the most iconic action films of the nineties, Speed (1994).
Trailer by Matt Harris-Freeth (robot-dinosaur.co.uk)
At-a-glance schedule
Thursday 16 May 2024
6pm: SPEED (1994)
9pm: BLUE STEEL (1990)
Friday 17 May 2024
11am: KIN-DZA-DZA! (1986)
2pm: ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN (1958)
3.30pm: CAPRICORN ONE (1977)
9.30pm: FEMALE PRISONER #701: SCORPION (1972)
Saturday 18 May 2024
12pm: FOXY BROWN (1974)
2pm: THE LAST STARFIGHTER (1984)
4.30pm: GENRE FILMMAKERS OF THE FUTURE: SATURDAY SHORTS SHOWCASE
6.30pm: NIKITA (1990) [UK PREMIERE OF 4K RESTORATION]
9pm: OUTLAND (1981)
Sunday 19 May 2024
11.30am: INNERSPACE (1987)
2pm: THE DEVIL’S SWORD (1984) [UK PREMIERE OF 2K RESTORATION]
4.30pm: GENRE FILMMAKERS OF THE FUTURE: SUNDAY SHORTS SHOWCASE
6.30pm: TIMECOP (1994)
8.30pm: THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT (1996)
Festival Passes and Tickets
Full Festival Pass holders are able to attend ALL screenings over the course of the festival.
Day Pass holders can only access screenings on that particular day.
Upon your arrival at the event, if you have a Festival or Day Pass, you will be given a festival lanyard for ease of access.
Early Bird Festival Pass (Thurs-Sun): SOLD OUT
Full Festival Pass (Thurs-Sun): SOLD OUT
Weekend Pass (Fri-Sun): £100
Thursday Day Pass: SOLD OUT
Friday Day Pass: £35
Saturday Day Pass: SOLD OUT
Sunday Day Pass: £35
Individual screening tickets: Now available
Festival Programme
Thursday 16 May 2024
6PM: SPEED (1994)
From the Video Shop Archives | Dir: Jan de Bont | US | 116 mins | Cert. 15
Get ready for rush hour with a special 30th anniversary screening of ‘Speed’!
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“There’s a bomb on a bus. Once the bus goes fifty miles an hour, the bomb is armed. If it drops below fifty, it blows up. What do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO?”
The directorial debut of legendary cinematographer Jan de Bont, Speed went from being an under-the-radar, mid-budget action film at 20th Century Fox to one of the biggest films of summer 1994, and continues to captivate audiences with its relentless pace and gripping suspense.
With its high-concept plot of a bus unable to go below 50 mph or it will explode, the action film propelled Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock onto the A-list with its seamless blend of heart-pounding action, witty dialogue, and exciting stunt work.
Now, 30 years later, Speed is regarded as one of the best action movies of its time, made during a period when practical and visual effects worked seamlessly hand-in-hand to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
9PM: BLUE STEEL (1990)
Killer Queens | Dir: Kathryn Bigelow | US | 102 mins | Cert. 18
For a rookie cop, there’s one thing more dangerous than uncovering a killer’s fantasy. Becoming it.
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Produced between her western-inflected vampire movie Near Dark and the much-loved action-thriller Point Break, Kathryn Bigelow’s 1990 genre-defying neo-noir Blue Steel is less widely seen than those two modern classics, but has become increasingly discussed, and increasingly relevant, thanks to its unique exploration of violence and gender dynamics.
Festival favourite Jamie Lee Curtis plays Megan Turner, a rookie cop who shoots dead a convenience store robber on her first day of duty. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the robber’s gun is stolen by one of the customers, played by the late Ron Silver, who uses it to go on a crime spree of his own. Turner, now facing charges of killing an unarmed man, teams up with a detective (Clancy Brown of Highlander fame) to catch the psychopath and clear her name.
Anchored by Curtis’s subtle portrayal of vulnerability and strength, the film mixes psychological drama with gripping suspense while also allowing Bigelow to showcase her distinct visual style and deftly explore its themes of female agency within a male-dominated profession with a nuanced touch. A groundbreaking work, Blue Steel further cements its status as a modern great with each passing year.
Friday 17 May 2024
11AM: KIN-DZA-DZA! (1986)
Inner Worlds & Outer Spaces | Dir: Georgiy Daneliya | USSR | 135 mins | Cert. 18
“The best sci-fi film you’ve never heard of” - Little White Lies
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Soviet-era science-fiction cinema has long been dominated by the twin shadows of Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris and Stalker. Two masterpieces of the genre, without a doubt, but also somewhat lacking in humour. Kin-Dza-Dza!, released in 1986, serves as a corrective: an absurdist slice of dystopia, dipped in black comedy and visually reminiscent of Terry Gilliam’s post-Python flights of fancy.
A foreman and a student musician encounter a shoeless man on the streets of Moscow. Claiming to be from another planet, he pulls an object from his pocket, stating that it is a teleportation device. The foreman, not believing the man, presses the object… and both he and the musician are instantly transported to a post-apocalyptic planet in the galaxy of Kin-Dza-Dza.
A scathing satire of Russian life in the 1980s, putting up a mirror to the absurdities of societal and bureaucratic systems, the film amazingly bypassed the state censors and went on to become a cult favourite with local audiences. With the advent of border-hopping digital technologies (namely, DVDs and the internet), that cult audience has grown, and the world has been slowly learning of Kin-Dza-Dza!’s unique cinematic pleasures. Screening in our early Friday slot for more the die-hard crowd looking for unconventional pleasures, there is no better place to experience this one-off gem for the first time.
Please note: this film will be shown in its original Russian language with English subtitles.
2PM: ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN (1958)
Killer Queens | Dir: Nathan Juran | USA | 66 mins | Cert. PG
Eight times bigger than a man... 100 times more savage!
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Fresh from directing the classic Ray Harryhausen fantasy The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Nathan Juran’s next assignment was a cheaper affair, but one that has also continued to resonate with genre movie fans.
Heiress Nancy Archer, wife to a philandering husband and a recent patient at the local psychiatric institution, chances upon a mysterious sphere while driving through the Californian desert. The local townsfolk refuse to take her seriously, but her husband sniffs a nefarious plan: go along with her story in the hope that it’s the consequence of a nervous breakdown and inherit her $50 million fortune. Only the object is real and the next time Nancy sees it, she has a close encounter with its alien host – and that contact causes her to grow and grow… and grow.
Best known for its iconic title, and much parodied, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman is much more than a camp relic of its time. In an era where discussions around gender equality and representation are at the forefront, the film offers a window to the past and an intriguing lens through which to examine ideas of female empowerment, unchecked greed, and societal norms – all the while delivering over-the-top genre thrills and pure B-movie entertainment.
3.30PM: CAPRICORN ONE (1977)
Legend | Dir: Peter Hyams | USA | 118 mins | Cert. PG
Would you be shocked to find out that the greatest moment of our recent history may not have happened at all?
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“I grew up in the generation where my parents basically believed if it was in the newspaper, it was true. That turned out to be bullshit. My generation was brought up to believe television was true, and that was bullshit, too.” – Peter Hyams
In an age marked by widespread scepticism towards institutions and the proliferation of conspiracy theories, Peter Hyams’ Capricorn One resonates as a cautionary tale about the power dynamics between government agencies and the media.
Three astronauts (played by James Brolin, Sam Waterston, and O.J. Simpson) are about to launch into space on the first manned mission to Mars. But when a mechanical failure surfaces that would kill the three men, NASA removes them from the Capricorn One capsule. To prevent a public outcry and losing funding, NASA launches the capsule unmanned and requires the astronauts to film fake mission footage in a studio. However, the plan is compromised when an ambitious journalist (Elliott Gould) discovers the conspiracy.
Eerily prescient in its exploration of truth, trust, and the lengths to which authorities will go to maintain control, Capricorn One is both a thrilling and thought-provoking cinematic experience.
7PM: STARGATE (1994)
Inner Worlds & Outer Spaces | Dir: Roland Emmerich | USA | 121 mins | Cert. PG
It will take you a million light years from home. But will it bring you back?
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Having spent the eighties making genre movies in his native Germany, Roland Emmerich made the move to Hollywood in 1992 with Universal Soldier, which teamed Dolph Lundgren and Jean-Claude Van Damme, and attracted plenty of critical ire, but went on to become a firm favourite with action and sci-fi fans. For his follow-up, Emmerich, alongside his regular producer and co-writer Dean Devlin, was granted a larger budget and Stargate was born.
A mysterious stone object, first discovered by archaeologists in the 1920s, is being held at a military installation by the US Air Force as part of a classified project. Linguist Dr Daniel Jackson (James Spader) is brought in to help translate its hieroglyphic engravings, which leads to the discovery that is a ‘Stargate’ – a device capable of creating wormholes and enabling travel millions of light years away. Jackson and a unit headed up Colonel Jack O’Neil (Kurt Russell) pass through the Stargate and encounter an ancient civilisation ruled by a powerful alien being.
A success on its original release, Stargate would spawn a franchise encompassing novels and multiple TV series, while also providing a gateway for Emmerich and Devlin to create box-office behemoth Independence Day.
9.30PM: FEMALE PRISONER #701: SCORPION (1972)
Killer Queens | Dir: Shun'ya Itô | Japan | 87 mins | Cert. 18
A woman betrayed and imprisoned. A mission of vengeance.
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Actor and singer Meiko Kaji has long been a much-loved cult figure for fans of Japanese cinema and genre fare. Her run of film performances in the early seventies – including her starring role in Blind Woman’s Curse, all five films in the Stray Cat Rock series of far-out juvenile delinquent movies, and her two iconic turns as Lady Snowblood – is untouchable, and impossible to talk about without mentioning the Female Prisoner Scorpion series.
The first instalment, Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion, is both women-in-prison movie and delirious revenge thriller. Based on the manga by artist Tōru Shinohara, the film focuses on Matsu the Scorpion (Kaji), a woman double-crossed by her corrupt detective boyfriend and incarcerated in a sadistic institution where she must face violence from both the guards and fellow inmates – all the while plotting her revenge…
Kickstarting an epic film-four saga, Matsu became one of Kaji’s defining roles, embodying feminist resilience, empowerment, and independence within the realms of grindhouse and exploitation cinema. Visually astonishing, Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion is the perfect cinematic treat to experience on a gigantic screen with a late-night crowd.
The screening will be introduced by Harriet Taylor, producer, writer and director of SWITCH.
Please note: this film will be shown in its original Japanese language with English subtitles.
This film contains scenes of sexual assault.
Saturday 18 May 2024
12PM: FOXY BROWN (1974)
Killer Queens | Dir: Jack Hill | USA | 91 mins | Cert. 18
She's brown sugar and spice, but if you don't treat her nice, she'll put you on ice!
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With her title roles in 1973’s Coffy and this equally iconic 1974 blaxploitation gem, Pam Grier solidified her status as a feminist action legend.
Breaking racial and gender stereotypes, Foxy Brown is a force to be reckoned with as she takes her vengeance on the mobsters who killed her lover. Beguiling the objects of her revenge with intelligence, cunning, and physical prowess, Grier’s character resonated deeply with audiences, particularly women and people of colour, as she challenged the status quo and inspired countless subsequent generations of feminist action heroes.
Beyond the screen, Grier's impact extended into real-world activism, advocating for women's rights and social justice causes. Her legacy endures as a symbol of empowerment, reminding us of the transformative power of representation and the importance of challenging systemic oppression.
Once seized and confiscated in the United Kingdom during the ‘video nasties’ panic during the 1980s, Foxy Brown will be presented fully uncut and in a brand-new restoration for its 50th anniversary.
This film contains scenes of sexual assault.
2PM: THE LAST STARFIGHTER (1984)
Inner Worlds & Outer Spaces | Dir: Nick Castle | USA | 101 mins | Cert. PG
Greetings Starfighter! You have been recruited by the star league to defend the frontier against Xur and the Ko-Dan armada. Are you ready?
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In many ways, The Last Starfighter is the ultimate in teenage wish fulfilment – what if your prowess at a computer game meant that you were the last chance to save the galaxy?
That’s the situation faced by teenager Alex Rogan (Lance Guest, whose genre movie credentials also include Jaws: The Revenge and Halloween II).
When Alex finally achieves the high score on Starfighter, his favourite arcade game, and discovers that it is secretly a training simulator for developing and recruiting pilots to help fight a war in space, he is whisked away from the banality of his trailer-park life to an intergalactic battlefield!
Directed by Nick Castle, the man who had embodied Michael Myers in the original Halloween, The Last Starfighter was a pioneering work when it was first released in 1984, becoming one of the first films to have CGI effects – all generated on a Cray X-MP computer!
While visual effects have come a long way in the past 40 years, what hasn’t aged is the heart of The Last Starfighter as Alex overcomes his fear to save his girlfriend (Night of the Comet star Catherine Mary Stewart), his family and the galaxy.
4.30PM: GENRE FILMMAKERS OF THE FUTURE: SATURDAY SHORTS SHOWCASE
Short Film Showcase | 60 mins | Cert. 18
Enjoy some of the newest genre shorts from filmmakers near and far!
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As part of our Genre Film-Makers of the Future: Shorts Showcase, in-person attendees will be able to vote for what they think should win the inaugural Forbidden Worlds Audience Choice award!
KIN (2023, UK, Dir. James Waterhouse, Action)
In a scorched lawless future, a mother with a baby attempts to steal supplies from a dangerous gang of survivors.
James Waterhouse is a writer-director based in London, who sought out to create an action film centred around the bond between mother and son but with brutal action, grounded in gritty realism.
ECHOES OF ECSTASY: THE PASSCODE PARADOX (2023, New Zealand, Dir. Jericho Rock-Archer, Sci-Fi)
Fifty years of hopeless, horny hunting for a passcode to save the Earth has brought Xanthy close to the brink of sanity, while her constant detours to revisit her long-lost space-faring husband have pushed her AI handler Zorb close to the brink of his digi-patience. As she navigates her amorous dreams and searches for the passcode, she discovers a deeper connection between her longing heart and the fate of humanity, but will it be enough to unlock her memories and save the world?
Jericho Rock-Archer is a filmmaker from New Zealand, currently living and working in London..
BADGER! (2024, UK, Dir. Barry Wilkinson, Horror)
In a small town in England, chaos ensues when a mischievous killer badger goes on a rampage, terrorising the unsuspecting locals.
Barry Wilkinson is a Bristol-based filmmaker who has garnered accolades for his short films and animations, works infused with a distinctive touch of dark humour.
WELCOME TO THE PARTY (2023, UK, Dir. Jack Downs, Action)
A criminal encounters Britain’s newest vigilante, The Face, and must face the consequences.
Jack Downs is a graduate of the Northern Film School in Leeds with an interest in the thriller and horror genres.
A WALK IN THE PARK (2023, USA, Dir Jay Marks, Sci-Fi) UK Premiere
A late-night dog walk becomes a terrifying escape from a neighbourhood being warped and distorted by an unfamiliar presence.
Jay Marks is a New York based animator and filmmaker.
ONLY YOURSELF TO BLAME (2023, UK, Dir. Noomi Yates, Horror)
When Mai sends her drunk friend Sian home in a taxi, she finds herself being pursued by a shadowy assailant who is copying her every move. Unable to outrun her stalker, she confronts them to discover something deeply unsettling.
UK-based filmmaker Noomi Yates is a writer and director who brings a unique perspective to the horror genre, pairing bold cinematic statements with sensitive social issues.
6.30PM: NIKITA (1990)
Killer Queens | Dir: Luc Besson | France | 117 mins | Cert. 18
She murders, so she can live.
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The nineties was the decade that truly established Luc Besson as a leading genre filmmaker. With Leon, he reinvigorated the hitman movie. With The Fifth Element, he reimagined the look of the science-fiction action movie with a little help from bandes dessinées artists Jean ‘Mœbius’ Girard and Jean-Claude Mézières, and fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier. But before both, there was Nikita…
Anne Parillaud plays Nikita, a teenaged drug addict sentenced to life imprisonment following the death of a policeman during an armed robbery. Whilst serving time, she is whisked away by a shadow agency known only as the Centre – they fake her death, cure her of her dependencies, and train her up to become an assassin.
Presented in a brand-new 4K restoration courtesy of Gaumont that will be screening for the very first time in the UK, Nikita can now be seen as an transitional and influential work, bringing the ‘girls with guns’ sub-genre popularised in Hong Kong into the mainstream, and inspiring numerous international remakes (both official and unofficial) and, to date, two television series.
The film will be introduced by Nadia Attia, award-winning writer, journalist and talent executive.
Please note: this film will be shown in its original French language with English subtitles.
9PM: OUTLAND (1981)
Legend | Dir: Peter Hyams | USA | 109 mins | Cert. 15
Even in space, the ultimate enemy is man.
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“I remember waking up in the morning, and a lightbulb had turned on. Like George Lucas before me, I had realised that the western hadn’t gone, it was that now it was in outer space. That was the propulsion for Outland. What would a western be like in an environment as hostile as outer space?” – Peter Hyams
Fusing science fiction with suspense, Peter Hyams’ Outland can stand alongside Ridley Scott’s Alien in its masterful world-building and attention to detail, immersing viewers in a gritty, dystopian future where lawlessness thrives in the vast expanse of space.
Transposing the classic western High Noon to Jupiter’s moon, Io, Outland concerns a federal marshal stationed at a mining colony who uncovers a drug-smuggling conspiracy. But when he gets himself targeted by the criminals, he gets no help from the workers or authorities.
Heightened by Sean Connery's stoic portrayal of a lone lawman fighting against overwhelming odds, Outland offers not only a thrilling cinematic experience, but also a thought-provoking reflection on the darker aspects of human nature and the challenges of maintaining order in the far reaches of space.
Sunday 19 May 2024
11.30AM: INNERSPACE (1987)
Inner Worlds & Outer Spaces | Dir: Joe Dante | USA | 120 mins | Cert. PG
An Adventure of Incredible Proportions
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Fresh off Explorers, his charming family sci-fi film, Joe Dante stayed within that realm for Innerspace, an eighties updating of Fantastic Voyage, the 1966 classic in which a trio of scientists are shrunk to microscopic size and venture inside the human body.
Tuck Pendleton (Dennis Quaid), formerly of the US Navy, becomes involved in a secretive scientific venture involving miniaturisation. An experiment to place him inside the body of a rabbit goes awry when the laboratory is attacked and, in the ensuing chase, he instead finds himself injected into a hypochondriac by the name of Jack Putter (Martin Short). With only a short supply of oxygen, Tuck must firstly convince Jack that he’s not on the verge of a nervous breakdown and then find a way to save his own life. All the while, those responsible for the lab attack remain on his (exceedingly small) tail.
Produced for Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, and winner of the 1988 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, Innerspace is a true cinematic treat for the whole family that has to be seen on a massive screen to be believed.
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Conan The Barbarian has a lot to answer for. In the wake of the hit 1982 fantasy film, came a slew of cheap and cheerful sword-and-sorcery knock-offs from around the world. Few, however, can compare to the sheer mind-bending insanity of Indonesia’s The Devil’s Sword.
Starring local legend Barry Prima, the film features every trope of the fantasy genre… and some you had never even considered. Imagine it more like you saw Star Wars and Conan The Barbarian back-to-back one afternoon while suffering from a raging fever and then wrote down your thoughts afterwards in a foreign language… and then got someone to make a film out of that. Evil sorceress? Check. Mad wizard? Check. Army of crocodile soldiers? You bet! People surfing on flying rocks? Wait… what?
Once occupying only the deepest, darkest recesses of your local video shop, we are proud to host the UK premiere of a brand new 2K restoration courtesy of Terror Vision, from the original camera negative. You can now experience the film as originally intended by director Ranto Timoer. In other words, pure, uncut, East Asian fantasy madness!
Please note: this film will be shown in its original Indonesian language with English subtitles.
4.30PM: GENRE FILMMAKERS OF THE FUTURE: SUNDAY SHORTS SHOWCASE
Short Film Showcase | 60 mins | Cert. 18
Enjoy some of the newest genre shorts from filmmakers near and far!
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As part of our Genre Film-Makers of the Future: Shorts Showcase, in-person attendees will be able to vote for what they think should win the inaugural Forbidden Worlds Audience Choice award!
DON’T FUCK WITH DOLPHINS (2024 UK, Dir: Nick Hearne, Action) - World Premiere
Just when you thought it was safe to save the environment, the environment fights back. Take a wild revenge ride with our hyper-buff, hyper-violent aquatic neighbours. They've had enough of our shit!
Having created dozens of music promos using animation and visual effects, Don’t Fuck with Dolphins is Nick Hearne’s first narrative short as director.
ANOTHER DAY IN BUENOSERES (2023, UK, Dir: Cameron Medford-Hawkins, Sci-Fi)
In an unusual bar on an unknown planet, filled with unlikely characters, power takes on new meaning. ‘Company man’ Gus is on the hunt for the last target on his contract, but in this world of dark deeds, shady characters and supernatural assassins, all but the best laid plans go awry.
Born in Reading and having relocated to Bristol to study film, Another Day in Buenoseres is Cameron Medford-Hawkin’s debut film.
THE HOUNDS OF ANNWN (2023, UK, Dirs: Beth B Hughes & Bryony Evans, Horror)
A wounded warrior returns to their village but is hunted by a pack of dogs. After a desperate pursuit, they confront their past to find peace in their future.
Beth B Hughes is a director and animator based in Cardiff who has worked on many children’s series for various networks, such as CBeebies, Milkshake, ITV, S4C, Netflix, Apple TV+ and Sky. The Hounds of Annwn is her first short film as writer and director.
Bryony Evans is an animator and clean-up artist originally from the valleys of Carmarthenshire, with just over a decade’s experience in the animation industry, from children’s television to feature films and music videos. The Hounds of Annwn is her first directorial credit.
THE HITMAN AND THE ASSASSIN (2024, UK, Dirs: Will Axtell & Jonathan Cheong, Action)
Two trained killers both have different reasons to kill the same gang leader, but which one will get the job done first?
Co-director William Axtell has been making films for the past ten years. His first feature, the zombie horror Aylesbury Dead, can be viewed online via William Axtell Films.
THREE BATHS (2023, USA, Dir: Rafael De Leon Jr, Horror)
A spiritualist instructs Loreen to give her distraught younger sister, Rosa, three baths to get rid of a malevolent spirit that appears to be moving closer and closer to her.
Rafael De Leon Jr is an award-winning writer, director and editor born and raised in New York City. His short films have screened at festivals around the world including South by Southwest, the Fantasia International Film Festival, Nightmares Film Festival, and Panic Fest.
LOST IN THE SKY (2023, Sweden, Dir: Simon Öster, Sci-Fi)
After a long search in a strange galaxy, a lone rescue robot locates a surviving astronaut, but must reach her before she's consumed by a looming black hole. A live-action space adventure made entirely with practical effects over the course of six years.
Simon Öster is a Swedish director with a knack for handmade crafts and practical effects. His cosmic journey began in 2016 when he tinkered with coloured liquids in a water tank.
All award winners will be announced as part of the Sunday Showcase, with the exception of the Audience Choice Award. The winner of that category will be announced via social media after the festival.
6.30PM: TIMECOP (1994)
Legend | Dir: Peter Hyams | USA | 98 mins | Cert. 15
They killed his wife ten years ago. There's still time to save her. Murder is forever... until now.
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“It was a really clever story, and I thought it was a chance to make the best movie Van Damme ever made. I said yes and we made it, and it was clear that it was going to be a hit because it previewed through the roof every time. It’s still his biggest hit.” - Peter Hyams
Mind-bending science fiction meets Van Dammage, in the first of several collaborations between Peter Hyams and Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Everyone’s favourite Belgian martial artist plays Max Walker, a former cop working for the Time Enforcement Commission (TEC). Now that mankind has mastered time travel, the TEC ensures that criminals are unable to alter timelines to their advantage. He soon discovers, however, that corrupt elements within the government are using the technology for their own means – and when his wife is murdered, it becomes personal.
Van Damme’s second feature to make over $100 million at the box office (following Roland Emmerich’s Universal Soldier), before becoming a home-video fixture for action and sci-fi fans, and a franchise in its own right. Thirty years after its original release, now is the perfect time to revisit on a gigantic screen!
8.30PM: THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT (1996)
Killer Queens | Dir: Renny Harlin | USA | 120 mins | Cert. 15
What's forgotten is not always gone.
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Shane Black – creator of the Lethal Weapon series – sold his screenplay for The Long Kiss Goodnight for four million dollars, at that time the highest price ever paid for a script. Whilst the finished film didn’t live up to that number when it came to box-office performance, it has since become a firm action favourite for genre fans.
Geena Davis plays a small-town schoolteacher with a young daughter and a seemingly normal life, but eight years previous, she was found pregnant and with no recollection of who she was. A car accident over the Christmas break prompts vague memories of her past – as well as some nifty knife skills in the kitchen – and, with the help of private detective Mitch Henessey (Samuel L. Jackson) – she soon discovers that she was once an assassin for the CIA.
Having proven herself equally adept at comedic and dramatic roles, and with an Oscar to prove it, Davis was able to literally flex her action muscles in The Long Kiss Goodnight, showcasing her athleticism and her natural big-screen charisma. Hollywood being Hollywood, the film industry totally failed to recognise this and so next cast her in mom roles in the Stuart Little series instead!