Forbidden Worlds Film Festival
The Bristol Megascreen
31 May 2025
GENRE FILM-MAKERS OF THE FUTURE
SHORT FILM SHOWCASE
Since 2024, Forbidden Worlds has spotlighted the Genre Film-Makers of the Future with a showcase of short genre films (sci-fi, action, horror and fantasy) from around the world.
While the majority of the award winners are selected by a panel of judges, the Film of the Year is selected by the in-attendance festival audience who watch the shorts on the massive 19m x 15m Bristol Megascreen and vote in-person via secure ballots.
The winner of the Film of the Year vote will win £500 worth of post-production and £500 of equipment hire (for UK based film-makers) for their next project courtesy of Bristol’s leading kit rental and post production facilities Films@59.
If you’re interested in submitting a short film for next year’s festival, visit our Film Freeway page for more information.
You can also find most of these short films on Letterboxd should you wish to leave reviews!
CHEF GUSTAV (2023)
Dir: Luke Frangeskou | UK
A proud chef is cooking a fancy meal and is forced to fight a mischievous cat who will stop at nothing to steal the food he is cooking.
Content warnings (highlight to read): Blood and gore
Luke Frangeskou is a stop-motion animator with a background in 2D animation.
Since graduating in Film and Animation at Birmingham City University in 2017, he has spent years learning different animating styles and decided on stop-motion as his preferred medium.
ASCEND (2025)
Dir: Roshan Balu | UK
Callum Rai, the first British Asian astronaut is about to embark on his single man journey into deep space. As the final countdown begins, Callum is taken back to a significant moment.
Roshan Balu is a writer-director hailing from Wolverhampton. He recently achieved the prestigious National Association for Higher Education in the Moving Image (NAHEMI) award for Best Undergraduate Film of 2023 with his short film "Coconut." His films have been showcased at various festivals nationwide, including the BAFTA Qualifying Flatpack Festival.
BRAWLER (2024)
Dir: Bulent Ozdemir-Larusso | UK
A focused fighter risks all in a high stakes brawl to save the one he loves.
Content warnings (highlight to read): Blood and gore
Bulent Ozdemir-Larusso is a Multi-Award Filmmaker, Academy Nicholl Fellowship SC and Screencraft Screenplay Finalist based in London. His formative filmmaking and screenwriting years were garnered with domestic and international praise from leading platforms including the Austin Film Festival and notable industry figures including Lexi Alexander (Punisher: War Zone), Randal Kleiser (Grease), Gary W. Goldstein (Pretty Woman) and Chris Jones (London Screenwriters Festival).
TRUST THY SISTER (2024)
Dir: Molly Wise | UK
There be witches.
In a theatre, the play begins. Three actresses showcase a rehearsal performance for their director. But as the story progresses, the lines between reality and fiction begin to blur.
Accusations fly and blood is spilled as a tale is told of the brutal 17th Century Witch Trials.
Content warnings (highlight to read): Blood and gore
Molly hails from the West Country and has a deep love for folk horror, cosmic sci-fi and complex characters. She saved and fundraised over a span of three years to create Trust Thy Sister's £17,000 budget.
THE WEDDING VEIL OF THE PROUD PRINCESS (2024)
Dir: Anna-Ester Volozh | UK
A princess’s impossible demand sparks an endless war, until a mysterious suitor emerges, claiming to be the one to satisfy her pride. Based on a story by L.M.Montgomery.
Anna-Ester Volozh graduated from Arts University Bournemouth, UK, with a Master's degree in Art in 2013. Since then they have been working as producer and director both as a freelancer and at their animation studio. Anna-Ester's focus is on artistic independent animation with emphasis on marginalised perspectives. Anna-Ester is queer and non-binary.
ENSOULED (2023)
Dir: Moe Najati | UK
Deep within the enigmatic Eternia facility, Clara carries a heavy burden of concealed grief. But within these mysterious walls, her life is about to transform in ways she never imagined.
Content warnings (highlight to read): Blood and gore
Born and raised in the UAE with Syrian and Lebanese heritage, Moe Najati is a writer-director who moved to London where his films became known for their emotional depth and vivid imagery. Moe's films have been showcased at prestigious Academy, BAFTA, and BIFA qualifying festivals, earning numerous awards.
THE LIBRARIAN (2024)
Dir: Peter Mason | UK
When you buy from strangers in a pub, caveat emptor...
Content warnings (highlight to read): Blood and gore
Peter Mason makes films in his spare time. He makes everything from scratch, while his wife provides artistic input.
CHARLIE FOXTROT (2024)
Dir: Janine Pipe | UK
What happens when two rural armed police officers stumble across a brutal execution in the middle of the Wiltshire countryside?
Content warnings (highlight to read): Blood and gore
Janine Pipe is a lifelong horror and action fan and over the recent years has used that passion to write several works of fiction and non-fiction, including her best-seller, Sausages: The Making of Dog Soldiers. She is co-writing The Making of The Descent with Neil Marshall ready for release in 2025. Her latest short film Charlie Foxtrot is now on the festival circuit. She is now in development with an action feature Indigo which is slated to go into production in 2026. She is also writing, directing and producing a segment in horror anthology Hell's Close in 2025.
LES BÊTES (2024)
Dir: Michael Granberry | US
A mysterious rabbit with a set of magic keys summons a host of strange creatures to entertain a wicked king and his decadent court in this dark stop-motion animated fantasy inspired by the works of Ladislas Starevich.
Les Bêtes is a four-year labor of love that began in 2020 as a "pandemic lockdown project" and was finally completed in 2024.
Michael Granberry is a three-time Emmy award-winning director and stop-motion animator whose work can be seen in the hit series Severance directed by Ben Stiller, the Oscar-winning Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio and numerous other feature films, documentaries, TV shows, web series and music videos.
In addition to filmmaking, Michael enjoys giving stop-motion and puppetry-related lectures and workshops, and being an advocate for women, minorities and fellow members of the LGBTQ+ community within the animation industry.
BLEAK SALVATION (2023)
Dir: Alexandru Siantiu | UK
The search for salvation is bleak and hopeless in a world ravaged by aimless and never ending violence. A lone wanderer struggles to find purpose both within and without, whilst fighting for survival.
Content warnings (highlight to read): Blood and gore
Alexandru, a Romanian actor based near London, recently portrayed King Claudius in a six-month tour of Italy in a theatrical musical adaptation of Hamlet. With extensive experience in dance choreography in Bucharest and London, he brings a unique brand of physicality and movement to his performances. He excels in physically demanding roles with an affinity towards action oriented films.
SULAYMAN (2023)
Dir: Blog Caliguia | Philippines
A warrior confronts a mysterious menace from the forest in order to protect his village.
Caliguia Jr. hopes that his journey and his win in the international arena would inspire young animators to make their own content rooted on Philippine cultures, and help in creating awareness on original Filipino animation.
THE PROTECTOR (2024)
Dir: Bruce Chong | UK
Set in the mean streets of London, an unassuming couple coming home from date night have the ultimate throwdown with roadmen. Or so it seems.
Bruce is a London-based filmmaker who draws inspiration from 1990s Hong Kong cinema, particularly in crafting narratives centered on action and martial arts.
BLOOD, SWEAT AND SHOES (2024)
Dir: Thomas Visperas | Austria
During her routine run with a new pair of shoes, a woman is unexpectedly confronted by her discarded old pair, seemingly come back to life with hostile intent.
WHAT HAPPENS ON EARTH (2025)
Dir: Tristan Patrick Sherfield | UK
Brian's night out takes a seriously wrong turn when he and his mate Reg ingest some bizarre pills. The night devolves into hallucinogenic chaos, physical mutations, and a close encounter of the alien kind.
THE LAST DUMPLING (2024)
Dir: Jadey Duffield | UK
Two hungry men on a first date are faced with a awkward decision when only ONE dumpling remains on the plate. Will they feed each other or will they die trying?
Jadey is an award-winning director, writer, and comedy-action guru with a robust background as a stuntwoman, pulling off crazy antics in blockbusters like The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Ready Player One, and an assortment of Marvel movies.
Specialising in taking a story and giving it a spin, Jadey focuses on infusing creativity in the room to craft physical comedy and storytelling fight scenes. Firmly rooted in a working-class, female-centric perspective, her upfront storytelling approach aims to bring authenticity and a fresh narrative to the forefront.