TUBI FRIGHTFEST UNVEILS MONSTROUS 2026 LINE-UP

Abner Pastoll’s NERVOUS and Marion Le Corroller’s SPECIES to open and close 27th edition

Be prepared for a terrifying, record-breaking selection of World, International, and UK premieres as Tubi FrightFest 2026, the UK’s No.1 horror & fantasy film festival, returns to the Odeon LUXE Leicester Square and the ODEON Luxe West End for its annual five-day celebration of nerve-jangling eeriness, hair-raising shock, and epic scares. This year’s line-up highlights the genre’s transforming landscape and reflects the amazing span of progressive global genre filmmaking.

Running from Thursday August 27 – Monday 31 August, Tubi FrightFest will showcase a record-breaking eighty-two features across five screens, including the popular ‘First Blood’, Documentary, and Retrospective strands. This year there are twenty-four world premieres, with sixteen countries represented, spanning four continents.

Ko Asung & Sarah Bolger star in NERVOUS

The opening night of the festival has a distinctive Asian flavour with the World premiere of NERVOUS, Abner Pastoll’s subversive, cross-cultural tale of psychological alienation and dangerous obsession. Shot entirely in South Korea, the film’s narrative is specifically rooted in the disorientating cultural and physical terrain of the Korean countryside and reunites Pastoll with his A Good Woman Is Hard To Find star Sarah Bolger, who plays a woman losing her ability to hear men’s voices. As her grip on reality starts to fracture, paranoia, hallucinations, and dangerous desires spiral out of control. The director and cast will be attending.

This is followed by Cannes sensation COLONY, the highly anticipated zombie shocker sensation from Yeon Sang-ho, director of SEOUL STATION and TRAIN TO BUSAN - both of which will also be screened – the latter to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the zombie shocker that became an instant cult classic.

The Asian line-up also includes 2026 Berlin Film Festival favourite GHOSTS IN THE CELL, where Indonesian genre wizard Joko Anwar crafts a gleefully grotesque horror-comedy, SALMOKJI: WHISPERING WATER, which has just become the highest-grossing Korean horror film of all time, and cult Japanese masterpieces CRAZY LIPS and GORE FROM OUTER SPACE, now remastered from original negatives.

SPECIES

The closing night film is the UK premiere of SPECIES, an exhilarating Gen Z shocker. French writer-director Marion Le Corroller’s debut feature is a darkly comic sci-fi body-horror with a deeper allegorical message about workplace burn-out. Its unique body-mutation sequences are created by special make-up effects designer Pierre-Olivier Persin, who won an Oscar for The Substance.

GATOR FACE

The twenty-five tales of terror, trauma and torment in the main screen sees the return of a lot of familiar talent, including The Adams family, with their deeply affecting apocalyptic fable THE GLORIOUS DEAD, Spider One with subversive dark comedy BIG BABY, produced by Cher, Holy Shit! director Lukas Rinker with his seat-edged survival thriller FROSTBITE,  Cheat directors Kevin Ignatius and Nick Psinakis with their stylish crime thriller VALLEY VIEW MOTEL, Italian horror maestro Federico Zampaglione, with supernatural chiller THE NAMELESS BALLAD, and Ryuhei Kitamura (The Midnight Meat Train) with LABYRINTH, a game-changing shocker in the Saw tradition.

SPIDER ISLAND

Tubi FrightFest also welcome back Christopher Smith, with the World premiere of his eight-legged satirical horror, SPIDER ISLAND, Padraig Reynolds with his teeth-snapping homage to 1970s creature feature exploitation, GATOR FACE, and James Nunn with survival thriller HUNGRY, where Louisiana bayou tourists are stalked by a ravenous, territorial hippopotamus.

Hammer also returns with ITHAQUA, a gripping period survival horror, directed by Casey Walker, who becomes the first director to have two films screening at the same festival, the other being HOME BODIES, a Christmas movie unlike any you’ve seen before.

Plus, there is the unique anthology THE PITCHFORK RETREAT, from the producers of the Terrifier franchise, which features the last appearance of Candyman star Tony Todd, twisted horror comedy DRAG, co-produced by Danny DeVito and starring his daughter Lucy DeVito. Brea Grant, Chelsea Stardust and Ed Dougherty bring us GRIND, a horror satire anthology about the modern gig economy, and actress Lulu Wilson is back as our favourite lethal anti-hero in Jenn Wexler’s THE LAST TEMPTATION OF BECKY, the biggest, bloodiest and most unhinged instalment yet.

HUNGRY

Other Main Screen titles include ODDITIES, a twisty dark tale of antiques and aliens, starring genre royalty Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog, Escape From New York), YOU ARE THE FILM, an interactive, fourth-wall-breaking experimental feature, HYENA, a brutal, fast-paced serial killer thriller, Stewart Sparke’s DEAD RESET, a video game inspired twist on the time travel genre, tense paranoia thriller IMPOSTERS, and fresh from its sensational Tribeca Festival launch comes PONDEROSA, a hilarious, creepy and surreal Bunuelian nightmare.

GRIND

This year’s four Discovery strands continue to demonstrate Tubi FrightFest’s established ethos for promoting new talent, original content and experimental formats, and this is no more evident than in the ‘First Blood’ strand. 

The five World premieres this year are: Annabella Rich’s THE DEATH OF US, where grief and supernatural forces collide to devastating effect, Paul Stainthorpe’s THE BROOK, in which a search for historical answers spirals into a serial-killer mystery, William Brooke’s THE ALICE PARADOX, which offers a thought-provoking new perspective on the time-travel genre, as does Conscian Morgan’s BINDING EVA, where a man on the run is trapped in a terrifying time loop. Finally, there is Ashley Nashville‘s HERALDRY PARANORMAL, a boisterous unique take on the classic paranormal investigation horror which also stands as a vivid representation for queer voices, featuring many characters from LGTBQ+ backgrounds.

MyAnna Buring in ZIP WIRE

Besides the ‘First Blood’ entries, the UK is represented by many talents, both established and new, and include the World premieres of Lawrence Fowler’s demonic board game horror GRIN, Dan Schaffer’s erotically-charged ELECTRIC MEAT, which co-stars Emily Booth and Sylvia Soska, Justin Hardy’s WRATH OF THE GODS, the definitive conclusion to the "Wicker Man trilogy", and you’ll need to hang on tight for Howard Ford’s latest nerve-jangler ZIP WIRE, starring MyAnna Buring. Other UK titles include eerie B-movie homage THE PERIL AT PINCER POINT, WELCOME TO G-TOWN, a Glaswegian splatter-comedy from upstart twins Nathan and Ben McQuaid, and Chris Green’s music and murder mix SYNTHESIZED.

Emily Booth in ELECTRIC MEAT

Other Discovery Screen One highlights include FACES OF DEATH, the meta slasher retooling of the cult 1978 mondo classic, starring Charli XCX, the heart-felt gross-out shocker BOWELS OF HELL, unusual thriller TERRESTRIAL  from Hot Tub Time Machine director Steve Pink, razor sharp, gory satire STARSUCKERS, Larry Fessenden’s graveyard monster mash TRAUMA OR, MONSTERS ALL, intense, psychological found-footage horror INFIRMARY,  DRACULA: THE NIGHT AROUND US, a tale of flesh, fangs, forgiveness and funerals, dark web crime thriller COMPLIANCE, and SNAPSHOT, the first found-footage film which uses a unique pinhole camera aesthetic.

FACES OF DEATH

Discovery screens 2, 3 & 4 play host to a global menu of genre delights. From North America comes Kyra Elise Gardner’s horror dramedy SLAY, Cameron Francis’ psychological horror thriller BLOOD SECRET, Andy Chen’s much-anticipated ANOTHER, starring Heather Langenkamp and Doug Jones, Justin M. Seaman’s blood-spattered end to his creature feature trilogy THE BARN PART III, Henry Chaisson’s ghostly RECLUSE, starring Toby Poser, Codey S. Wilson’s brutal home invasion nightmare LESIONS, Casper Kelly’s trippy BUDDY, Nick Lyon’s demonic DO YOU WANT TO PLAY?, Robert J. Steinmiller and Chris Lightbody’s cursed BAD KARAOKE, Stefan Colson’s possessed BLOOM, Carson McKinnon’s emotionally-driven shocker MOTHER AND ME and from Josh Lobo, the rising star director of I Trapped The Devil, comes J-Horror inspired sci-fi shocker NIGHT AFTER NIGHT. Finally, Frogman is back as director Anthony Cousins returns to Loveland with his even wackier cryptid sequel FROGMAN RETURNS. Fans will also be able to catch a retrospective screening of FROGMAN, with Cousins in attendance.

Larry Fessenden in TRAUMA OR, MONSTERS ALL

South America is represented by director Patricio Valladares’ Chilean sequel to Invoking Yell, INVOKING SCREAM, from Brazil we have Ian SBF’s sinister psychological thriller THE FLESH ITSELF, plus REMANENCE, Kapel Furman’s high voltage cosmic drama and from Uruguay comes SWEET VIOLENCE, the feature debut of Jeremias Segovia, one of the most exciting talents in South America.

BAD KARAOKE

Audiences can also sample devilish delights from down-under including OUR EFFED UP WORLD, the latest mindbender from transgender director Alice Maio Mackay, first-person found-footage horror DEAD EYES, haunting chiller THE LATCHER, and BUNNY RABBIT, the apocalyptic genre breakout of the year.

From Canada, Sam Scott brings the axe-shredding punk-rock tribute TURN IT UP!, while Daniel Turres delivers the wild, blood-soaked survival horror FRESH MEAT. Rounding out the line-up is the even meatier MEAT KILLS, from Dutch director Martijn Smits.

TURN IT UP!

Tubi FrightFest has always explored industry movers and shapers in its documentary strand and this year is no exception with the world premiere of Sarah Appleton’s FULL MOON RISING: THE CHARLES BAND STORY, a new feature documentary about the truly incredible life and career of Charles Band, prolific producer/director of such genre classics as Re-Animator, From Beyond, Trancers, and Castle Freak. Charles will be attending the festival.

RUBBERHEAD: THE LIFE & TIMES OF STEVE JOHNSON

There is also the European premiere of RUBBERHEAD: THE LIFE & TIMES OF STEVE JOHNSON, a humorous and heartfelt portrait of one of Hollywood’s most prolific special effects makeup artists. Plus, there is the UK premiere of THE FRIGHT STUFF, Mike Meyer’s all-access documentary that takes the viewer behind the scenes of the haunted house industry in America.

This year, Tubi FrightFest presents 4K restorations of both GHOSTKEEPER, Jim Makichuk’s Canuxploitation supernatural slasher classic, and Val Guest’s timeless THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN. This is a World premiere presentation from Hammer Films and is a restored version of the original UK cut complete with original title sequence.

Co-director Alan Jones comments: “Tubi FrightFest knows what creates resonance with its audience: that there has to be space for depth of exciting storytelling and that what is important in the ultimate scheme of festival priorities is to interact, scream, laugh and debate in a safe space, with a like-minded community”.

Full Festival Passes on sale from Sat 18 July, noon

Day Passes and Single tickets on sale from Sat 25 July, noon

https://www.frightfest.co.uk

The festival guest line-up, the Short Film Showcases and other events will be revealed soon.

Interview with Amanda Hessenauer by David Kempf

1. When did you first become interested in horror?

I think I've always been interested in horror. I was an avid reader growing up and I think the stories I connected with the most always had an element of horror to them. I don't remember exactly how old I was, but I remember staying up late, hiding under the covers with a flashlight reading spooky chapter books. One of my earlier favorites was Bunnicula. I remember checking out Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and those other classic anthologies available in the 90s for kids from the library at school. I've always enjoyed feeling scared, although I think to me, horror is really more about hope than anything else. 

2. Did you always enjoy horror and science fiction?

I always enjoyed horror going back as far as I can remember, and sci-fi was always a big genre for me. Fantasy as well. I didn’t discriminate; I read everything growing up. I was very much into the classics as well. Starting sometime in middle school, when we really started reading on our own and home and debating and discussing literature in school … well, that was my favorite part of the day. I remember we were assigned to read And Then There Were None, I think in seventh grade. I was geeking out the entire time. I went and checked out and read every single Agatha Christie book I could find in the local libraries in town. Then eventually we read Lord of the Flies, Fahrenheit 451, 1984, Shakespeare, The Crucible, To Killl a Mockingbird … I loved them all. But anything with a darker side that explored human nature always appealed to me.

Available on Amazon

3. Did you grow up around horror fans among friends and family?

My grandmother was a librarian, and we were quite close, so she was a big influence on me to read in general, as was my mom. My dad was never big into reading fiction, but he loved scary movies. Anything with a good psychological twist, especially. We watched a lot of horror movies together, especially as I got older, and that was always sort of our thing. My mom always hated anything scary, and she would roll her eyes and leave the room, and leave us to it. I think he was a big influence on my tastes as well. I’ll never forget watching The Ring together for the first time. One of my brothers joined us for that one, and he was terrified afterward. But I was too, to be honest, those opening scenes stuck with me. And I remember I absolutely loved the part where you realize all the efforts to lay her to rest were in vain. That she was never going to stop … I have a huge love of epistolary and found footage novels (and movies) and I think that movie is partially to thank. And Blair Witch of course. I watched that with my dad too.

4. Is there another genre that you are interested in?

I sort of touched on that above, but in terms of my writing, my novels have crossed genres a bit I think. Earlier on I was writing more gothic horror/gothic romance. I’ve written creature features, one in particular that contains significant sci-fi elements, and a romance as well. Actually I think all of my novels have some sort of romance element, even if it’s kept pretty minimal. My latest published novel, Going to the Six, has the least amount of romance, but I could still argue it’s quite a strong part of the plot, even though it might not be obvious. I’ve heard it said though (very vehemently) that romance novels must have a happy ending, and almost none of mine do … so I suppose I’m still firmly in the horror camp.

Available on Amazon

5. When did you first know you wanted to write and publish?

From the time I was old enough to be asked and answer the question, I always wanted to be a writer when I grew up. I ended up getting my clinical doctorate in audiology instead, and that came about in a very roundabout way actually. I only started writing seriously about two years ago. Prior to that, I started maybe three or four novels, but never finished any of them. The first one was when I was about 12. The second I want to say I was 16 or 17. I worked on one or two as an adult but never took myself seriously. Then about two years ago, I saw an ad for a competition, through Kindle Vella. And the word count requirement was 10,000 words. That sounded (naively) like a lot at the time to me, and I decided to challenge myself to see if I could do it. I wrote that first 10,000 and realized that wasn’t nearly enough, and kept going. The finished product ended up being the first novel I ever completed, and the first novel I self-published. I find it a bit cringey now looking back, but we all have to start somewhere.

6. Do you have a circle of beta readers you trust to read your work?

I have had a few people offer to beta read for me in the past, but only two who have stuck around. The first is my husband, he has been the first reader for every book I’ve written (that’s nine and counting so far). The second person to beta read more than one novel for me is a fellow author, Jason Garman. He’s read my last few novels and I’ve returned the favor for his debut, a noir thriller that just released earlier this year, and a few novellas, one of which released a few weeks ago.

Available on Amazon

7. Do you believe readers need to be horror fans in order to enjoy your work?

I think for the most part, yes. Going to the Six I could argue could be a chameleon and function as a psychological thriller as well, in a way, but it depends whether the reader can tolerate even the question of a paranormal entity. I know most prefer their thrillers to be based more firmly in reality. Not to ever knock what anyone enjoys, (more power to them!) but I find reality far too boring and depressing to ever stick to it.

8. Why do you think horror books and movies remain so popular?

I mentioned briefly earlier that to me, horror is about hope. It’s about watching or reading about someone else surviving (hopefully) or at least fighting, something awful, and I think that has power. I think it relates to a basic human need, which is to tell stories of what others have gone through, and spread the idea that these things are survivable. That fighting back is an option. That we are stronger than we might think. To me, horror will always exist as a medium because it reflects the worst and the best of us back to us in a way we can try to make sense of.

9. Do you think just as many people read books as they did ten or twenty years ago?

Gosh, I don’t know if I’m qualified to answer this. My gut would tell me yes, and by God I hope that’s true, but I really don’t know the answer.

Available on Amazon

10. Who inspires you?

A writer who inspires me is Dan Franklin. He has a phenomenal way with prose and description and weaving a story together. He’s also a fantastic person, someone who operates with integrity and humility and kindness, always. I have found those qualities to be sadly lacking in many of my encounters in the indie horror community, so to see someone who is a fantastic writer and also a good person is refreshing. I do think he is severely underrated as well, probably because unlike most of us, he doesn’t seem to attempt to focus his energy on promoting his own work, so heck, I’ll do it for him whenever I can. Another person who inspires me is Robbie Dorman. He is again, a great writer, a fantastically kind human being, and he is someone who I think really studies the craft and takes the time to constantly try to learn from other authors and better himself. I really admire Clay McLeod Chapman, for his creativity, his humor, his kindness, his willingness to be vulnerable and share his struggles. On top of that, he seems to do more, and be more places than is physically possible for one person, all while churning out an insane number of books. I have found a lot of inspiration as well just in my journey as a female author in horror by reading, watching, and learning from authors like Laurel Hightower, Cynthia Pelayo, Viggy Parr Hampton, Candace Nola, RJ Joseph, CJ Leede, and so many others. There are a lot of phenomenal women writing horror right now, and I’m thrilled to be a part of that in my own small way.

11. What are some of your favorite horror books?

Oh goodness … How much space do I have to answer this? Alright, I’m going to give you some all-time favorites first, just whatever pops into my head: The Terror, The Sarvan, Withered Hill, Wintersett Hollow, The Little Stranger, Echo, The Haunting of Hill House. I’m going to cut myself off, and switch to some of my top reads for this year so far: The Instruction Manual to Being a Vampire, by Craig Wallwork, Close to the Bone, by CS Jones, Decomposition Book, by Sara Van Os, SuperNoirtural Tales, by Ian Rogers, The Eater of the Gods, by Dan Franklin, Come Knocking, by Mike Bockoven, Experimental Film, by Gemma Files, Stolen Tounges, by Felix Blackwell, Phantom Constellations, by Daniel Braum, My Name Isn’t Paul, by Drew Huff, The October Film Haunt, by Michael Wehunt, Itch!, by Gemma Amor, The Rotting Room, by Viggy Parr Hampton, Liminal, by Shawn Winchell, and On Darkened Wings, by Winona Morris.

12. What are some of your favorite horror movies?

Alright, well, I mentioned The Ring earlier, that will always be a favorite. Another long-time favorite is Jurassic Park, yes, it counts as horror, I can do a whole separate interview about that! I love Fallen; that was another favorite that I watched (more than once) with my dad. I love House on Haunted Hill, for nostalgic reasons. My all-time favorite horror movie I think would have to be Midsommar. I have only two movies I will never watch again, and they are Hereditary and The Babadook. Those moves actually scared me, and I basically don’t get scared. I think there’s probably some tie-in there with maternal horror that just makes me uncomfortable, and I probably need to examine that more closely at some point in my own writing. Another favorite is Get Out. Absolutely fantastic. I really enjoyed Vivarium, and I also loved Coherence. I liked the movie Life, and fun fact, my oldest son is named after the alien. I recently watched and really enjoyed Talk to Me. I can’t talk about scary movies without mentioning Mike Flanagan’s Netflix series; the Haunting of Hill House, the Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass … I realize they aren’t movies, but all are comfort watches for me. I know I’m going to think of more movies later and sorely regret neglecting to mention them, but that’s it for now.

13. What are your current projects?

I’m currently taking a mandatory break from writing. I wrote three novels in under seven months, including Going to the Six, which just released from Cemetery Dance in June. Shameless plug, the audiobook has been picked up by Simon and Schuster and will release on August 18th via their Simon Maverick division. I also wrote a feminist horror novel pitched as Midsommar meets Fight Club meets Nightbitch, which is currently out on submission, along with a novel set in WWII France, which is loosely inspired by the Grimm Fairy Tale, The Three Army Surgeons. That novel is titled Three Girls and a Lie. I decided I’d earned a bit of a rest for the moment, but I’ll be back at it again shortly I’m sure.

14. Please in your own words write a paragraph about yourself & your work. 

I’m going to share my author bio here; a good excuse/reminder to update it! 

A.C. Hessenauer describes herself as a writer of horror, chaos, and madness. Her latest novel, Going to the Six, was published by Cemetery Dance Publications in June 2026 and was selected for the Cemetery Dance Trade Paperback Book Club alongside works by Jack Ketchum, Bentley Little, and Brian Hodge. When she’s not participating in macabre ceremonies dedicated to the eldritch horrors out in the woods, A.C. enjoys spending time with her family. She loves a good horror movie, and of course, getting swallowed whole by a good book.

You can follow Amanda on Insta @a.c.hessenauer

Buy Amanda's books at https://amzn.to/4yk3kdz

COMPETITION: Win The Mortuary Assistant on Blu-ray

Shudder Original The Mortuary Assistant, a blood-curdling new possession horror film based on the critically acclaimed, best-selling videogame of the same name, is set to arrive on Blu-ray, DVD and digital on 20 July 2026, courtesy of Acorn Media International. 

And to celebrate we have a copy to give away!

Synopsis:

The film follows Rebecca Owens (Willa Holland – The O.C., Arrow) – a newly certified mortician with a troubled past. After being hired at River Fields Mortuary, she takes over the night shift, but what starts out as your run-of-the-mill embalming takes an unnerving turn… as the cold, clinical lights begin to flicker, bodies begin to move on their own and Rebecca realises she is not alone. 

 

Things go from suspicious to outright sinister when she begins experiencing horror-fuelled hallucinations derived from her deepest fears and darkest secrets. As the visions start to put her and those around her in danger, she confides in her enigmatic mentor, Raymond Delver (Paul Sparks – Boardwalk Empire, House of Cards), who reveals that a demonic entity has latched onto the young assistant and is using the morgue as a bridge between the living and the dead. 

 

With only one night to prevent the entity from completing its full possession, Rebecca must navigate a series of demonic rituals, unravel the truth behind Raymond’s shady secrets and confront her own buried traumas to survive until sunrise. 

 

Intertwining trauma, gore and outstanding practical effects, join The Mortuary Assistant for a spine-chilling, against-the-clock fright fest, delivering ‘fun, creepy demonic horror’ (Ginger Nuts of Horror). 

Pre-Order from https://amzn.to/4gBfcBF

Enter now for a chance to win.

Who directs The Mortuary Assistant?

Send your name, address and of course the answer to competition365@outlook.com

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here

1. Closing date 27-07-26

2. No alternative prize is available

3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.

4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

COMPETITION: Win Pitfall on DVD - Starring Alexandra Essoe, Marshall Williams, Randy Couture, Richard Harmon

New survival horror, Pitfall, is out now on UK Digital platforms and comes home on Blu-ray and DVD from 20th July!

And to celebrate we have a copy to give away!

Synopsis:

In this tense survival horror, after a young man gets separated from his friends in the woods, he falls into a 10 foot deep pit of spikes, impaling him through his leg and leaving him trapped. He quickly learns that his fall was not an accident...

With an ace cast including Marshall Williams (Glee), Alexandra Essoe (The Pope's Exorcist), Richard Harmon (Final Destination: Bloodlines) and Mixed Martial Arts legend Randy Couture (The Expendables), Pitfall is directed by James Kondelik.

Dazzler Media presents Pitfall out now on Digital platforms and on Blu-ray and DVD from 20th July

Pre-Order from https://amzn.to/44pVrWA

Enter now for a chance to win.

Who directs Pitfall?

Send your name, address and of course the answer to competition365@outlook.com

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here

1. Closing date 27-07-26

2. No alternative prize is available

3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.

4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

Interview with Jonathan Fuller - By David Kempf

1. When did you first become interested in horror?

My initial interest in horror started very early. When I was around nine years old my father introduced me to horror and science fiction movies. First up was Evil Dead, and as I got older I stared renting all the movies that featured behind the scenes of making of stuff and I was hooked. 

2. Did you always enjoy horror special effects?

Yes! When I was eleven I was asked by a friend if I would like to do this guy’s haunted house. He was going to be made up like Freddy Kruger for Halloween. So I showed up to this guy’s house and it was wall to wall special FX everywhere. From masks to props to full bodies, and Fangoria magazine everywhere. His garage was a production line of molds and masks. And these cool itmes called GoreKnobs. Yep. Eleven years ago I was meeting Tim Gore for the first time. 

3. Do you prefer horror TV shows or films?

I enjoy everything. 

4. Is there another genre that you are interested in?

I love comedy, mysteries, and thrillers. 

5. When did you first attend Dick Smith’s school of makeup?

I met Dick at Fangoira Weekend of Horrors. I showed him my portfolio. He said that he was impressed and that I had to take his famous course. This was a bit pricey for me at the time, and I showed my grandfather everything. He graciously purchased everything for me. I think I was bout noineteen at the time. 

6. Do you do all production and mask making yourself?

Yes. I do everything. Sculpture, mold making, casting, and painting. 

7. Do you believe viewers need to horror fans in order to enjoy your work?

I don’t think so. Many people seem to be fascinated by the art form itself. 

8. Why do you think horror books and movies remain so popular?

It’s exciting and fun. Who doesn’t like a good scare?

9. Why do you think that people are obsessed with learning something new about classic films like JAWS or The Thing?

Well, JAWS and The Thing were ahead of their times. Especially The Thing. You can watch it today and still be in awe of how they did that work. Holds up to this day. 

 

10. Who inspires you?

Anyone who does amazing work. I could do what everyone does and list all of the same people we list but with this day in social media-great artists are everywhere. 

11. What are some of your favorite horror books?

When I was a big reader, it was everything by Dean Koontz and Patricia Cornwell. 

12. What are some of your favorite horror movies?

I just watched Obsession last night. It was fantastic. But the OG Horror is The Thing, Friday the 13th,  From Dusk til Dawn, and the EVIL DEAD series. 

13. What are your current projects?

Currently it’s design work for Halloween companies, and independent commissions. 

14. Please in your own words write a paragraph about yourself & your work. 

I’ve been a professional sculptor and creature designer for decades, specializing in realistic horror masks, props, and collectible sculptures. I love creating original characters along with my favorite classics, and bringing them to life through expressive anatomy, lifelike textures, and attention to detail. My inspiration comes from horror films, practical FX, and the incredible artists who paved the way before me. Whether I am working on a commission or developing my own designs, my goal is to always create something that tells a story, and leaves a lasting impression. For me, sculpting is not just a career-it’s something I am passionate about, and I am always looking for ways to improve my craft and push myself creatively. RIP Tim Gore. 

https://www.instagram.com/thejonfullerproject

REVIEW: The Xenophobes (2026 Film) - Starring Svetlana Tulasi

 

Independent science fiction often stands or falls on the strength of its ideas. When budgets are minimal and resources are stretched to their limits, there is little room to disguise shortcomings. The Xenophobes, directed by Hal Dace and Penny Cullers, is very much that kind of film. This ultra low budget production never attempts to hide its limitations, yet beneath the rough presentation sits an ambitious and surprisingly thoughtful story exploring first contact, time dilation, fear of the unfamiliar and the experience of becoming an outsider.

The film follows Captain Shriya Ballah, played by Svetlana Tulasi, as she leads an international crew on humanity’s first diplomatic mission to Gliese 849d, the first known world inhabited by intelligent alien life. Aware of the personal sacrifices involved, she takes her husband and two daughters aboard the Jerusalem. What begins as a historic journey gradually becomes something far more complicated, with consequences that reshape both the crew and the Earth they eventually return to.

One of the film’s most effective qualities is its structure. The Xenophobes essentially tells two connected stories. The first half centres on the voyage itself, the uneasy reception awaiting the crew and the struggle to communicate with an alien civilisation. The second half shifts focus after the crew return home, only to discover that while twelve years have passed for them, six decades have passed on Earth.

The transition between these two halves gives the film much of its impact. It explores how rapidly societies evolve and how easily people can become disconnected from the world they once knew. As the story develops, the title gains a deeper significance. The crew set out expecting to encounter aliens, yet on their return they find themselves treated as strangers. They become the outsiders, viewed with suspicion and pressured to fit into a society that has moved on without them.

Svetlana Tulasi delivers the film’s strongest performance. My wife recognised her immediately and already follows her social media accounts because of her work as a dancer. She brings confidence and presence to Captain Ballah, creating a central character who remains engaging throughout. Even when the film stumbles, her performance provides an anchor, and she displays a natural screen charisma that helps elevate the material.

The tiny budget is impossible to overlook, though it occasionally adds an unexpected layer of charm. The interiors of the spacecraft feature furniture that often looks remarkably familiar. Crew members appear to be seated in everyday office and gaming chairs, while one particularly amusing scene makes it look as though the captain is commanding the mission from a basic wooden dining chair. Alongside sets that appear hand painted in places, these details generated more than a few smiles. There is something oddly endearing about watching filmmakers squeeze every possible use from limited resources.

The second half also benefits greatly from the story’s return to Earth. With less reliance on green screens and computer generated environments, the production is able to take advantage of real-world locations. The visual improvement is immediately noticeable. Scenes feel more authentic, more grounded and generally more convincing than much of what appears during the space-based opening chapters.

Unfortunately, the film’s weaknesses are just as easy to spot. Even by the standards of an ultra low budget production, many of the visual effects look dated. The space sequences in particular often struggle to create a sense of immersion, with effects that can pull attention away from the story rather than enhance it. It is difficult not to think about how much easier some of these scenes might have been to realise using more modern technology. As it stands, portions of the CGI feel like a product of an earlier era of digital filmmaking.

The heavy dependence on green screen work during the first half creates additional problems. Combined with the limited effects, it frequently highlights the production’s financial constraints instead of drawing viewers into the world being presented.

The running time presents another challenge. At two hours long, The Xenophobes demands patience. The ideas are strong enough to support a substantial narrative, but the pacing would likely have benefited from a tighter edit. Some scenes linger longer than necessary, and reducing the overall length could have strengthened the film considerably.

The Xenophobes is ultimately a film that benefits from the right expectations. Anyone searching for polished effects, convincing spacecraft interiors or blockbuster spectacle will almost certainly be disappointed. Those aspects are not where the film succeeds. Its strengths lie in its concepts, themes and willingness to tackle questions about fear, identity and conformity.

Viewed from that perspective, there is a great deal to admire. The central premise is engaging, the themes are thoughtfully explored and the performances help maintain interest throughout. Most importantly, the film remains committed to its ideas from beginning to end.

Svetlana Tulasi emerges as the clear standout. She carries much of the film on her shoulders and demonstrates the kind of presence that could easily translate to larger productions given the opportunity.

I enjoyed The Xenophobes. The low budget presentation will undoubtedly be a barrier for some viewers, but I grew up watching science fiction films and television series very much in this mould throughout the 1990s. Expensive effects have never been the sole measure of quality. There is genuine enjoyment to be found in noticing the inventive solutions hidden throughout the production and appreciating the effort required to bring such an ambitious concept to life.

Independent filmmakers willing to pursue large-scale science fiction ideas on extremely limited budgets deserve recognition. The Xenophobes is not polished and it does not always succeed, but its ambition, sincerity and thought-provoking ideas make it more memorable than many productions created with far greater resources.

Out Now on Prime Video - https://amzn.to/3RGFIzj

Graham Humphreys’ stunning FrightFest 2026 poster art revealed.

 

FrightFest has unveiled Graham Humphreys’ stand-out poster design for 2026 which marks the 27th anniversary of the UK’s most popular genre festival.

Graham, one of Britain’s most highly acclaimed British graphic artists and illustrators, said today: “The iconic monster stays the same, but turning the sky an apocalyptic blood red seems to hit the mood of the brutal heatwaves frying Europe this year, whilst making a hefty reference to a staple of horror movies and the favourite drink of all vampires. In a world scammed by media manipulation and the relentless march of AI, the FrightFest mascot takes a turn at puppeteering and reminds us that when we are stripped of symbols and identities, we are all clattering bags of bones alike”.

This year’s annual Bank Holiday event, the UK’s largest celebration of genre cinema, takes place at Odeon LUXE Leicester Square and Odeon LUXE West End between Thurs Aug 27 & Mon Aug 31, 2026.

The line-up of films will be announced on Thursday 16 July, 2pm UK time.

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