★★★★ Directed and Written by: #AndyKastelic Starring: #JackForcinito #CalvinOlson Short Film Review by: #ChrisBuick As we watch a recently self-liberated convict surface from the depths of an algae ridden river in an attempt to elude the searching local authorities, you’d be forgiven for assuming that the opening few moments of Andy Kalestic’s Typhoon might be the precursor for a tense manhunt thriller. But rather than pursue that well-travelled road, Kalestic decides to take a sharp right turn to somewhere completely different. After he decides to hunker down for the night in an abandoned building of no clear distinction, our aforementioned penal absconder Magpie (Forcinito) wakes up to a rather unique situation. With the distinctive charm and way with words perhaps typical of a person with experience being on the wrong side of the law, he playfully scolds the young boy that he finds elevated in front of him that the layman's noose tied round his neck isn’t really going to do the trick. But as a navy veteran, Magpie is happy to offer his services to help young Pete (Olson) get it right, in exchange for helping him with his own freedom. Its a powerful film to be sure, Kalestic clearly has courage and belief as a filmmaker in the story he wants to tell. Young suicide, not to mention confessions of filicide are not ideas to be flippant with, but Kalestic does approach them with a good sense of respect and meaning, rather than simply trying to provoke. In Typhoon, what you get is a story of two very different people unified by the need to escape from something, and in turn both experience something like the father-son relationship they each never had. But what really gives the film its weight are the performances. Olson’s Pete never utters a word, but his vivid expressions speak volumes, the anguish and heartache of his own troubled existence conveyed effortlessly through bruised eyes complete with a grit that almost immediately gains the respect of his older counterpart. Magpie as the flip side of that coin, manages to speak enough for the both of them and then some, and although the film perhaps overindulges slightly with his dialogue, Forcinito’s deeply layered portrayal gives great depth to a man who despite his at times pompous but always captivating bravado, manages to also show us a much more complex man struggling with inescapable demons. Location seems to be key here as well, the setting of the cold ruined building alone in the desolate surroundings greatly echoes the loneliness and degradation these two characters feel epitomises their lives and the juxtaposing daylight setting gently offsets the sombre subject matter just enough to keep us smiling when we need to. Kalestic certainly hasn’t shied away from some bold story choices and despite its murky beginnings, Typhoon is a affectionate tale about redemption and the varying ways people can look to escape the shackles that bind them. #ChrisBuick

First off, we are excited to reveal our 2021 poster art from regular designer Ilan Sheady. In response to the continued uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, and by popular demand, this year's festival will be a hybrid event. The live event will take place at Odeon Great Northern in Manchester from 7th to 10th Oct and be followed by an online version, running from 14th to 17th October. Grimmfest Online 2021 will offer audiences the chance to experience the festival programme in the comfort of their own homes, as well as enabling them to catch up on anything they might have missed at the live event. The virtual festival will complement and sit alongside the live festival, with much of the content crossing both events. Many of the feature films and shorts that play the live festival will also be featured within the online event but there will also be some online exclusives. We are excited to announce two exclusive feature film presentations only available on our virtual event and both UK premieres. Ben Charles-Edwards explores the damage done and the demons unleashed by a traumatic domestic confrontation in FATHER OF FLIES, a nerve-jangling study of childhood terrors, family dysfunction and repressed memory, starring Camilla Rutherford and the late Nicholas Tucci in one of his last roles. FOR ROGER see’s THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT meet KRAPP'S LAST TAPE, as a grieving man, poring over video recordings of his late partner is confronted with some uncomfortable truths in Aaron Bartuska's razor-sharp reinvention of the “found footage” movie. Feature films will be presented as double bills with limited viewing windows on each day of the virtual festival and geo-blocked to the UK, so as to maintain their premiere statuses around the world, while our short film programmes will be available across the virtual festival dates. Plus we will present an exclusive online Q&A's with our 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Dee Wallace (E.T., The Howling, Critters, Cujo). Every selected film will be in the running for our annual Grimmfest ‘Reaper’ awards, which include BEST FEATURE, BEST SHORT, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST ACTRESS, BEST ACTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY, BEST SCARE, BEST SCORE, BEST SFX and BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY. Grimmfest is also delighted to announce the Jury for this year's festival. Deliberating over this year's films and selecting the winning films will be Horror Channel's Senior Channel Manager Stewart Bridle, Canadian film director, Justin McConnell (LIFE CHANGER, CLAPBOARD JUNGLE), US actress and director Natasha Halevi (BEAUTY JUICE, DON’T GO OUTSIDE), DIABOLIQUE editor Kat Ellinger, and UK actor and director Dominic Brunt (BAIT, BEFORE DAWN ATTACK OF THE ADULT BABIES). FULL VIRTUAL FESTIVAL LINE UP: ● FOR ROGER (Aaron Bartuska, USA) ● FATHER OF FLIES (Ben Charles-Edwards UK / USA) ● SLAPFACE (Jeremiah Kipp, USA) ● THE NIGHTS BELONG TO THE MONSTERS (Sebastian Perillo, Argentina) ● HAPPY TIMES (Michael Mayer, Israel / USA) ● NIGHT AT THE EAGLE INN (Erik Bloomquist, USA) ● VAL (Aaron Fradkin, USA, 77 min) ● THE SPORE (D.M. Cunningham, USA) ● THE PIZZAGATE MASSACRE (John Valley, USA) ● MOTHERLY (Craig David Wallace, Canada) ● SHOT IN THE DARK (Keene McRae, USA) ● NIGHT DRIVE (Brad Baruh, USA) ● MIDNIGHT (Oh-seung Kwon, South Korea) ● FACELESS (Marcel Sarmiento, USA) ● WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR (Jane Schoenbrun, USA) ● THE FREE FALL (Adam Stillwell, USA) ● ON THE THIRD DAY (Daniel de la Vega, Argentina) ● THE GUEST ROOM (Stefano Lodovichi, Italy) ● HOTEL POSEIDON (Stefan Lernous, Belgium) ● FORGIVENESS (Alex Kahuam, Mexico) ● TWO WITCHES (Pierre Tsigaridis, USA) ● KING KNIGHT (Richard Bates Jnr, USA) ● TARUMAMA / LLANTO MALDITO (Andres Beltran, Colombia) ● THE RIGHTEOUS (Mark O'Brien, Canada) Passes and tickets can be purchased from www.grimmfest.com.

★★★ Directed by: #PaulWarner Written by: #DavidVando Starring: #AndrewBurdette, #ThemoMelikidze, #AnnaMariaCianciulli, #MichaelElian, #JoeMenino Film Review by Taryll Baker HAMLET/HORATIO celebrates the power of love to transcend corruption and evil driven by Horatio's mission to keep Hamlet's spirit alive, even after death. Shakespeare lovers; seek out Hamlet/Horatio. The tragic tale is spun from its original text and flipped to a new perspective from the eyes of Horatio, Hamlet’s closest friend. Love flows through the words penned by Shakespeare, adapted to a new form of storytelling with David Vando’s script and Paul Warner’s direction. Hamlet/Horatio opens with an empty sound stage focusing on the death of Hamlet. Horatio is a film director who aims to fulfil a promise he made to a dying Hamlet in telling the story of his life. A fairly gripping story if you’re accustomed to the writings of the famous playwright; his words charming in its traditional format. His influence on the English language is impressive; his sharp vocabulary played a huge part in a changing world. Though it must be noted, if you’re unfamiliar with his work as I am, Hamlet/Horatio will not be enjoyable. It is no surprise to find that a film telling one of the most notable stories in history (even with its subtle twist in execution) is not quite the gripping watch you’d hope for without the required research into Shakespeare’s background and subsequent impact on society. If you’re a newbie (there’s no shame in that), this will not be to your liking, unless you’re incredibly open-minded. That said, it is a splendid staging of work that has been performed many a time over the centuries. Warner’s direction ensures Hamlet/Horatio is captured like a stage play; simple blocking and raw performances with minimal locations, relying heavily on the words to provoke the audience. It’s clear that Wenzel and Vando’s passion project is one of careful caution; this is a culmination of a 20-year collaboration and it certainly feels it. Hamlet/Horatio features some fantastic performances from Andrew Burdette and Themo Melikidze, playing Hamlet and Horatio respectively. Though the words can be very overwhelming and difficult to bear, the duo’s willingness to shine gives the film its needed pull. A tale of love, evil and corruption; the language used doesn’t stilt the entertainment too much for people “uncultured” in Shakespeare, as the physical presentation from the actors provides enough story in and of itself. And the staging is pretty stunning in all its simplicity, but as someone who really isn’t well-versed in the subject, it’s still a struggle to brush through. Warner, Vando and Wenzel have created a new version of a classic play and as aforementioned, it will surely be entertaining to those who seek it out. There is a beauty in their craft and the actors bring forth a traditional vibe in the performances, but if unfamiliar, this is quite a slog. Watch the trailer for Hamlet/Horatio below. - #TaryllBaker

PEAKY BLINDERS STAR SAM HAZELDINE FIGHTS THE WAR BELOW IN THE UK AND IRISH CINEMAS ON 10TH SEPTEMBER Based on the story of the tunnellers who dug underneath no-man’s land, the First World War drama THE WAR BELOW will be released in cinemas and on digital platforms in the UK and Ireland on 10th September 2021. The Dig meets Saving Private Ryan in writer/director J.P. Watts’ debut feature, about a maverick plan to defeat the German army during the Battle of Messines in 1917. The film stars Sam Hazeldine (Peaky Blinders) as William Hackett, the miner desperate to join the army who, after being turned down at the recruitment office, gets the chance to serve his country in an unexpected way. The supporting cast includes Tom Goodman-Hill (The Imitation Game) as “Hellfire Jack,” the colonel who proposes the dramatic plan to turn the tables on the enemy, and Kris Hitchen (Sorry We Missed You), Elliot James Langridge (Northern Soul) and Sam Clemmett (Endeavour) as the three men who accompany Hackett on his audacious mission. Also starring Andy Serkis' son Sonny Serkis (Child 44). THE WAR BELOW is a gripping, gruelling and triumphantly stirring story about loyalty, bravery and brotherhood. If you enjoyed 1917, The Imitation Game and Dunkirk, be sure to watch THE WAR BELOW. Watch the official Film Trailer.

★★★★ Directed by: #JPGifford Written by: #JosephArcher, #JPGifford Starring: #MarvynDickinson, #JessicaRansom, #DavidSchaal Short Film Review by: Emily Davison A loving, yet absent father breaks down in the middle of the countryside on the way to visiting his young son and must walk the rest of the journey…whilst dressed as a fish. The Smoking Fish (2021) is a short comedy/drama, directed by J. P. Gifford, who wrote the screenplay alongside award winning filmmaker Joseph Archer. Archer won the Festival Award for Best Director at the Genre Celebration Festival for his short drama On In 15 (2019). This short is set in the gorgeous Peak District and was produced by Window Zebra Productions in association with Lucas A. Ferrara. The film is beautifully shot and captures the picturesque sunny vistas of the English countryside, with the memorable image of a man in a fish costume creating a striking contrast between what is recognisable and what is bizarre and out of place. He wears the costume with blatant nonchalance, making the comedy land perfectly when he does encounter problems and a humorous misunderstanding about his son’s apparent interest in fishing makes the film even better on a second viewing. The screenplay is very charming and is executed well, surprisingly feeling very much grounded in a real family drama situation despite the strange circumstances Frank (Dickinson) finds himself in. It is both funny and touching to watch him attempt to navigate a tight gate whilst holding the fish costume, as well as fall into a field of sheep poo in his determination to reach his son. Frank even risks getting shot by an angry farmer Keith (Schaal) when he trespasses on his private land. This is a wonderful film which relies on the classic screenwriting technique of ‘show, don’t tell’, where a simple long shot of Frank walking through a hot field in a silly costume speaks volumes of his love and commitment to his children. Everyone involved in the cast play their characters splendidly. Dickinson is the grounded everyman who is easy to relate to: the father who has made past mistakes, but a broken down car will never stop him from striding across the countryside in a fish costume to visit his son. Ransom is believable as his ex and the pessimistic, protective mother of their son, Nick (Jack Waddington), with Schaal having a nice quick cameo as the farmer who offers to give Frank a lift home. The film also has a very effective original score by Jodie Grayer and Michael Boga, with a heart-warming song about one walking miles to reach someone they love, which symbolises the screenplay perfectly. Sweet, charming and enduring – The Smoking Fish is a very good short, with a huge heart worn proudly on its sleeve and a lot of laughs. The film is gorgeous to look at, nicely acted and has a moving tale at its centre of a father just trying to spend some quality time with his son, what’s not to love? #EmilyDavison

★★★ Written and directed by: Michael Costello Starring: Mario McEntee, Michael Costello, John Linehan Film review by: William Hemingway Jack (McEntee) really isn't having a good time of things. He's been out of work and on benefits for the past couple of years and he can't seem to get a break. Living with his Gran isn't helping either as she's down on him all the time and constantly haranguing him to pull himself together. When we first meet Jack he's still in bed and already late for an interview. The numerous beer bottles surrounding him in bed point to the fact that Jack isn't really taking any responsibility for his predicament and that he's drowning his sorrows instead. With that said, Not My Day is not a hard hitting, socio-political drama with a biting commentary to drive home, but a scatter-brained comedy with a few sharp laughs thrown at the protagonist's expense. As soon as Granny (Linehan) steps onto the screen it becomes very obvious what type of story we're going to get from writer/director Michael Costello, and sure enough once that's established the rest of this ten minute short film doesn't disappoint. Jack's day just goes from bad to worse as he tries his best to impress those who would hold his fate in their hands. The secretary at the job interview won't look at him and barely even registers his existence; the other interviewee waiting to be seen is a crazy lunatic with a penchant for firestarting; and the interviewer himself is a grade-A douchebag with a superiority complex. How is Jack supposed to get ahead in a world like this? Inevitably, things go further downhill from here and Jack finds out incontrovertibly that this really is not his day. Luckily for us though, we can all have a good time laughing at Jack's problems and we can share in a good few jokes at his expense. The laughs do mainly hit home and the performances from the cast lend an energetic characterisation to the scenario playing out on screen. Mario McEntee, who came up with the original story for this short film, gurns and grimaces well as the hapless Jack, while Michael Costello puts in a suitably unhinged performance in front of the camera as the firebug, Clive. Top marks go to John Linehan though, as he channels the late, great Les Dawson to deliver the best lines of the script through his cross-dressing antics as Granny. Technically the film holds together well with decent directing and good editing coming together to produce a short with very little fat on its bones. The narrative is slick and punchy and delivers everything it needs to without lingering in any one place for too long, while the music from James Everett fits the style of the story well with its light and bouncy Sims-esque themes. Without being anything groundbreaking or too involved, Not My Day comes across as a nice little diversion into a weird and wacky world. It's fun, funny and lovingly presented although it never reaches beyond the confines of what it knows itself to be. If you're not having a great day yourself, flicking this on for a wee ten minutes should help give you the lift you need to get back on track and realise there's always someone else having a worse day than you. #WilliamHemingway

Screen & Story Film Festival 2021 15 - 25 September FREE. LIVE. GLOBAL. STREAMING. 10 days. 103 films. 39 countries. London, 23rd August 2021 – The Screen & Story Film Festival (SSFF) is launching its second edition, following a successful inaugural event last year, with an expanded programme and a diverse slate of films from across the world. Virtually attending this year’s festival, you can expect: • Films from a new generation of undiscovered talents • A diverse programme of 103 films from 39 countries, including 17 Virtual Premieres • Over 20 hours of cinematic entertainment that platforms global filmmaking • An exciting and unique screenwriting competition • Compelling prizes and honours to be won • Live-streamed, free-to-access film showcases, talks, and workshops The festival line-up this year includes 48 shorts (40 fiction and 8 experimental films), 24 documentaries, 28 animations, and 3 features, in a diversity of genres and styles, to please a wide audience. Virtual Screenings and Ticketing - Tickets for virtual screenings and events are free and will be accessible via the festival website. Our international audience can enjoy the festival experience from the comfort of their homes starting Wednesday, 15th September, 8pm GMT, via the festival website for 10 days. Festival passes offering access to all strands are available at https://filmfreeway.com/ScreenandStoryFilmFestival/tickets. Focus Areas and Strand Programs – Our programming team has focused on discovering thought-provoking and ground-breaking art that goes beyond narrative and creative boundaries. Disabilities, Technology, Sustainability, Affection, Humour and Self served as thematic pillars, which inspired the team to create the ten programming strands to encourage diversity and open up the festival to new audiences. The programme explores a range of inventive and visually stimulating stories from both fiction and reality. Our varied range of traditional and experimental films focus on an electric range of narrative or stylistic themes, from disability to childhood. A complete line-up of all strands and double-bills is included within the second attachment of this e-mail. Screenwriting Competition - To celebrate the power of storytelling, the festival has also launched a screenwriting competition that will be intertwined with a range of industry-leading events, all free to attend. A shortlist of the top 8% screenplays in the following three categories – Feature, TV and Short – will be announced on Wednesday 25th August. The final scripts will then be judged by a panel of industry leaders. The winners will each win a copy of Final Draft. Talks, Workshops and Live Events - A selected number of screenings will be presented with introductions and Q&As from filmmakers and programmers. Laurels and Awards – An “Official Selection” laurel will be given to all films in the Feature, Documentary, Short, and Animation categories. On the last day of the festival, we will reveal the Outstanding Feature, Outstanding Short, Outstanding Animation, and Outstanding Documentary winners. The festival will also acknowledge honourable mentions for films that are deeply connected to the focus areas: Sustainability, Self, Technology, Humour, Disabilities and Affection. Accessibility and D-Rating - The festival organisers value and recognize the wealth of creative talent within the disabled community. They also acknowledge the extensive barriers to the film industry that members of the community often face. Therefore, films will have English language subtitles or captions with trigger warnings, if appropriate. 14 titles will also have audio described versions provided in each film’s original language. As believers in the Nothing About Us, Without Us campaign, the festival committee has made sure to D-rate all films within the ‘disabilities’ strand, as well as others within the programme, where appropriate. Sponsors and Supporters Final Draft is the number-one selling screenwriting software in the world, used by 95% of the entertainment industry. It offers over 300 templates for screenplays, teleplays, comics, immersive storytelling, graphic novels, and stage plays. They have generously provided us with three copies of their software, worth $750 in total, to award the winners of the different categories of the screenwriting competition. For Press Enquiries, email: press@storyandscreenfestival.com Social Media Links: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/screenandstoryfestival TWITTER: @ScreenStoryFest INSTAGRAM: @screenandstoryfilmfestival LINKEDIN: screenandstoryfilmfestival HASHTAG: #ScreenStoryFilmFestival For more information, please visit https://www.screenandstoryfestival.com/

Filmmaker Interview by Chris Olson Kurt Rosenberg, Composer: Original Song “Highland Home” & Executive Producer: “Highland Home” Music Video Kurt is an entrepreneur, an avid world-traveler, a prolific composer, and self-taught pianist. He joined his family’s olive oil business, the Olive Farm, in 1999, and also ran their Portland-based commercial real estate development business, 300 Partners, for five years before retiring to pursue his number one passion – composing music! Your song, "Highland Home" has recently been turned into a short film. What can you tell us about that? I wrote Highland Home after a memorable visit to the Scottish Isle of Arran. After I retired from business, I decided to make an in-studio recording of the song. The track turned out to be far beyond what I had ever imagined it could be. So, upon hearing the final recording, I turned to the arranger, studio engineer, and to the singer and said, “What if we made a film based on Highland Home?” Everyone emphatically said, “Yes.” After the decision was made to produce the film, the producers, Brent Rogers and Zach Stevens, got the whole ball rolling. And, within three months, the film had been produced and was beginning to hit the film festival circuit. How did you get into writing Celtic music? I started by listening to, and singing, traditional folk songs from England, Scotland, and Ireland. As I grew older, I discovered the wonderful music of groups like Altan, Clannad, and Capercaillie. Their music, and music from the British Isles, moved and inspired me to write my own Celtic music. What was the filmmaking process like for you? While I have been composing music for several years, this was my first time being involved in film production. I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of, and watching, the filmmaking process. Because I was a newbie, I mostly observed and encouraged them to fully express their creativity. As I look back, I have come to realize how blessed I was to be surrounded by consummate, dedicated professionals who took on the project with expertise and gusto. It was a magical experience. How do you like being part of filmmaking? Is it something you want to pursue further? I love being a part of filmmaking. It is exciting, challenging, and so rewarding. In fact, after Highland Home, I purchased several books on producing and marketing films. I want to be as knowledgeable as possible so I can better understand the process and engage more fully with the cast and crew. I enjoyed filmmaking so much that I am already working on future projects, to be released over the next few years. Stay tuned! Who are some of your favourite film composers and why? This is easy. My favourite film composer of all time is Alfred Newman. He composed the Academy Award Winning Score for How the West Was Won. This score is stirring, melodic, and sometimes, intimately poignant. I also like the way that the composer wove in some lovely American folk songs. I also like Miklos Rozsa for Ben Hur and Hans Zimmer for Gladiator. The Ben Hur score has a way of transporting you right back into Ancient Rome and exotic Jerusalem. While the Gladiator soundtrack is rousingly heroic, while still being lush and emotive. What advice would you have for wannabe composers? Music is so subjective. Some people will like your music, others won’t. Write what you love. Write what means something to you. You can’t go wrong. What's next for you? I wrote a sea-shanty a couple of years back. It starts, and ends, in a harbour town, located on the southwest of England. We plan on producing a comic animated film based on the song. We hope to submit this animated music short to film festivals in the UK, and internationally, in 2022. What would you say if you were a dolphin? “Give me a wake from a motor-boat and I’ll gladly fly, in and out of the water, next to your vessel!!!” Watch the film trailer for Highland Home

★★★ Directed by: #SrinathRao Written by: #SrinathRao Starring: #VikasSampath Film Review by: Theo Rintoul Rao returns with another short documentary on Indian culture, this time focusing on a more verbally immersive experience involving one-on-one discussions between the narrator Vikas Sampath and the various purohits (priests) he visits at their temples. The journey Rao and Sampath takes us on starts at Tiruvannamalai, in order to understand the lives of the Siddhas – people who have achieved both physical and spiritual perfection. They are wandering individuals who are masters in science and art, medicine and music; their relationship between science and spirituality is the theme that Ojas explores. ‘Is science a consequence of spirituality?’ asks Sampath to the purohit of the Sri Arunachaleswarer Temple in Gingee; ‘I simply consider science a by-product of spirituality’ he replies. One of Rao’s previous documentaries Saamaanya Saadhaka, an unscripted visual piece covering a variety of topics and including philosophical narrations and songs, is a different type of exploration to his newer Ojas. This documentary on Siddhas is more subject-specific, more focused, and offers the viewer a more traditional documentary style. Ojas loses some of the sweeping shots of vibrant culture and life that made Saamaanya Saadhaka so special, but replaces it with an equally as interesting delve into ancient Indian knowledge. Low-angled shots show the Temples in all their monumental detail, static cameras linger on spacious waters and smaller shrines; despite the fact that the camera isn’t showing the ‘grander’ images that made Saamaanya Saadhaka great, the detail of his chosen shots are finer-tuned to the subject matter. The narration (accompanied by English subtitles) describes the Siddhas and their scientific relationship to spirituality, which is conveyed visually through the camera. Rao, who as well as directing also edited and acted as cinematographer, has a great eye for capturing something in a satisfyingly well-framed manner that marries the words of Sampath with his images. The episodic feel of Rao’s previous documentary is carried over into Ojas, as the narrative fluidly moves through the different temples and the purohits that inhabit them. It ends in a temple in Kiliyanur where it is thought the first Siddha consecrated the place himself. The overall atmosphere of the documentary has a feeling of ease to it, moving between temples with simplicity and having a good balance of shots and interviews without feeling jarring or overly-constructed. The tranquil ambience that Rao achieves could have been furthered by even more shots of the temples as he has proven to have an eye for capturing such iconography. The English subtitles were unfortunately difficult to read against many of the scenes, as the white font faded into the images. Whilst they would have been easier to read if they were in a box, this definitely would have taken away from the beauty shown in the shot; if you can stand pausing the video to read the subtitles (some of which went by very quickly to match the person talking on-screen) then this won’t detract too much from the film as it may for some. I do think some of the shots were lacking the same vibrancy and colour that Rao’s previous film had, but besides the issues with the subtitles, this was a very interesting documentary on the subject of Siddhas.

★★★★★ Directed by: Shawn Kelley Written by: Shawn Kelley, Patrick McLean Starring: Jack Kelley, Sr, Lynn Kelley, Mike Thibault, Mike Sturges, Bill Vose, Bill Palmer Film Review by: Jason Knight A dramatic and vivid insight into a devastating battle that took place in Vietnam between American soldiers and the Vietcong. That battle took place on the 29th of June 1966, when a band of U.S. soldiers encountered a large number of Vietcong in the jungle, which outnumbered the Americans almost 10 to 1. Immediately both sides opened fire on each other, resulting in many fatalities and injuries. The director interviewed his father Jack Kelley, Sr, who was an army captain at the time, Jack's wife Lynn and seven other men who served in Vietnam and survived this devastating event. This multi-award-winning documentary contains many sequences during which Kelley, his wife and the survivors are being interviewed. The men share their experiences and talk about how and why they joined the army, the events of that fateful day, what they did during the battle, what they saw and how it made them feel and how this unforgettable encounter has affected their lives ever since. All the interviewees come across as intelligent individuals, they describe the significant events and sometimes they get emotional as they recall their experiences. It should be mentioned that some descriptions of injury are quite strong. In addition to the interviews, there is also plenty of black-and-white footage throughout that shows American troops in Vietnam during the war. The soldiers are seen going on patrol, dealing with weaponry and engaging the enemy during the battle in question. There are many black-and-white photos of the interviewees during their time in Vietnam and other U.S. soldiers and pictures of them fighting the enemy during the battle. Shawn Kelley also provides a voice-over and does a great job at it. The methodical editing was done by John Disher and the material is put together very effectively. The documentary is separated in chapters, each concentrating on a different part of the soldiers' story regarding the battle. Each time a new chapter begins, the screen is filled with a relevant black-and-white photo and the title of the chapter. There is also the sound of gunfire whenever footage or pictures of the soldiers in the jungle are shown and the interviewees are talking about the actual enemy encounter. Composer Cristina 'Trinity' Velez-Justo makes an outstanding contribution. The music is beautiful and emotional and at times tense and it brings feelings of courage, melancholy or danger. My Father's Brothers is a rather interesting and moving documentary that is very well made and brings attention to this horrific battle that took place in Vietnam and introduces the audience to some of the survivors, who deserve a lot of praise for their contribution and so do the filmmakers. This achievement explores the horrors of war and the greatness of bravery. It also pays homage to American soldiers who lost their lives in Vietnam and American soldiers who survived that war. #JasonKnight Watch the Film Trailer

★★ Directed by: #SeanRiley Written by: #SeanRiley Starring: #ElizabethMcCoy, #SherryLattanzi Film Review by: Emily Davison WATCH THE VIDEO REVIEW: High school bee enthusiast and social outcast is taken under the wing of an enigmatic mentor, only to discover she is being groomed as a hive’s next queen. Royal Jelly (2021), directed and written by Sean Riley is scheduled to drop on major streaming platforms September 14th, 2021. The film has a very intriguing creepy premise and includes charming homages to past horror flicks, but ultimately struggles with its tone and pacing. The movie begins strongly with a wonderful, disturbing score by Joe Hodgin which depicts a dark fairy-tale soundscape, as we are introduced to Aster (McCoy) collecting honey from her bee hives. We learn about the different roles of bees when our protagonist gives a class presentation, educating us about the plot to follow which will directly involve Aster in an unsettling turn of events. It is unclear whether it was the intention of Riley to reference past works of horror directors, however, the similarities to Carrie (1976) are most profound with Aster being a shy teenage outcast who is relentlessly teased and bullied by her classmates. The visual motif of blood is also presented frequently throughout. Carrie is even directly mentioned by one of the bullies when they discuss planning revenge on Aster for egging one of their houses with a mysterious stranger. The film appears to make references to The Witch (2015), when Aster is often seen walking about in a white nightgown similar to the attire of Anya Taylor-Joy’s character, who also becomes involved in a sinister supernatural plot. Tresa (Lattanzi) appears as a substitute teacher one day at school and almost instantly forms a bond with Aster over their shared love for bee keeping. It is liberating to see Tresa help Aster transform into a confident young woman who can stand up for herself by the end of the film, with the removal of her glasses and change of appearance signifying this change. Her relationship with her step mother and half-sister was shown to be negative and Tresa almost becomes a maternal figure to her, only for things to become more disturbing once she is taken to a secluded house and meets Tresa’s son, Henry (Lucas T. Matchett). Unfortunately, once the film’s location became rooted in this house the pacing came to a grinding halt and struggled to pick up in its third act. It was confusing when none of Aster’s family members, including her kind hearted father, did not try and contact her as she appeared to be missing from normal life for days. Bizarre ideas and scenes let to a very unsettling birth scene, however, the tone came across as more comedic than suspenseful towards the end with big shocks that did not land. Too much time was spent on Aster’s transition from outcast to normal teenager, with not enough development given to Aster’s characterisation as person and for Tresa. We do not get to know these characters enough and why they have this obsession with bees; some of the scenes did feel overacted, which made emotionally engaging with the cast often difficult. A tighter screenplay with more exploration of the interesting ideas raised, but not fully taken advantage of, may have made the film more hard-hitting and impactful. Royal Jelly is a horror movie with great potential and an original concept, which is not effectively executed in the finished product. There are some nice little nods to past horror films and some well-directed set pieces, yet a more polished script and grounded performances from its cast may have given this flick the genuine fear factor it was aiming for. #EmilyDavison Royal Jelly (2021) trailer:

★★ Directed by: Daniel Raboldt Written by: Daniel Raboldt Starring: Stefan Ebel, Siri Nase Film Review by: Corey Bulloch A New World Order (2019) Film Review “It's the end of the world as we know it…” The post-apocalyptic premise of Daniel Rabdolt’s grim science-fiction drama may not be the most wholly original idea as the audience watches Tomasz, a hardened survivor, make his way through a world conquered by a machine uprising. Although, I am willing to give A New World Order merit in how Rabdolt tells this story through silence and body language, letting visuals do the majority of the storytelling. Sound is the key to these towering machines locating you, so Tomasz and eventual ally Lilja must be vigilant and creative in how they endure. Some may say that a non-dialogue driven narrative may be derivative of the popular Quiet Place franchise, but I appreciated this type of film not getting bogged down in vocal exposition. Raboldt's film has the usual tropes of low budget science fiction and the post-apocalypse genre as immersion becomes questionable over time as it just feels like the typical low budget milieu actors walking in the woods despite appearances from giant robots. Raboldt’s direction initially starts well I was impressed in how he begins the film, letting the audience figure out what this world may be just through Tomasz’s actions again I may just be grateful there was no arduous voiceover explaining everything. Though as the film goes on it becomes clear A New World Order just can’t sustain a feature-length as interest dwindles as the tropes and lack of charismatic performances leave its latter half feeling very generic. Stefan Ebel’s performance as Tomasz can only go so far, like Radbolt’s grip on the viewer, the character's intrigue diminishes over the runtime. With so much of the film relying on the actor’s physical performances to emote their journeys, Ebel and Siri Nase as Lilja just can’t reach the mark. Though they do have these brief moments when the script builds on themes of redemption and survivor’s guilt, giving a spotlight to their humanity. In one of their moments of silence, I was quite fond of the reference to Chaplin’s The Gold Rush during a dinner scene between the two characters. The necessary humanity needed for this story can get lost in Raboldt’s direction along with the presentation of the film. Cinematography and visual effects are components that feel very broad in execution, with small moments capturing my attention, then large swaths just losing me. I appreciated the director of photography Thorsten Frazen’s few shots giving the world of the film scope. With landscape shots of vast forest and hilltops, although these shots contrast poorly against the rest of the film, that never feels as cinematic. It also doesn’t help that the CGI is such a mixed bag, but I will say that for a film revolving around giant killer robots, the giant killer robots looked pretty good. They feel more like set dressing than a tangible threat to the characters, but they are not distracting when interacting in the world. What is distracting is the terrible smoke effects that the film constantly uses during flashbacks and battle scenes. This hinders Raboldt and Frazen in creating realism for these critical moments and serves as an unfortunate visual reminder of the film’s limitations. A New World Order treads familiar ground with little to no innovation or unique creativity, but alas, it is not entirely meaningless. I feel Raboldt’s direction and vision for this story would have been better suited for a shorter runtime as it can not escape the tired iconography of its genre. The film can hold you for a few moments, but there is too much bloat to sustain it. #CoreyBulloch UK premiere on DVD and digital 23 August 2021