CANNES 2019: UK’s GRIMMFEST LAUNCHES HORROR PRODUCTION ARM!!
Directors of UK’s GRIMMFEST, Manchester UK’s Genre film festival, are launching a new production company, GRIMMFEST FILMS.
Capitalizing on the talented genre filmmakers that have premiered their work at Grimmfest, GRIMMFEST FILMS is now developing, producing and part financing feature films and streaming content from Grimmfest Alumni. GRIMMFEST FILMS is excited to be partnering with Falconer Pictures, M2 Media Post Inc and Minds Eye Entertainment to co-produce Witchboard, a re-imagining of the 1986 hit horror movie from co-writer/director Chuck Russell (Eraser, The Mask, The Scorpion King, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3) and co-writer/producer Greg McKay (Night of the Demons).
GRIMMFEST FILMS have also boarded Cidic from production outfit Other Animal (Poor Agnes). Directed by Audrey Cummings (She Never Died) and starring Lora Burke (Poor Agnes, Lifechanger), it is described as ‘Alien’ meets ‘Invasion of The Body Snatchers’ and goes to camera, fall 2019 in Ontario, Canada.
Festival director Simeon Halligan said: “With over a decade of cutting-edge genre films and film makers coming through our doors at Grimmfest, we are perfectly placed to capitalize on this carefully selected talent pool in order to produce new, exciting and high-quality genre films. Our ultimate aim is to become the UK’s answer to the hugely successful US genre specialists, Blumhouse.”
Festival director Rachel Richardson-Jones said: “We have an incredibly strong management team in place, alongside an initial slate of projects from some of the most exciting talent in genre cinema. Our growing slate of feature film and small screen projects coupled with our strategic business plan for the company’s growth are already attracting huge interest from potential investors.”
Richardson-Jones and Halligan will be in Cannes to discuss the new slate with interested parties and explain their vision for GRIMMFEST FILMS as the company develops.
Other projects on the slate include Deathgasm (Heavy Metal Apocalypse) Part 2, a sequel to the 2015 festival hit from Kiwi maestro, Jason Lei Howden, who is on the cusp of great things with upcoming Guns Akimbo starring Daniel Radcliffe. The Blackening, PTSD post Iraq war horror/thriller from UK horror auteur Paul Hyett (Howl, The Seasoning House), whose SFX makeup work on films such as The Descent has led to a successful directing career with over four features under his belt.
Hospice from UK based, Joanne Mitchell, nominated for Screen International and Frightfest’s ‘rising star’ award in 2017, Mitchell’s multi-talented mix of acting, producing, writing and directing genre films makes her a perfect choice for this contained supernatural thriller and her feature debut. Draven, a new spin on the ever-popular slasher genre, set in the snowy wastes of Norway and directed by burgeoning Scandi horror duo Sonny Laguna and Tommy Wiklund (Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich). Dollmakers, described as Heathers meets Shaun Of The Dead, from prolific US writer/director Andy Mitton (Yellow Brick Road, We Go On), with three features under his belt and a huge festival hit with his last film The Witch in the Window.
Past Life, a supernatural serial killer thriller from the writers of Christopher Smith’s (Triangle, Black Death) eagerly awaited The Banishing and directed by Halligan (Habit, White Settlers). The Beast, a character driven werewolf movie from LA based writer/director Peter Dukes, whose recent Escape Room hit No.1 DVD/streamed movie in the UK upon release.
Do You See What I See?, Christmas set horror from Canadian writing/directing duo Serena Whitney and Justin McConnell (whose recent feature Lifechanger was a true festival hit in 2018/19). Grimmfest films have boarded as co-producers.
The Management team includes producer Sarada McDermott whose credits include the UK box office hit Fighting with my Family and the recently released Tolkien.
McDermott said: “I’ve worked with Rachel and Simeon since co-producing their first feature back in 2008. They started Grimmfest back in 2009 and I know how dedicated they are to showcasing the absolute best new genre talent. They know film production inside out, they know the exhibition world inside out, they have their finger on the pulse of what’s new in the world of Horror movies and they have impeccable taste. I’m excited to be working with them on this new venture”.
Supported by M2 Media Post Inc, GRIMMFEST FILMS now has access to an equity fund which can invest against the post production on their slated films
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Michael Laundon at M2 Media Post Inc said: “It’s a pleasure to be working alongside GRIMMFEST FILMS in order to find and invest into wonderful new genre movies. Having experienced the team’s knowledge and passion for genre cinema, I’m confident that they are developing and producing the kind of movies, that not only have commercial appeal, but also hold a high level of quality and depth.”
