The Criminal

Director: Julian Simpson

Year: 2000

Encouraged by the response to his short film Any Dream Will Do and by editor Mark Aarons, writer-director Julian Simpson began developing a first feature inspired by film noir and Hitchcockian chase thrillers in which a hapless innocent is caught in the vortex of events beyond their control.<br /> <br /> "I didn't want to make a film noir picture as such," Simpson explains. "I don't think you can emulate something which was so particular to a period, but I was fascinated by the premise of a relentless chase and how the directors of that time conveyed a story."<br /> <br /> In The Criminal, Steven MacKintosh plays a penniless musician whose close encounter with a beautiful woman (Natasha Little) leaves him the prime suspect in a brutal murder. The more he tries to prove his innocence, the more he is trapped in a far-reaching conspiracy. <br /> <br /> Response to the screenplay was immediate from industry figures and actors alike and the project gained early momentum when Simpson teamed up with producer Christopher Johnson. A round of meetings brought H Michael Heuser's Storm Entertainment on board as a sales agent and a slew of European pre-sales followed that provided approximately half of the budget. The remaining half of the financing was secured through partnership with Palm Pictures.<br /> <br /> The film was warmly received at the 1999 London Film Festival and was subsequently purchased by Paramount Pictures for UK, Australia and New Zealand. It opens in the UK this October.

Director: Akporé Uzoh

Year: 2025

The aftermath of a sexual assault (rape). Exploring the deep-felt consequences for all involved. At its heart an epic story of a couple's fight for the survival of their love.

Director: Adam Park

Year:

Told through leaked footage compiled by a whistle-blower, the film follows Emma and Richard, a couple thrust into the wilderness to survive for 100 days. Their confidence quickly turns to terror as a malevolent creature begins stalking them, ultimately killing Richard in a gruesome attack. Emma escapes and infiltrates the facility where the show's creators review their "progress." There, she discovers the chilling truth: the creature is part of their unholy science. With the odds stacked against her, Emma turns the tables - delivering brutal justice with unexpected aid from the very horror that was meant to destroy her. A darkly satirical blend of horror, sci-fi, and mockumentary, THE WILDING exposes the monstrous extremes the powerful will go to cheat death - and the human cost of their ambition.