Established in 2016 to celebrate the work of emerging UK genre talent, FrightFest teams up for the fifth year with Screen International, the UK’s top film industry magazine. to present the Genre Rising Star Award.
This year’s short-list embraces the work of three emerging directors and two outstanding performers. The nominated directors are: Leroy Kincaide for his creepily assured feature debut, The Last Rite, which he wrote, directed and edited, Writer / Director Prano Bailey-Bond for her stunning breakout debut feature Censor and Writer / Director Eric Steele for Boy #5 – his ultra-low budgeted but emotionally powerful take on the age-old horror myth – the Vampire.
This year, two actresses are on the short-list – April Pearson for her enthralling, gutsy performance in Jamie Patterson’s psychological thriller The Kindred and UK-based Najarra Townsend for her hypnotic, chilling turn as a hair-dressing serial-killer in Jill Gevargizian’s The Stylist, which she also produced.
Previous winners include Prevenge director Alice Lowe, Double Date writer/actor Danny Morgan, Anna and the Apocalypse star Ella Hunt and Abigail Blackmore, writer-director of the comedy horror film Tales From The Lodge.
The winner will be announced in a special ceremony at FrightFest’s annual 5-day event at the Cineworld Leicester Square, on Monday 30 August, 6.45pm.
