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The majority of classic Christmas movies are American, but Britain has also produced a few holiday heartwarmers over the years. The most obvious example is Love Actually, which often features in conversations about the very best Christmas movies, but there are many more British Christmas movies, even if they don't all have big international audiences. Many of these Christmas movies feature famous faces from Hollywood blockbusters.

The worst Christmas movies are often accused of cheap sentimentality, but this is something that British movies tend to avoid, simply because there isn't the same abundance of Christmas content each year. The few that have any kind of lasting relevance tend to offer something different to American Christmas movies, either because they focus on British holiday traditions or because they have quirky British humor.

That Christmas (2024) Netflix's Christmas Hit Could Have Staying Power

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Richard Curtis has written many holiday films, from Blackadder's Christmas Carol to the 2023 Peacock film Genie. His most famous holiday film is the 2003 romantic-comedy Love Actually, which he wrote and directed. However, just because the film is famous does not mean it's beloved by all.

Richard Curtis helped with Netflix's new animated holiday film That Christmas. Knowing that he was involved with the project, the animators teased Curtis with a joke about Love Actually without Curtis knowing. The reference proposes that Love Actually is not be remembered so fondly as Richard Curtis might think.

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4/5 That Christmas AnimationComedyFantasy

Release Date  December 4, 2024Cast  Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Bill Nighy, Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Jack Wisniewski, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith,...

Netflix's charming new Christmas movie, That Christmas, is now streaming and features a star-studded cast. One of several new Christmas movies in 2024, That Christmas tells the story of the fictional town, Wellington-on-Sea, which faces an unprecedented snowstorm just before Christmas Day. Not only does this pose significant difficulties for Santa Claus as he attempts to deliver the presents, but it also means that many of the children in town end up separated from their parents on Christmas Eve.

That Christmas was co-written by Richard Curtis, who also wrote and directed the Christmas classic Love Actually, one of the best Christmas movies for rom-com fans. That Christmas marks Curtis' very first animated feature film, and the movie's cast reflects a level of star power reminiscent of the cast of Love Actually. Here's every major character in That Christmas and who plays them.

Name

Character

Brian Cox

Santa Claus

Fiona Shaw

Ms.

Richard Curtis has carved out a space for himself as one of the greatest British screenwriters. His skills include layering multiple storylines, quirky ensembles, heartwarming romances, and sentimental events such as weddings and Christmas. His resume includes the likes of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, and Bridget Jones. So, when I heard the screenwriter was delving into animation, I was instantly excited.

That Christmas, directed by Simon Otto, weaves a series of interconnected stories exploring themes of love, loneliness, and family. The narrative unfolds with Santa Claus making a significant error, amidst a backdrop of numerous turkeys, capturing the essence of holiday spirit and relationships.

Director Simon OttoRelease Date December 4, 2024Writers Peter Souter, Richard CurtisCast Ava Talbot, Freddie Spry, Bronte Smith, Kuhu Agarwal, Jack Wisniewski, Sienna Sayer, Zazie Hayhurst, India Brown, Sindhu Vee, Rosie Cavaliero, Alex Macqueen, Bill Nighy, Lolly Adefope, Guz Khan, Katherine Parkinson, Paul Kaye, Jodie Whittaker,...

Netflix’s fifth and final original Christmas movie for 2024 is now streaming, and this one is animated. But you’re still going to recognize a whole lot of the cast.

Written and directed by Richard Curtis, who brought fans “Love, Actually,” the film centers on a group of people in a small town in the UK, getting ready to celebrate Christmas. Like “Love, Actually,” the story is told via vignettes, jumping around between different groups and pairings.

And as you meet those groups and pairings, you’re definitely going to recognize some of those voices. Here’s who we have.

Netflix/Getty Images Santa (Brian Cox)

The big man himself is voiced by Brian Cox, who you likely know from his time on “Succession,” or films including “X2: X-Men United,” “Troy,” “Red,” “Zodiac” and “Trick ‘r Treat,” among many others.

Netflix/Getty Images Lighthouse Bill (Bill Nighy)

Bill uses his lighthouse to help both Santa,...

Not even mentioning his association with Blackadder and Mr. Bean, Richard Curtis has written some of the most enduring British rom-coms of the last 30 years, ranging from Four Weddings And A Funeral and Notting Hill to Love Actually and Bridget Jones's Diary. That these abilities with slapstick stupidity, breezy wordplay,...

Netflix is no stranger to offering its subscribers plenty of entertaining and worthwhile movies. Their upcoming December films prove to be no different. While many of their holiday movies have already arrived on the platform, there are still a couple that are slated for release in the forthcoming weeks. However, for audiences who prefer something other than holiday films, the streaming service has plenty for them as well.

From action movies to true stories, there will certainly be a variety of films for viewers of all ages next month. No matter what a person might be in the mood for, the streaming platform likely has something anyone would deem worth watching. Whether viewers want to be inspired, thrilled, or embrace all the holiday feels, Netflix has something for everyone.

That Christmas Stream on December 4

That Christmas is an animated, family-friendly film that follows a myriad of intertwined stories in the community of Wellington-on-Sea.

Bridget Jones's Diary and Love Actually screenwriter Richard Curtis adapts his festive children's books for yuletide cheer on Netflix. That Christmas tells a wonderfully compassionate CGI animated tale of a seaside village coming together to celebrate family and friends during the holidays. The big difference here from traditional stories is a clever focus on multiculturalism. This all-encompassing take may upset the usual fringe, but will certainly bring a smile to everyone else who appreciates neighborly fellowship. Children of all races and ethnic groups will see themselves reflected in a hilarious adventure with a lot of heart.

Santa Claus (Brian Cox) recounts the wild events of a particularly memorable Christmas on England's Suffolk coast in the sleepy town of Wellington-on-Sea. The story begins on December 22nd with Bernadette (India Brown) directing her school's holiday play. She's in a tizzy because her lead actress, the naughty and mischievous Charlie (Sienna Sayer), hasn't arrived for the performance.

Richard Curtis returns to festive filmmaking with That Christmas, which streams on Netflix next month. Here’s the trailer.

Love it or loathe it, there is no denying that Richard Curtis’ Love Actually is a modern Christmas favourite for many. With its saccharine stories of love, lust and, in the case of Andrew Lincoln’s character – let’s be honest – stalking, the film has indelibly inked itself into the fabric of the festive season. It’s almost become a tradition to run an article contributing to the Love Actually debate – and who knows, one year we might even get around to it (we won’t – Ed).

Curtis returned to Christmas films last year with Genie, starring Melissa McCarthy and Paapa Essiedu, a big budget remake of his terrific 1991 television film Bernard And The Genie, which starred Alan Cumming, Lenny Henry and Rowan Atkinson – both films are available to stream on Sky Cinema.

Brian Cox’s Santa Claus is coming to town in the first trailer for Netflix’s animated holiday comedy That Christmas.

In the film’s first trailer, the Succession actor is sporting Kris Kringle’s standard uniform — a beard, red suit with a white fur trim and boots — as he delivers presents to children on the busiest night of the year, Christmas Eve.

That Christmas is based on a trilogy of children’s books by award-winning writer-director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually and Yesterday) and marks his first leap into animation. The film features entwined stories about family and friends, love and loneliness and Santa Claus making a big mistake.

In her review, The Hollywood Reporter‘s Lovia Gyarkye praised the “charming animation” while adding that the movie “slyly avoids the usual mawkishness by grounding its whimsical story in the real and prickly emotions of life.

"Everything was about to get a lot more complicated..."...

Brian Cox is coming down the chimney.

In the first trailer for Netflix’s animated holiday comedy “That Christmas,” the “Succession” alum suits up as Santa Claus as he tells the story of one of the most challenging nights in his career.

Based on the charming trilogy of children’s books by beloved multi award-winning writer/director Richard Curtis, “That Christmas” follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love, loneliness and Santa Claus making a big mistake — not to mention an enormous number of turkeys.

The ensemble cast includes Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith, Freddie Spry and Ava Talbot with Bill Nighy and Rhys Darby.

Curtis makes his first foray into animation as the Locksmith Animation comedy’s writer and executive producer.

The trailer for Netflix‘s upcoming Christmas family film has arrived. That Christmas is adapted from the successful series of children’s books by Love Actually writer Richard Curtis and the voice cast is packed to the brim with names like Brian Cox [Santa], Fiona Shaw [Ms Trapper], Jodie Whittaker [Mrs Williams], Lolly Adefope [Mrs McNutt], Alex Macqueen [Mr Forrest], Katherine Parkinson [Mrs Forrest], Sindhu Vee [Mrs Mulji], India Brown [Bernadette], Zazie Hayhurst [Sam], Sienna Sayer [Charlie], Jack Wisniewski [Danny], Rosie Cavaliero [Mrs Beccles], Paul Kaye [Yirrell], Guz Khan [Dasher], Andy Nyman [Mr Beccles], Kuhu Agarwal [Nisha], Bronte Smith [Eve], Freddie Spry [Teddy], Ava Talbot [Scarlett], with Bill Nighy [Bill] and Rhys Darby [Mr McNutt].

The official synopsis reads,

“Based on the successful series of children’s books by BAFTA winner and Academy Award® nominee Richard Curtis, Locksmith Animation’s heartwarming film marks the feature film directorial debut of renowned character animation and story artist veteran Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy). That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about love and loneliness,...

Netflix revealed the official That Christmas trailer, which comes from Locksmith Animation (Ron’s Gone Wrong) and director Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy). Debuting on December 4, the film has been rated PG for thematic elements, some language, and rude humor.

That Christmas is an adaptation of the beloved children’s book series written by acclaimed BAFTA Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis.

That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys! A film of firsts, it marks Curtis’s first animation project and the directorial debut of animation veteran Otto.

The film stars Brian Cox as Santa, Fiona Shaw (Ms. Trapper), Jodie Whittaker (Mrs. Williams), and Bill Nighy (Bill) as the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas.

Netflix has debuted the trailer for the upcoming festive animation from Richard Curtis ‘That Christmas.’

The movie follows a series of entwined tales about love and loneliness, family and friends, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys!

Based on the successful series of children’s books by BAFTA winner and Academy Award® nominee Richard Curtis, Locksmith Animation’s heartwarming film marks the feature film directorial debut of renowned character animation and story artist veteran Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy).

The voice cast includes Brian Cox [Santa], Fiona Shaw [Ms Trapper], Jodie Whittaker [Mrs Williams], Lolly Adefope [Mrs McNutt], Alex Macqueen [Mr Forrest], Katherine Parkinson [Mrs Forrest], Sindhu Vee [Mrs Mulji], India Brown [Bernadette], Zazie Hayhurst [Sam], Sienna Sayer [Charlie], Jack Wisniewski [Danny], Rosie Cavaliero [Mrs Beccles], Paul Kaye [Yirrell], Guz Khan [Dasher], Andy Nyman [Mr Beccles], Kuhu Agarwal [Nisha], Bronte Smith [Eve], Freddie Spry [Teddy], Ava Talbot [Scarlett], with Bill Nighy [Bill] and Rhys Darby [Mr McNutt].

Also in trailers – Trailer drops for part...

Leave it to rom-com staple Richard Curtis to transform Logan Roy into Santa Claus.

Curtis is turning to the world of animation with Netflix film “That Christmas,” which stars “Succession” alum Brian Cox as St. Nick. “Love Actually” and “About Time” writer/director Curtis adapted the script from his own bestselling children’s book series; Curtis and Peter Souter share screenplay credit. Veteran character animator and story artist Simon Otto (“How to Train Your Dragon”) makes his directorial debut with the film.

“That Christmas” follows a series of entwined tales about love and loneliness, family and friends, and Santa Claus making one big mistake, according to the official synopsis. Oh, and there is also “an enormous number of turkeys!”

The ensemble cast includes Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Rhys Darby, Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan,...

There are two kinds of people in the world: People who love “Love Actually” and people who want to give those other people such a pinch. Richard Curtis’ all-star Christmas classic (you can add quotes to “classic” if you want to) quickly became a perennial yuletide favorite for its treacly melodrama and/or its melodramatic treacle. Like many Christmas movies, it’s sappy to a laughable extreme. But also like many Christmas movies, that’s why people love it. Or hate it.

“Love Actually” is such a ubiquitous holiday staple now that even characters in Richard Curtis movies have to watch it. The new animated Netflix movie “That Christmas,” directed by Simon Otto, is based on three children’s books penned by Curtis — “That Christmas,” “Snow Day” and “The Empty Stocking” — which now take place at the same time, in the same town. It’s an idea that would be...

Tales of love, unrequited or otherwise, interwoven over the festive season, laden with pop songs and narrated by one of the biggest celebrities in show business, That Christmas is best viewed as a kid-friendly attempt by rom-com auteur Richard Curtis to atone for his long-standing seasonal hit Love Actually. Beautifully rendered by Simon Otto, head of character animation for the well-respected How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, it might be too busy, storywise, for younger audiences, and even rather scary towards the end, but the writer-director’s genius for dialogue is firmly on display here (an especially timorous character is afraid of infinity because “there’s just so much of it”). Adults will roll their eyes at the fart jokes; but then, kids will cringe at the sound of Ed Sheeran and Coldplay.

Gathered up from Curtis’ short-story book of the same name, That Christmas takes place in a diverse...

I confess I had no idea that Richard Curtis — “Love Actually” and “About Time” filmmaker, “Bridget Jones” and “Notting Hill” screenwriter — had written a trio of quite charming kids’ books about Christmas. It shouldn’t have been a surprise: The man loves the holiday and he definitely loves glossy stories about human connection, and what better outlet for those impulses than some charmingly illustrated storybooks for the younger set? Leave it to Curtis (and Netflix) to cleverly one-up that idea: What better outlet for those impulses than a charmingly animated holiday film for the entire family?

For his first animated outing — directed by Simon Otto and co-written by Curtis and Peter Souter — the rom-com king has turned his trio of books into a single, delightful holiday feature that offers something for everyone, especially the people who get mushy about glossy stories about human connection. While Curtis’ books — “That Christmas,” “Snow Day,...

All right, Virginia … Whereas so many Yuletide toons hinge on whether kids believe in Santa Claus, Netflix charmer “That Christmas” makes the case that it’s more important for kids to believe in themselves.

Adapted from a trio of picture books by “Love Actually” scribe Richard Curtis, the feel-good family film is chock-full of kids second-guessing their worth — and not just in the naughty-or-nice department either. A handful of key characters doubt whether they’re deserving of love, on account of absentee parents or pushback from authority figures. Leave it to Curtis (and co-writer Peter Souter) to deliver some affirmational proof that each of them matters — with an assist from old St. Nick, who pops in to deliver some strategically timed presents while most of the grown-ups are Awol.

Set in the cute English town of Wellington-on-Sea, the story zooms in on a small coastal community to observe a phenomenon...

Netflix and the Annecy Film Festival have fostered an incredible relationship over the last several years. No other major studio or distributor has been as omnipresent at the French film festival, and this year should be no different.

Netflix is planning several major sneak peeks of upcoming titles, a work-in-progress session, the world premiere of “Ultraman: Rising,” an exhibition of stop-motion figures from the upcoming Wallace & Gromit film, and two of its titles – “Blue Eye Samurai” and “Pokémon Concierge” – are screening in competition.

On Wednesday, June 12, the streamer will host Next on Netflix Animation: From Twilight of the Gods to Wallace & Gromit, a sneak peek at some of its most high-profile upcoming film and series titles.

“Wallace & Gromit” directors Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham and several of the film’s puppets will be in Annecy to tease their upcoming film. “Twilight of the Gods” will be presented by director Zack Snyder,...

Netflix has unveiled the voice cast and brand new images from Locksmith Animation (Ron’s Gone Wrong) and director Simon Otto’s (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy) upcoming CG animated feature That Christmas.

That Christmas is an adaptation of the beloved children’s book series written by acclaimed BAFTA Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis.

That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys! A film of firsts, it marks Curtis’s first animation project and the directorial debut of animation veteran Otto.

The film stars Brian Cox as Santa, Fiona Shaw (Ms. Trapper), Jodie Whittaker (Mrs. Williams), and Bill Nighy (Bill) as the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. The movie will debut on Netflix later this year.

Netflix on Wednesday unveiled the voice cast of CG animated feature film That Christmas from Locksmith Animation (Ron’s Gone Wrong) and director Simon Otto’s (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy). The movie will star Brian Cox as Santa, Fiona Shaw as Ms. Trapper, Jodie Whittaker as Mrs. Williams, and Bill Nighy as Bill.

They are the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. The film will debut on Netflix later this year.

That Christmas is an adaptation of the children’s book series (The Empty Stocking, Snow Day and That Christmas) written by BAFTA Award-winning and Oscar-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Yesterday). “A film of firsts, it marks Curtis’ first animation project as well as the directorial debut for animation veteran Otto,” Netflix said.

The film also stars Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen,...

Netflix has revealed a stellar voice cast and brand new images from Locksmith Animation and director Simon Otto’s upcoming CG animated feature That Christmas. The film stars Brian Cox as Santa, Fiona Shaw (Ms. Trapper), Jodie Whittaker (Mrs. Williams), and Bill Nighy (Bill) as the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas.

The animation is an adaptation of the beloved children’s book series written by acclaimed BAFTA® Award-winning and Academy Award®-nominated writer and director, Richard Curtis. A film of firsts, it marks Curtis’ first animation project as well as the directorial debut for animation veteran Otto.

Bernadette “Bernie” leads a Christmas revolution with (L-r) Nisha (Kuhu Agarwal), Eve “Evie” (Bronte Smith), Scarlett (Ava Talbot) and Teddy (Freddie Spry) following suit in Locksmith Animation and Netflix’s heartwarming comedy, That Christmas. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2024

Also in news – Jamie Dornan set for...

Brian Cox, Bill Nighy and Fiona Shaw are among the voice cast for Netflix animated feature That Christmas from Locksmith Animation.

Cox will voice Santa Claus in the adaptation of Richard Curtis’ trilogy of children’s books about multiple interweaved stories of love, loneliness, family and friends at Christmas time.

Other voice cast include Jodie Whittaker, Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith, Freddie Spry, Ava Talbot and Rhys Darby.

Curtis penned the script and will executive produce That Christmas while Simon Otto,...

An A-list cast including Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, and Bill Nighy will lend their voices to That Christmas, an animated feature from Netflix penned by Richard Curtis and directed by Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy).

That Christmas is an adaptation of the children’s book series written by Curtis. The pic also marks the directorial debut of animation vet Otto.

Cox voices Santa in the pic. Shaw is Ms. Trapper, Whittaker is Mrs. Williams, and Nighy is Bill, residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. The full synopsis reads: That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys. Also starring are Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown,...

Brian Cox is set to voice Santa Claus in Netflix’s upcoming festive animated feature “That Christmas.”

Due later this year, the film marks the directorial debut of animation veteran Simon Otto and comes from Locksmith Animation (“Ron’s Gone Wrong”). “That Christmas” is adapted from the children’s book series by BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis.

Alongside Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker and Bill Nighy have also joined the film as the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. Other voice stars include Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith, Freddie Spry, Ava Talbot and Rhys Darby.

‘That Christmas’

“Becoming an animator had been on my Christmas wish list ever since I was a child and watching animated movies was...

Stars: Denise Gough, Sienna Sayer, Kiera Thompson | Written and Directed by Ruth Platt

Several years ago I took a gamble at Frightfest and booked a ticket for a movie in a small screen at maybe ten or eleven in the morning (the first film of the day). It was a low budget British horror that showed a teacher’s revenge on the pupils that caused him stress and pain in his job. It was a gritty, sometimes brutal but brilliant first feature film – The Lesson – from Ruth Platt. So when I saw her name as director on Martyrs Lane, I knew I had to see it.

Not many movies scare me now. Not really, occasionally I get caught up in the very best horror movies and the tension is there and it happens but not all to often. Even the so called cheap jump scares rarely work (but I love it when they do!

Ten-year-old Leah (Kiera Thompson) is caught watching her family like an outsider looking in. Her much older sister (Hannah Rae’s Bex) is about to leave for college and the milestone has seemingly thrown a wrench into their otherwise simple lives. While their father Thomas (Steven Cree) treats it like a celebration, thanks to his faith as the pastor of their local church, their mother Sarah (Denise Gough) appears distracted and perhaps even angry. She begins having nightmares, retreats from others, and becomes lost in a past Leah knows nothing about. Whether coincidence or fate drives the young girl to unearth the answer from within the locket Sarah wears around her neck is up to you to decide. Once it’s out, however, there’s no putting it back.

How it arrives is in the form of a girl (Sienna Sayer) just about Leah’s age. She has no recollection...

Ruth Platt’s fairytale of fusty parish England is subtle, highly atmospheric and illuminated by surprising love and care

Leah (Kiera Thompson) feels like a stranger in her own house. Home for the 10-year-old is a Victorian vicarage, but it is not a place of comfort. Her morose mum Sarah (Denise Gough) berates her when she comes back with a cake from the parishioners; her dad Thomas (Steven Cree) is constantly busy with his flock. Snatches of distraught parental conversation seem to lodge in the house’s nooks. Leah is fixated with a golden locket her mother always wears, and she starts feeling flashes of a ghostly presence near the windows. Then a ringletted little girl with lopsided angel wings (Sienna Sayer) begins visiting her every night. Huddled under bedsheets, the pair play a game, Two Truths One Lie, bound to produce revelations.

This is a supernatural mystery set in...

Martyrs Lane will stream exclusively to Shudder on September 9 in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as via the Shudder offering within the AMC+ bundle where available.

Check out this clip:

In this unsettling ghost story, Leah, 10, lives in a large, old house with her family but can’t quite work out why her mother seems so distant. At night she is visited by a mysterious guest, who might be able to give her some answers. With a new challenge every night, Leah is rewarded with bits of knowledge that, when pieced together, threaten to shine a dangerous light on both the truth in her nightmares and of the world she lives in.

Written and directed by Ruth Platt, and expanded from her 2019 short film by the same name, Martyrs Lane is a deeply personal film that explores love and grief through a dark and captivating ghost story.

Severin Films Reveals Trailer And VOD Release Date For Kier-la Janisse’S Award-winning Festival Hit Woodlands Dark And Days Bewitched: A History Of Folk Horror: "Severin Films is proud to finally bring the debut feature film from Kier-La Janisse (author of “House of Psychotic Women”) to VOD platforms on October 26th, just in time for Halloween. The film will continue to play festival dates and theatrical bookings throughout Autumn.

Woodlands Dark And Days Bewitched explores the folk horror phenomenon from its beginnings in a trilogy of films - Michael Reeves' Witchfinder General (1968), Piers Haggard's Blood on Satan's Claw (1971) and Robin Hardy's The Wicker Man (1973) - through its proliferation on British television in the 1970s and its culturally specific manifestations in American, Asian, Australian and European horror, to the genre's revival over the last decade. Touching on over 100 films and featuring over 50 interviewees, Woodlands Dark And Days Bewitched investigates the...

Television networks are unveiling slates of Halloween-themed content including new and classic horror films, reality competition shows, live specials and more.

Among this year’s programming options is Freeform’s annual “31 Nights of Halloween,” with up to 10 films a day including many family favorites from “Shrek” to “Casper,” plus an in-person event in Los Angeles called Freeform’s Halloween Road. Additionally, horror streaming service Shudder has kicked off “61 Days of Halloween,” with weekly film and series premieres, 24-hour jack-o-lantern stream “The Ghoul Log” and a “Halloween Hotline” where every Friday in October, subscribers can call Shudder’s head of programming Samuel Zimmerman to discuss horror favorites and receive new recommendations.

Read a full list of Halloween programming below. (More programming will be added to the list as networks announce titles.)

“Superhost” – As travel vloggers Teddy (Osric Chau) and Claire (Sara Canning) notice their internet fame dwindling, they pivot from sharing...

Martyrs Lane Trailer — Ruth Platt‘s Martyrs Lane (2021) movie trailer has been released by Shudder. The Martyrs Lane trailer stars Denise Gough, Steven Cree, Anastasia Hille, Hannah Rae, Kiera Thompson, Sienna Sayer, Donna Banya, Catherine Terris, Charlie Rix, Julie Barclay, and Lianne Harvey. Crew Ruth Platt wrote the screenplay for Martyrs Lane. Anne Müller [...]

Continue reading: Martyrs Lane (2021) Movie Trailer: A Mysterious Guest Gives a 10-year Old Girl Clues to the Truth in Her Nightmares...

Korean director Hong Eui-jeong’s debut feature “Voice of Silence” stood out at Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival as the year’s best film from its Cheval Noir main competition section. The film, about two men who clean up after an organized crime organization, has enjoyed an impressive international festival run, having built up strong buzz as a project when it was selected to Venice’s Biennale College Cinema program in 2016.

“In a film festival that’s known as a melting pot of genres, ‘Voice of Silence’ feels like an excellent representative for the top prize in the Cheval Noir section. It’s earnest and sincere in tone but also unpredictable and experimental, impossible to pin down, and truly idiosyncratic,” said the jury in a statement accompanying the announcement.

Basque filmmaker Igor Legarreta was honored as the year’s best director for his sophomore effort “All the Moons,” a 19th...

Yoo Ah-in (Voice Of Silence), Zelda Adams (Hellbender) win acting prizes.

EuiJeong Hong’s South Korean thriller Voice Of Silence has won the 25th anniversary edition Fantasia International Film Festival’s Cheval Noir award for best film.

Hong’s film follows a mute low-level gangster tasked with taking charge of an 11-year-old kidnapped girl from a wealthy family. The jury described Voice Of Silence as “impossible to pin down, and truly idiosyncratic. Put simply, it’s unlike anything we’d seen before”.

Juried awards

In other Cheval Noir awards Yoo Ah-in who plays the mute man won best actor while...

Ghost stories have been a staple of the horror genre since its inception. It’s the fact that these films deal with an enemy unseen that frightens many and has kept these stories around for so long. But how many ways can you tell a ghost story? They can all be similar, but it’s even more frightening when the film involves children. What makes kids, kids – their innocence and trust-worthiness – makes them unaware of the dangers that are out there. Ruth Platt’s Martyrs Lane centers on two children and their friendship, one dead and one living. It's a ghost story mixed with fairy tale elements to emphasize how children see the world differently – until it turns dark. Built upon Platt’s short film of the same name, Martyrs Lane explores love and grief through the lens of a captivating and unsettling haunting, with many secrets to uncover.

A...

Quake Enhanced Trailer: "Announced today during QuakeCon at Home, in celebration of 25 years since the release of the dark fantasy first-person shooter, an enhanced version of the original Quake is available today on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass for console and PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and backward compatible on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. Native Xbox Series X|S and PS5 versions bringing native 4K at 120 Fps will be available soon as a free upgrade.

The Original Quake, Enhanced

Experience the authentic, updated, and visually enhanced version of the original Quake.

Featuring resolutions up to 4K and widescreen resolution support, enhanced models, dynamic and color lightning, anti-aliasing, depth of field, and the original soundtrack and theme song by Trent Reznor. There has never been a better time to relive or experience Quake for the first time.

Online, Cross-play, & Local Multiplayer and Co-op

Fight through the dark fantasy base...

Martyrs Lane Review — Martyrs Lane (2021) Film Review from the 25th Annual Fantasia International Film Festival, a movie written and directed by Ruth Platt, starring Kiera Thompson, Denise Gough, Steven Cree, Hannah Rae, Julie Barclay, Catherine Terris, Lianne Harvey, Anastasia Hille, and Sienna Sayer. Layered in the decorous austerity of [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Martyrs Lane: A Ghostly Tale of Grief [Fantasia 2021]...

Stars: Denise Gough, Sienna Sayer, Kiera Thompson | Written and Directed by Ruth Platt

Several years ago I took a gamble at Frightfest and booked a ticket for a movie in a small screen at maybe ten or eleven in the morning (the first film of the day). It was a low budget British horror that showed a teacher’s revenge on the pupils that caused him stress and pain in his job. It was a gritty, sometimes brutal but brilliant first feature film – The Lesson – from Ruth Platt. So when I saw her name as director on a film at this year’s Fantasia Festival, I knew I had to see it.

Not many movies scare me now. Not really, occasionally I get caught up in the very best horror movies and the tension is there and it happens but not all to often. Even the so called cheap jump...

"What's happening? Please go! I don't want you here!" Shudder has unveiled an official trailer for an indie supernatural fairytale horror film titled Martyrs Lane, the latest feature directed by actress / filmmaker Ruth Platt. Based on her own 2019 short film. This just premiered at the Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal this month. Leah, age 10, lives in a large vicarage, full of lost souls and the needy. In the day the house is bustling with people; at night it is dark, empty, a space for Leah's nightmares to creep into. A small, nightly visitor brings Leah comfort, but soon she will realize that her little visitor offers knowledge that might be very, very dangerous... This stars young actors Kiera Thompson & Sienna Sayer, with Denise Gough, Steven Cree, Hannah Rae, and Anastasia Hille. "Martyrs Lane is a deeply personal film that explores love and grief through a dark and captivating ghost story.

Sienna Sayer as Rachel – Martyr’s Lane Photo Credit: Shudder

Launching on AMC Networks’ Shudder on September 9th is Martyrs Lane.

Ahead of its Shudder launch, Martyrs Lane will World Premiere August 19th as part of the 2021 Fantasia International Film Festival and celebrate its UK Premiere August 20th with the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

In this unsettling ghost story, Leah, 10, lives in a large, old house with her family but can’t quite work out why her mother seems so distant. At night she is visited by a mysterious guest, who might be able to give her some answers. With a new challenge every night, Leah is rewarded with bits of knowledge that, when pieced together, threaten to shine a dangerous light on both the truth in her nightmares and of the world she lives in.

Written and directed by Ruth Platt, and expanded from her 2019 short film by the same name,...

AMC Networks genre streamer Shudder has dropped a first trailer for U.K.’s writer-director Ruth Platt’s “Martyrs Lane.” A tragic ghost story, the feature world premieres today at Canada’s Fantasia Festival before being released on Shudder on Sept. 9.

One day after its Fantasia bow, “Martyrs Lane” receives its U.K. premiere on Aug. 20 at the Edinburgh Film Festival.

A ghost story, yes – but one built on the pain of a child whose bedrock parental relation fails her – “Martyrs Lane” turns on Leah, 10, left to her own devices in a rambling vicarage.

Her mother’s too busy by day and distraught at night to attend much to her. Something is clearly wrong. Investigating why her mother sleeps clasping a golden locket, Leah begins to be visited by a cherubic-looking little girl wearing tawdry angel’s wings.

Drawing deep on a humanistic tradition of family relationship-driven films led by...

Martyrs Lane Photo: Fantasia International Film Festival

A haunting little fable about a lonely girl and her mysterious nightly visitor, Martyrs Lane is one of the highlights of this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival. It’s the third feature-length work directed by Ruth Platt, adapted from her 2019 short, and it hinges on a beautifully balanced pair of performances by child actors Kiera Thompson and Sienna Sayer. Early on in the festival we met up to discuss it. She explained that she had always wanted to make it as a feature, with the short serving as a proof of concept, and I asked her how she went about finding the right children to make it possible.

Being on a limited budget had a big impact on the casting process, she says. She couldn’t be like Michael Haneke, seeing 5,000 children to find the right ones for The White Ribbon, or like the makers of Norwegian.

“Martyrs Lane,” the third feature from Ruth Platt (“The Lesson”), hits Fantasia with a double momentum: Bullish word of mouth, and a recent sale to AMC Networks genre streamer Shudder for North America, U.K., Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

Produced by London’s Ipso Facto Productions, whose credits take in “Irina Palm” and Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Valhalla Rising,” the LevelK sales title is a ghost story but, like the best of that kind, much more.

Leah, 10, lives in a rambling vicarage with her parents and haughty older sister. But something’s very wrong. Her mother, who sleeps clasping a golden locket, hardly has any time for her. One morning, Leah spots the locket left on the bathroom shelf. She opens it, and steals what she finds inside, sparking the nightly visits of a cherubic looking little girl, sporting shabby angel wings.

“Martyr’s Lane” is described as an...

The Fantasia International Film Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary edition in style, with the announcement of a special screening of James Gunn's The Suicide Squad! We also have a look at more of their impressive lineup, as their second wave has been announced (with a third wave announcement still to come):

The Fantasia International Film Festival will launch its 25th edition this summer as an exciting virtual event composed of scheduled screenings, on-demand library, panels, and workshops, taking place from August 5th to August 25th. The festival will be accessible across Canada, geo-locked to the country, and will maintain unique film admittance quantities in line with the cinema experience.

Fantasia is thrilled to reveal a second wave of programming and will return in late July with a third and final line-up announcement, including features, virtual events, and juries.

In celebration of Fantasia’s 25th anniversary, the international film...

Exclusive: AMC Networks’ genre streamer Shudder has landed rights for North America, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand to Martyrs Lane, the UK supernatural horror, in a deal with Danish sales company LevelK.

Ruth Platt (The Lesson) wrote and directed the movie, which stars Olivier Award-winner Denise Gough (Colette), Steven Cree (Outlaw King) and newcomers Kiera Thompson and Sienna Sayer.

LevelK has also pre-sold the title to Italy (Koch Media), Vietnam (Noori Pictures), Taiwan (Deep Picture Corporation) and India (Big Tree Entertainment). The deal was negotiated by Emily Gotto for Shudder with Debra Liang from LevelK. The film will be part of LevelK’s pre-Cannes market line-up.

Martyrs Lane centers on Leah, a young girl who lives in a large vicarage with her parents and older sister. During the day the house is bustling with people; at night it is dark, empty and a space for Leah’s nightmares to creep into.

The project is directed by Ruth Platt, whose previous features are The Lesson and The Black Forest.

LevelK has acquired world sales rights to Ruth Platt’s British ghost story Martyrs Lane, which is now in post.

The supernatural story is about a 10-year old girl living in a vicarage and confronting her deepest fear, that her mother doesn’t love her.

Denise Gough stars alongside Steven Cree (Outlaw King) and newcomers Kiera Thompson and Sienna Sayer.

Christine Alderson and Katie Hodgkin produce for Ipso Facto Productions.

The BFI has supported the film’s development and production; other backers include Lipsync and Sharp House.