A WOKINGHAM film maker’s award-winning short horror movie launches in Hollywood this month.
Movie director and writer Stephen Graves’ ghost story The Dead Of Winter will be seen at this year’s Screamfest film festival in Los Angeles, where it will premiere at the prestigious TCL Chinese Theater, a movie palace on the historic Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Stephen, who is a member of Wokingham Film Society, said: “We’re over the moon to premiere in the US at such a storied venue.
“The Chinese Theater is part of Hollywood legend, and has played host to the premieres of everything from The Wizard of Oz, to Star Wars.
“To screen there as part of Screamfest is a huge honour.”
A classic Christmas ghost story for modern times, The Dead of Winter tells the story of an affluent man who leaves a rough sleeper to die in the cold on Christmas eve, and then finds himself haunted by a figure that may be a vengeful spirit – or his own guilty conscience.
A modern reinterpretation of the classic ghost story, the film focuses on the current homelessness crisis and the plight of rough sleepers, tackling themes of privilege, social responsibility, guilt and ‘fear of the other’.
Inspiration for the story came when Stephen attended a screening event at the British Film Institute, London.
“After we’d all been served gluten-free mince pies at a Christmas event, I then walked along The Strand,” he said.
“Passing The Soup Kitchen there highlighted for me the contrast between the two very different worlds, and set me thinking about what might happen if you took the action of walking past someone in need, and the consequences of that, to the 11th degree.”
The film draws on the work of Charles Dickens, MR James, Henry James, and various TV and 1970s screen adaptations of ghost stories.
“I adore ghost stories and films, so this movie is something of a love letter to 1970s horror films.”
Written and directed by Stephen, it stars Oliver Maltman (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, Red Eye, Beast); Christina Cole (Suits, Strike, What a Girl Wants); and James Swanton (Host, Lot No.249, The First Omen.
“It’s been a really nice surprise at the end of the festival season, to get the news about the Hollywood screening, and yes, I’ll definitely be going to the premiere,” he said.
“I’ve cashed in my air miles and booked my flight – after all how often do you get to go to a screening of your film in Hollywood?”
Already the Dead of Winter has premiered in the UK at FrightFest, the nation’s biggest genre festival.
It was shown at the British Independant Film Awards-qualifying Brighton Rocks, at Norway’s Ravenheart International Film Festival, and won Best Screenplay at Hastings Rocks International Film Festival.
It will premiere in Hollywood, on Sunday October 13.
Nicci Brighten of Superbright Pictures produced the film.
She said: “This is Superbright Pictures’ second film to be featured at Screamfest, and the third time we’ve showcased our work at the legendary Chinese Theater
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be back in Los Angeles, especially with The Dead of Winter having its US premiere at Screamfest.
“It’s an exciting milestone for our team.”
Stephen is currently making a folk horror short involving standing stones and possibly a witchfinder general or two, and planning a comedy (story currently under wraps) with Nicci.
“My special thanks go to Nicci for her fantastic work on The Dead of Winter,” he said.
“We hope that once the festival season is over, we can release the film for viewing, and that UK audiences may be able to see it by the end of this year.”
Stephen has promised to keep Wokingham.Today readers informed but until then, for more information, visit: stephengraves.co.uk
