News

With a career spanning 25 years, music supervisor Matt Biffa is a specialist in source music research and copyright clearance. His projects include Sex Education, I May Destroy You, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Paddington, Carol, The End of the F**king World and, most recently, the HBO Max comedy series Hacks.

Biffa joined renowned music services company Air-Edel as a receptionist in 1996, where his impressive knowledge of music was quickly recognized. He cut his creative teeth sourcing music for commercials, such as Jonathan Glazer’s “Swimblack” campaign for Guinness. As Biffa began cultivating relationships with key members of the music industry, he moved into feature films, where he has garnered a reputation for being a canny negotiator and a veritable walking encyclopedia of the history of popular music.

In 2021, together with Ciara Elwis, Matt won the award for Outstanding Music...

Stars: John Lynch, Craig Conway, Antonia Thomas, Jumayan Hunter, Morjana Alaoui, Beth Winslet | Written by Steve Clark, Josh Golga, Rob Green, Billy O’Brien, G.P. Taylor | Directed by Billy O’Brien

Review by Andrew McArthur

British horror is not particularly good at hitting the middle ground – it normally finds itself at either extreme end of the quality spectrum: from painfully awful to groundbreakingly brilliant. Sitting comfortably at the low-end of this spectrum is sci-fi horror The Hybrid.

The Hybrid follows a group of mercenaries tasked with infiltrating a subterranean military research facility. However, there they uncover far more gruesome horrors than they were expecting.

Three ingredients which normally make a good sci-fi or horror film are tension, scares or disturbing imagery, and at the very least a self-aware humour. If one of these factors is missing, proceedings are usually redeemable thanks to either of the other two. I can’t...

Stars: John Lynch, Craig Conway, Antonia Thomas, Jumayan Hunter, Morjana Alaoui, Beth Winslet | Written by Steve Clark, Josh Golga, Rob Green, Billy O’Brien, G.P. Taylor | Directed by Billy O’Brien

Review by Andrew McArthur

British horror is not particularly good at hitting the middle ground – it normally finds itself at either extreme end of the quality spectrum: from painfully awful to groundbreakingly brilliant. Sitting comfortably at the low-end of this spectrum is sci-fi horror Scintilla.

Scintilla follows a group of mercenaries tasked with infiltrating a subterranean military research facility. However, there they uncover far more gruesome horrors than they were expecting.

Three ingredients which normally make a good sci-fi or horror film are tension, scares or disturbing imagery, and at the very least a self-aware humour. If one of these factors is missing, proceedings are usually redeemable thanks to either of the other two. I can’t count the...

The Hybrid Trailer. Billy O’Brien‘s The Hybrid / Scintilla (2014) movie trailer stars John Lynch, Morjana Alaoui, Craig Conway, Antonia Thomas, and Beth Winslet. The Hybrid‘s plot synopsis: “From a torturous cell in Africa, Abel Powell is released and given the chance to regroup his team of skilled mercenaries for [...]

Continue reading: The Hybrid (2014) Movie Trailer: Alien & Human DNA Spliced Together...

All sorts of goodies have emerged in promotion of Scintilla now that the flick has found both UK and Us distribution. Mongrel Media has acquired all rights for North America, and Metrodome will be bringing the flick to the UK.

eOne had previously acquired rights for France, German-speaking Europe, Scandinavia, and South Africa.

Directed by Billy O’Brien, Scintilla stars John Lynch, Craig Conway, Antonia Thomas, Jumayan Hunter, Morjana Alaoui, and Beth Winslet.

Synopsis

An elite team of mercenaries is chosen to carry out a covert operation deep in a former Soviet state. They must first battle the ferocious armed militia at ground level before descending through a maze of tunnels inhabited by dark, menacing creatures. When the team members arrive at an underground laboratory, they discover the purpose of their mission: A genius scientist has been genetically splicing alien DNA with human, and the results of this revolutionary work must be secured.

UK horror/sci-fi film Scintilla has some new artwork and a pretty effective trailer to share. Look for more soon on this tale of mercenaries who discover a radical scientist's shocking creations and must save future generations from a human race genetically spliced with alien DNA.

Scintilla is directed by Billy O’Brien (Isolation). Producers include Lionel Hicks and Craig Conway for Forefront Features and Liquid Noise Films with co-producers Doug Abbott and John Wolstenholme.

The film’s ensemble cast is comprised of John Lynch, Morjana Alaoui, Ned Dennehy, Craig Conway, Beth Winslet, Antonia Thomas, and more.

Related Story: First Details, Images, and Behind-the-Scenes Videos from New UK Horror/Sci-Fi Project Scintilla

Scintilla - Trailer - The best home videos are here

Synopsis:

A double cross left mercenary Jim Powell (Lynch) in a hellhole African prison. Now his release has been paid for by a corporate sponsor, but only so...

Who knows what horrors are contained within the Earth. Unless you have one of those nifty Total Recall remake elevators, there's just no way to know. Luckily for us monster movie fans, some poor souls are about to find out for themselves.

Screen Daily reports that Av Pictures’ Cannes slate includes in-demand sci-fi thriller Scintilla, which eOne has picked up for multiple territories. Billy O’Brien directs the story of a disparate group of mercenaries hired to a lead a special unit deep into a former Soviet state to retrieve data from an underground militia base. John Lynch, Morjana Alaoui, Ned Denehey, Beth Winslet, and Antonia Thomas star in the thriller, now in post-producution.

The production designer is Skyfall and Prometheus art director Paul Inglis. Av has a promo in Cannes.

Also new to Av’s slate is horror Let Us Prey (previous story here), currently in pre-production. Liam Cunningham...

Art Director Melanie Light dropped us a line today with the first details of a new project she's working on entitled Scintilla from Av Pictures. Read on to learn more and to see some stills and behind-the-scenes videos of the filming taking place now in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England.

From the Press Release:

Av Pictures and producers Lionel Hicks and Craig Conway have concluded a multi-territory deal with eOne for sci-fi thriller Scintilla. The distributor has acquired the film for France, German-speaking Europe, Scandinavia, and South Africa.

Scintilla follows a disparate group of mercenaries hired to a lead a special unit deep into a former Soviet state to infiltrate and retrieve data from an underground militia base. All is far from what it seems when a top-secret biotech lab and its unearthly creations are discovered.

The film’s ensemble cast stars John Lynch, Morjana Alaoui, Ned Denehey, Beth Winslet,...

Director: Silvana Zincolo.

Writers: Pascal Francaix, and Silvana Zincolo.

The distribution company Mti Home Video moved the period piece The Shadow Within to DVD May 25th in North America. This film is based on the novel “Les Meres Noires” by Pascal Francaix and takes a supernatural look at two identical brothers: one who dies at birth and another who lives with the remnants of his brother's spirit within himself. This film is sparse on scares or intensity until the finale where one mother's abusive behaviour is returned in a violent matter. Not a film from the usual Hollywood mold, The Shadow Within offers a slow burning story with lots of mystery, interesting costumes and an excellent performance from Kate Winslet's little sister, Beth Winslet (Nicked), and the young protege Laurence Belcher.

The writing begins with the death of Jacques Dumont in childbirth and moves into a small Italian village where mother,...

Mti Home Video has just released thesupernatural horror film The Shadow Within directed by Silvana Zancolo (La radice del male), on DVD, in case you missed it, yesterday! The film stars Laurence Belcher (Messengers 2: The Scarecrow), Hayley J Williams, and Beth Winslet (Yes, Kate's sister!). Check out the synopsis and trailer:

Propelled by grief over the death of Maurice's twin brother, Jacques, at birth, his mother, Marie, falls under the influence of Madame Armand, who convinces Marie to force her son to act as a medium to the next world. As Jacques asserts himself

through Maurice, he comes to the realization that they both desire the same thing: their parents! love. Only Jacques does not want to return to the living, he wants them all to join him -in the afterlife!...

Luke Goss has scooped the Ultimate Badass gong at a newly-launched sci-fi and horror film festival in Las Vegas.

The former Bros boy band star won Markowitz the Amazing Thug Armadillo's Ultimate Badass Award at the first Polly Staffle Grindhouse Fest, known informally as PollyGrind.

PollyGrind is dedicated to cult, horror, sci-fi, exploitation and arthouse films and took place in the city earlier this month. A rundown of all the winners was released today and is included in full below.

Luke - who's also had roles in Blade 2 and Hellboy II: The Golden Army - was recognised for his role as a vampire commando (see above and below right) in horror flick The Dead Undead.

The movie, released in the USA a year ago, centres on a fanged fighting force trying to stop the evil spread of a plague of vampire zombies. Caught in the middle of the battle is...

Mti will be releasing The Shadow Within which was completed in 2007 (Bloody). The film involves grief mixed with the supernatural as the demonized Jacques invites others to the afterlife (Mti). The film will be available for pre-booking April 27th and will release May 25th. A trailer for The Shadow Within is below.

The synopsis here:

"Propelled by grief over the death of Maurice's twin brother Jacques at birth, his mother Marie falls under the influence of Madame Armand, who convinces Marie to force her son to act as a medium to the next world. As Jacques asserts himself through Maurice, he comes to the realization that they both desire the same thing: their parents' love, only Jacques does not want to return to the living: he wants his parents to join him in the afterlife" (Mti).

Release Date: May 25th (DVD).

Director: Silvana Zancolo.

Writers: Daniel Aarons, and Giovanni Echer.

Hollywood starlet Kate Winslet's little sister, Beth, is looking to get into the biz, and what better jumping off point than a horror flick?

Mti Video announced today that The Root of Evil's Silvana Zancolo is back with The Shadow Within starring Hayley Williams, Beth Winslet, Laurence Belcher, and Bonny Ambrose. Look for the film when it hits DVD on May 25th.

Synopsis

Maurice Dumont is a nine-year-old who can connect with the dead. Propelled by grief over the death of Maurice's twin brother, Jacques, at birth, his mother, Marie, falls under the influence of Madame Armand, who convinces Marie to force her son to act as a medium to the next world. As Jacques asserts himself through Maurice, he comes to the realization that they both desire the same thing: their parents' love, only Jacques does not want to return to the living: He wants his parents to join him in the afterlife.

The Root of Evil 's Silvana Zancolo is back with The Shadow Within , a thriller shot in 2007 and is making its way to DVD through Mti Home Video on May 25. Synopsis: Maurice Dumont is a nine year-old who can connect with the dead. Propelled by grief over the death of Maurice's twin brother Jacques at birth, his mother Marie falls under the influence of Madame Armand, who convinces Marie to force her son to act as a medium to the next world. As Jacques asserts himself through Maurice, he comes to the realization that they both desire the same thing: their parents' love, only Jacques does not want to return to the living: he wants his parents to join him in the afterlife. Hayley Williams, Beth Winslet, Laurence Belcher and Bonny Ambrose star. Winslet is the younger sister of...

The Shadow Within is described as a "dark fairy tale," but the film does not look suitable for anyone under the age of eighteen. Very grim and atmospheric The Shadow Within is sure to chill audiences at the New York Horror Film Festival, which kicks-off this week. Silvana Zancolo is the director and Daniel Aarons the writer of this complex tale of ghosts and creeping death. To begin showing Saturday, November 21st The Shadow Within looks like a film that is not to be missed. Check out the full, heavily CGIed, trailer inside.

A synopsis for The Shadow Within here:

"The Shadow Within is a dark fairy tale. In a groom and sinister atmosphere, little Maurice Dumont can’t escape his infernal reality dominated by an inhuman mother who rejects him, an absent father and a ghost brother who refuses to die. In a claustrophobic overwhelming environment, obsessed by dead and living presences,...