Hastings Rocks

Screening on Friday the 11th of April at 9pm as part of Hastings Rocks 2025 Directed by the talented Nicklas Wedin, The Unexpressed (Dom Outtryckta) is an emotionally charged dramedy that takes audiences on an unexpected journey of self-discovery, personal conflict, and profound connection. Filmed across the vibrant cities of Stockholm, London, and Los Angeles, this cross-culturalContinue reading “In Review – The Unexpressed (Dom Outtryckta) by Nicklas Wedin”

Screening on Saturday the 12th of April at 1:45pm as part of Hastings Rocks 2025 Colin O’Reilly’s The Devil Makes Work For Idle Hands is a compelling social realist drama that examines themes of social mobility, disillusionment, and the systemic struggles of the working class. Through three intertwined narratives, the film presents a raw and nuanced portrayalContinue reading “In Review ‘The Devil Makes Work For Idle Hands’ by Colin O’Reilly”

Our Hastings Rocks Festival director, James Rowlins, sat down with Cat & Patsy from the brilliant new podcast and YouTube show our town has plenty. Subscribe to their channel here for all of the latest news about what’s going on in Hastings & St Leonards, filming by Jamie De Ath. James talks about why heContinue reading “Interview with Festival Director James Rowlins – Our Town Has Plenty”

Shot entirely in and around his beloved Hastings, Benjamin Verrall’s Shouting at the Sea is a love letter to the town he grew up in and the beauty of friendship. After years spent apart, Joe and Katherine reunite and, with the sea as their witness, heal old wounds and reconnect as adults. The cinematography isContinue reading “Interview with Benjamin Verrall Writer & Director of ‘Shouting at the Sea’”

The opening scene of a film is as crucial as the first page of a book. It must captivate the audience, drawing them into a meticulously crafted world while offering a glimpse of the narrative treasures within. Shouting at the Sea written and produced by the team at Toffee Hammer and directed by Benjamin Verrall,Continue reading “In Review ‘Shouting at the Sea’ by Benjamin Verrall.”

With a background in physics and a love for film noir and the uncanny, filmmaker William Brooke decided to combine his passions through the production of his unsettling short film ‘ReBirth’. Set in what can only be described as a dingy old saloon whose inner rooms hide a much more sinister purpose, ‘ReBirth’ centres aroundContinue reading “Interview with William Brooke, Writer & Director of ‘ReBirth’”

‘Remi Milligan: Lost Director’ by Sam Lodato is a remarkably entertaining feature film which not only follows the mysterious loss of indie maverick director Remi Milligan but also introduces us to a collection of his work. Through interviews with friends, family and co-workers, the intrigue surrounding Remi’s sudden disappearance unravels before us as we areContinue reading “Interview with Samuel Lodato, Writer & Director of ‘Remi Milligan: Lost Director’”

Nora Aboushoushah’s short ‘Lucky You’re Mine’ is a heartbreaking and intimate look at the devastating effects of a mental health crisis on the lives of not only those directly suffering, but the loved ones who surround them. As we focus on one couple, we take a journey through suffering, acceptance, resilience and most of all,Continue reading “In Review ‘Lucky You’re Mine’ by Nora Aboushoushah”

‘Psyche’ is a captivating experimental, psychological thriller from South African filmmaker Jonathan Geach. Trapped in a stark, colourless room that reeks of fear, loneliness and doubt, a young woman is subjected to a terrifying ordeal as a series of mystifying and ominous letters appear under her door. The title ‘Psyche’ gives us a clue asContinue reading “In Review ‘Psyche’ by Jonathan Geach”

‘Room for One’, a one woman short film written and performed by Madeline Hatt, was born from a desire to talk about women’s safety and to highlight the woeful progress that has been made since the film’s setting in the 1940s. Madeline shaped and developed the script from a stream-of-consciousness monologue which she then paredContinue reading “In Review ‘Room For One’ by Madeline Hatt”

‘The Cornucopia Club’ by Joseph Archer is a testament to the filmmaker’s prowess as a director able to absorb an audience into the stylised and rich world he has built – one dripping in satire, stuffed with witty and opportune jokes and oozing with opulence of the worst kind. His short film, inspired by aContinue reading “Interview with Writer & Director Joseph Archer and Writer & Actor Cathy Wippell of ‘The Cornucopia Club’”

A terrifying and perhaps unsurprising fact reveals that In 2021, London recorded its worst ever death toll from teenage homicides. When writer and director Peter Callow came across the original play ‘Four O’Clock Flowers’ written by Louise Breckon-Richards he realised how affecting a film version could be in its exploration of grief, bereavement, loss, guiltContinue reading “In Review ‘Four O’Clock Flowers’ by Peter Callow”

‘ORTOLAN: Bones and All’ was born as a proof of concept for a much larger exploration in a feature by writer, producer and actor Kate Winter who, channelling her own experiences dealing with trauma and memory, takes a deep dive into a complex and ruthless relationship between three sisters through an immersive and meandering psychedelicContinue reading “Conversation With Tracy Mathewson, Director of ‘Ortolan’ and Kate Winter, Writer, Producer & Actor.”

‘Tales From The Great War’ is writer Elias’ second feature length film, following his 2018 release ‘The Numbers’. Both films deftly intertwine the stories of multiple characters and their inevitable crossing of paths, bringing forward a certain recurring theme for Elias: the power of fate. His latest release opens with a powerful close up ofContinue reading “In Review ‘Tales from the Great War’ by Andrew Elias”

Trauma and all of its terrifying friends raise their ugly heads in an exquisitely creepy psychological horror ‘The Uncanny’, by mother-daughter duo Marie Laurin and Clara Gabrielle. ‘The Uncanny’ marks the directorial debut by Clara, whose background lies in acting, as she shows off her skills behind the camera while adding a very personal toneContinue reading “In Conversation with Clara Gabrielle & Marie Laurin filmmakers behind ‘The Uncanny’”

Creaky floorboards, whispers in the walls and shadowy apparitions are all harbingers of an enticing horror film and are deftly incorporated into the very opening scenes of director Robin Rippman’s ‘Spellbound’, assuring the audience that they will be delighted by what follows. Spellbound’s sound design and score are striking from the very outset. We openContinue reading “In Review: ‘Spellbound’, by Robin Rippmann”

Fish might not be the most obvious subject matter for a film, unless of course you are David Attenborough. However, when Falmouth University student Jonathan Geach was tasked with making a short film he put fish the at centre stage in his experimental short ‘Glub Glub’. The film uses his oddly masked men to inviteContinue reading “Interview with Jonathan Geach, director of ‘Glub Glub’”

If you happen to be walking along the coastline all wrapped up in your winter garb you will be hard pushed these days not to come across an intrepid sea swimmer. Clothed only in the skimpiest of wares and perhaps the thinnest layer of neoprene. You might initially question their sanity but, as discovered byContinue reading “Interview with Kristian Coburn, director of ‘Just Add Water: Stories From The Sea’”

There is something very refreshing about having your opinion of a film changed almost instantly. A rare and significant feat which filmmaker Richard Rowntree achieved with aplomb in his latest horror ‘Mask of the Devil’. Rather than falling into the “not another cringey horror movie” category, Richard and the team at Ash Mountain Films takeContinue reading “Interview with Richard Rowntree, writer and director of ‘Mask of the Devil’”

A fascination with horror is often considered macabre and perhaps slightly misaligned, but by combining his passion for the genre with a diverse career and a well-chosen MA, Robert Dee brings us his visceral short ‘The Devil’s Harvest.’ The film offers a haunted dive into identity and childhood trauma. Whilst exploring themes some might feelContinue reading “Interview with Robert Dee, Director of ‘The Devil’s Harvest’”