Home-grown horror takes the Biscuit Factory

READING’S independent cinema is bringing a whole host of home-grown horror to town in a new collection of short films.

Winter Chills: A Night of Short Horror Films is coming to Reading Biscuit Factory, sees a collection of work, including by Reading filmmakers, curated by writer and director Stephen Graves.

The collection features Foresight, which sees Tessa discover a life-changing wooden box when cleaning her late grandmother’s house, Rhyme or Die, which follows five strangers kidnapped and forced to rap on pain of death, and Psycho Killer, the story of a reserved adolescent planning his first murder.

Also featured is Nosepicker, the story of an eight-year-old boy with a nasty habit, in the style of Tales of the Unexpected; The Devil’s Footprints, which follows the discovery of the bodies of a couple in Dartmoor; and The Dead of Winter, which sees an affluent man haunted by a figure after leaving a rough sleeper to die in the cold, directed by Stephen Graves.

Mr Graves said: “We’ve tried to include a mix of sub-genres, so there’s something for every horror fan.

“We’ve got comedies, shorts that touch on folk horror, Gothic period pieces, even a lethal freestyle rap competition.”

One of the films, Haunting, is directed by Reading-based John Aldridge and shot with cast and crew from the area.

Mr Aldridge said he was excited “to be part of what promises to be a terrifying event.”

Fellow contributor and composer Benjamin Doherty, also from Reading, is seeing his work featured in the collection, having scored two of the entries.

Mr Doherty said ahead of the event: “It’s really special to have my work screened and heard in the local area, especially at my favourite cinema.”

James Ireland, assistant manager at

Reading Biscuit Factory. “We’re so excited to be hosting our first night of horror shorts this November– we know there’s a huge appetite for short film nights in the local community and really look forward to bringing together a great selection of film-makers and their work.”

The collection also includes Haunting, Hack, Taste, and We Forgot About the Zombies, with more titles set to be announced.

Winter Chills: A Night of Short Horror Films is showing at Reading Biscuit Factory on Thursday, November 2, at 8pm.

■ Tickets are available via: readingbiscuitfactory. co.uk