Annual film festival to reel in crowds

CURTAIN TO BE RAISED ON FEMALE-LED THRILLER AT SUNDERLAND SHORTS

A female-led thriller is set to be one of the highlights of this year’s Sunderland Shorts Film Festival.

The annual celebration returns for its fourth year next month, and as part of a series of screenings, it will be showing the short thriller film Foxhole on Saturday, May 5.

The film, written and directed by award-winning film maker Caris Rianne, who lives in Darlington, follows the story of Sylvie who escapes her abusive marriage by running away to a place known as Foxhole. However, her reasons for joining the cult may not be all that they appear to be.

Whereas most stories that revolve around cults feature a male leader and American setting, Foxhole switches up the gender roles by having the mysterious character of Maika as the mother of the group of runaways, who leads an impressive cast of mostly female actors from both the North and South of England.

The film also explores domestic violence through the troubled and violent relationship between Sylvie and her husband Nick, as she battles to find the bravery to finally leave him and run away to the isolated refuge.

Caris Rianne ensured that her crew featured a strong roster of women, from cam- era crew to producing group, in fact 80% of the team behind Foxhole were women, which she says is a big step forward in improving the opportunities in the industry.

The screening at Sunderland is part of the thriller category where it is nominated for best film in the category, and which Rianne is the only female director in the group.

As part of her self-founded company, Rianne Pictures, whose mission statement is to increase the female voice behind the camera, she has been interviewing other female directors featured at the festival for her website.

The short previously premiered in London where it was well received by the audience, it is also received full backing from a crowd funding campaign by Caris Rianne in order to make the film.

Foxhole is screened at The Looking Glass in Sunniside at 4.30pm on May 5. Admission is £5. Visit https://sunderlandshorts.co.uk/tickets/