Connie now screening on ShortsTV and available on iTunes US & Europe

Brilliant news! My award-winning short Connie is now available to buy on Shorts International’s iTunes stores in the US and Europe! Better still, the foul-mouthed puppet is a cheap gal – a snip at only $2.99 or £1.99 respectively – so fill your stockings this festive season with twenty minutes of our little felt-covered diva.

Connie has had an incredible journey since the shoot in May 2016, playing festivals globally, including awards qualifiers, winning awards, receiving great reviews and entertaining audiences we could only have dreamed of. Being able to share it now with a whole new audience is really something else. Film festivals rock, but so few people can actually get to them, so I’m proud that Connie has been licensed by Shorts International.

The film showcases the incredible talent of our superstar, Catrin Stewart, who did an incredible job of playing two roles at once and also operating a puppet – all in just two days on set! It also features the legend that is Kim Newman. It’s a film I’m incredibly proud of. Meeting audiences at festivals and seeing their reactions to the film, and to me and the puppet, has been an extra slice of joy.

Connie is also screening now on ShortsTV’s channel in the US, with the European premiere coming very soon. ShortsTV is the world’s first 24/7 HD TV channel dedicated to shorts, and currently available to approximately 25 million homes, with more channels across the globe to come. More details on how to watch ShortsTV here.

Connie – 3 more award nominations & 4 US state premieres in just 9 days!

Wowzer! Connie continues to cook up a storm stateside with four upcoming state premieres over just nine days, with three award nominations to boot!

First, Connie gets to catch some rays at the California premiere tomorrow, 31st August, at Long Beach Indie International Film, Media and Music Festival 2017. The film is screening as part of the Suspense and Horror shorts block from 9pm. I love California and am really thrilled that she’ll be allowed to cause mayhem in the golden state.

Connie is hitting Kansas City on Monday 4th September! The little diva is headed to kick Dorothy’s butt and enjoy the Missouri premiere next week, screening at the super cool Slaughter Movie House at the Screenland Armour movie theatre. Connie will be screening with the feature film, Space Babes from Outer Space, kicking off at 7pm… and better still, it’s FREE! Check out this gorgeous event poster!

Just a couple of days later after a stroll down the yellow brick road, Connie heads to GenreBlast Film Festival 2017 for her Virginia state premiere! Connie screens with the opening film of the festival, Guardians, from 7pm on Thursday 7th September at the Alamo Drafthouse. You know it’s a great festival when it’s at an Alamo Drafthouse, and GenreBlast have a really cool selection of shorts and features playing, including an advance screening of IT, also on the opening night.

AND… The awesome team at GenreBlast have very kindly nominated Connie for not one, not two, but THREE awards at the festival! It’s pretty stiff competition though, so Connie better get her boxing gloves on… I certainly can’t hop in the ring and fight it out for a trophy when I’m 6 months pregnant… But being nominated gives me a lovely, glowy, warm feeling…

Finally, finishing off next week, Connie will be hitch-hiking her way to Utah for FilmQuest 2017, screening as part of Shorts Block 2 on Friday 8th September from 6pm. FilmQuest celebrates the majesty of genre filmmaking in the realms of fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and beyond, running until 16th September. Connie is in great company as our web series, Mina Murray’s Journal, has also been selected for the festival! Go team Moranic Productions!

What a lot of mileage to cover in just nine days! It’s a US road trip. Sadly, I won’t be the Susan Sarandon to Connie’s Geena Davis for the journey as I enter the third trimester of my pregnancy, but she can hack it on her own. She’s a freebird… *zippo lighter overhead*

Connie nominated for Best Actress at HorrorHound Weekend Film Festival!

March is proving to be a crazy month. I’m working on three shorts at different stages – . Blood Shed, Hank: Portrait of a Serial Killer and TickTock. We’re also running a Kickstarter for Blood Shed until 27th March, so it’s non-stop and all systems go.

I’ve had some wonderful news about my last short  – the unforgettable Connie. Connie has not only been selected for the HorrorHound Weekend Film Festival in Ohio, US, we’re also nominated for the Best Actress award for our superb lead, Catrin Stewart! Catrin had to play both Connie and Dolly, often in the same scenes – not just vocally, but also ‘operating’ Connie for a large proportion of the film. This was a great mental and physical challenge, and Catrin pulled it off in spectacular fashion.

Connie’s lead, Catrin Stewart, nominated for Best Actress at HorrorHound

Catrin Stewart

It’s been an incredible six or seven months so far, but Connie is still on the first leg of her film festival journey, so to get this fifth award nomination is really quite something.

HorrorHound is a convention and film festival all in one, taking place 17th-19th March in Cincinnati. It’s CRAMMED to the ceiling with special guests, including Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chandler Riggs, Tobin Bell, John Waters, Lloyd Kaufman…I am absolutely gutted that I can’t be there! The chance to meet Jeffrey Dean Morgan… I’m such a fan of The Walking Dead. I’ll be crying for months. But, you lucky people can get tickets HERE.

Connie is screening as part of the Late Night Laughs slot on the Saturday night (or technically early Sunday AM), before Space Babes from Outer Space. The schedule is below.

Also, congratulations to my pal Jamie Hooper, whose short Unto Death, which is a real must-see, has also been selected for the Sunday.

Connie is also currently also nominated for the iHorror Award for Best Short Film, which is announced at the end of the month, so it’s a double celebration… but only once I’ve slept… Which at this point, could be July.

Connie nominated for a prestigious iHorror award!

I’m over the moon to announce that Connie has been nominated for a very prestigious iHorror award by iHorror.com This is Connie’s fourth award nomination in just a few short months.

The awards recognise excellence, hard work and determination in the horror genre. The much coveted statue is poured from solid metal from the RS Owens company, whose clients include the Oscars and the Emmys. Now that is FANCY!

iHorror Award Statue Pic: iHorror.com

Previous iHorror award winners include It Follows, Ash vs Evil Dead, Creep, Insidious Chapter 3, Bruce Campbell, Mark Duplass and Melissa McBride. It’s an incredible list of talent and I’m awestruck right now.

Though the Best Short Film category is decided by a private judging panel, you can select your winners in other categories such as Best Actor, Actress, Remake, Director, Film, TV Show as voting is now open. I voted and picked my winners, but it was TOUGH.

Winners are announced on 29th March. Fingers crossed for Connie!

Many thanks to iHorror and the selection panel. It’s an honour.

 

 

Connie Screenings, Panel & Videos for Women in Horror Month 2017!

Women in Horror Month 2017  is almost upon us! Women in Horror Month (WiHM) is an international, grassroots initiative, which encourages supporters to learn about and showcase the work of women in the horror industries.

I’m very pleased to support #WHIM this year, with Connie screening at one event and I’m also part of a panel discussion at another:

WIHM: United in Blood 2017 Vol.1 
Friday 10th February, 7pm, The Macbeth of Hoxton, 70 Hoxton St, London N1 6LP

Shorts:
Used: Destinie Orndoff
Halloween: Monica Demes
Beauty N’ Blood: Tapanga McCarbe
Nasty: Prano Bailey-Bond
Mauvaises Têtes: Rebekah Fieschi

8:10. WHIM Panel moderated by Wendy Rose:
Emma Dark, Cat Davies, Prano Bailey-Bond & more

9:20: Soska Sisters Massive Blood Drive PSA.

WIHM: United in Blood 2017 Vol.2 
Sunday February 19th, 6.30pm, The Hen & Chickens Theatre 109 St Paul’s Rd, N1 2NA

Shorts:
Mindless: Katie Bonham
Slit: Pablo Absento
Connie: Cat Davies 
A Tricky Treat: Patricia Chica
The Stylist: Jill Gevargizian
Madre De Dios: Gigi Saul Guerrero
Innsmouth: Izzy Lee

Feature Film:
Slasher House 2 (Intro + Q&A with MJ & Anna Dixon)

If those line ups aren’t persuasive enough to get you to come and support, Connie has thrown in her two cents worth in a very special video announcement made especially to promote her screening:

***NEW EVENT ADDED***

Connie will also be screening in Dublin on Sunday 19th February – our Irish premiere, as part of another WIHM event!

Acid Cane Presents: Women in Horror (Dublin)

Sunday February 19th, 6pm

The Liquor Rooms

5 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2, Dublin, Ireland

€12 on the door

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I also played a nurse for director Damon Rickard for his contribution to the amazing Soska Sisters Blood Drive PSA, Bloody Nurses. It was a really fun shoot and a fantastic way to kick off 2017. For now though, here’s some behind the scenes and official stills from the shoot until the bloody video is unleashed on you all!

Playing a nurse in Bloody Nurses, directed by Damon Rickard Pic: Mike Shawcross at This Thing Called Photography

Fight to the death, with Lucy Clements & Jessica Messenger Pic: Mike Shawcross at This Thing Called Photography

3 Bloody Nurses Pic: James Moran

With fellow Bloody Nurses, Lucy Clements & Jessica Messenger Pic: Mike Shawcross at This Thing Called Photography

Fresh make-up! Pic: Cat Davies

A little light head injury… (SFX) Pic: Cat Davies

BTS shot Pic: Jack Ayers

So, spread the word about these arse-kicking events and let’s celebrate female talent in horror! Shout about them from the rooftops, and enjoy the films!