THE FESTIVAL RETURNS 20-22 OCTOBER 2023 WITH ITS UNIQUE MIX OF FASCINATING GUESTS, FANTASTIC FILMS & FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE

 

In 2023, this legendary celebration of horror, SF and fantasy brings you Andy Nyman, Madeline Smith, Stephen Volk, Jenny Runacre, David McGillivray, Jane Wymark, Toby Hadoke, and Ramsey Campbell. Unfortunately, Mark Gatiss can no longer join us.

20-22 October 2023, Pendulum Hotel & Conference Centre, Manchester UK

We will shortly announce our 2023 programme in detail. Follow us on Facebook for updates and Twitter for the latest news. We’re also uploading some wonderful short-and-sweet podcasts to our YouTube channel – please visit and subscribe. These already include Judy Matheson, Jeremy Dyson, Stephen Laws, Dani Thompson and David McGillivray.

 

Click here for tickets on Eventbrite

Join us!

This year's guests

ANDY NYMAN

Andy’s countless movie, TV and theatre credits include Nigel Kneale’s TV adaptation of The Woman in Black, Charlie Brooker’s Dead Set, Mark Gatiss’s Crooked House, and the movies Severance, Black Death, Kick-Ass 2, and The ABCs of Death 2. He also co-wrote and starred in the theatre and movie versions of the hugely successful Ghost Stories.

MADELINE SMITH

Maddy is well known for her many appearances in films, TV and stage productions, including ‘Bond girl’ Miss Caruso in Live and Let Die, and roles in Hammer and other horror films including The Vampire Lovers, Taste the Blood of Dracula, Theatre of Blood, and Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell.

JENNY RUNACRE

Jenny has enjoyed an extensive career in film, TV and theatre, working with directors including John Cassavetes, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Michelangelo Antonioni , Ridley Scott, Derek Jarman, and Nicholas Roeg. Her genre film credits include Robert Fuest's cult classic THE FINAL PROGRAMME, THE CREEPING FLESH, and SON OF DRACULA.

JANE WYMARK

Jane has performed widely on stage and screen, and famously appeared in Nigel Kneale's cult 1976 folk horror anthology BEASTS in the unforgettable episode ‘Baby’: she and her husband discover strange mummified remains in an old jar bricked up in the wall of their ancient cottage.

STEPHEN VOLK

Screenwriter and author Stephen Volk is best known for being the evil mind behind BBC TV’s notorious – some say legendary – “Halloween hoax” Ghostwatch and for creating the award-winning ITV paranormal drama series Afterlife starring Lesley Sharp and Andrew Lincoln.

DAVID McGILLIVRAY

David McGillivray describes himself as a general factotum of the entertainment business: actor, producer, playwright, screenwriter and film critic.

All guests subject to professional commitments and may cancel at short notice. Guests may charge for autographs.

Tickets on sale now

Weekend pass and day tickets available

Attention
Film Makers!

Submissions for 2023 are now closed

Find us on FilmFreeway

We rebooted our international Delta film competition last year and again sought short films from around the world. We had a fantastic response yet again, with a great range of finalists from around the world.

Winners in each category — Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy – receive the Delta Award, with the best-in-festival getting the coveted Norman J. Warren Trophy, named in honour of the cult filmmaker. Click here to learn more about Norman

THE FESTIVAL TAKES PLACE IN THE HEART OF MANCHESTER

The festival’s home is the Pendulum Hotel aka Manchester Conference Centre on Sackville Street in central Manchester.

Accommodation is usually available at special rates. Look out for festival updates and news on Facebook. Buy festival tickets here

NOW IN OUR 33rd YEAR!

We have a unique atmosphere and impeccable pedigree, bringing an eye-popping array of horror, SF and fantasy films to Manchester – in 2022 that included short films from Brazil, Australia, Mexico, Iran, Spain, UK, Ukraine, Taiwan, Turkey and Germany.

A hidden gem on the festival circuit, discover us in 2023. Buy festival tickets here

Register here for festival news and guest updates

Keep up to speed with the latest developments!