NEWS: ‘The Seasoning House’ Chosen for Opening Night Gala Film at Film4 Frightfest

‘The Seaoning House’, the shocking neo-horror feature debut of author and director Paul Hyett, has ben chosen as the Opening Night Gala Film at the 2012 Film4 Frightfest in London. Film4 Frightfest will be held from August 23 to 27 at the Empire Cinema at Leicester Square in London, UK.

We first told you in depth about ‘The Seasoning House’ back in February. Currently, the film is completing post production and is getting ready for its world premiere at the UK’s premiere fantasy and horror film festival, which is now in its 13th year and attracts thousands of genre fans to the heart of London’s West End.

“It’s a great honour to be chosen as Opening Gala Film at Film4 FrightFest 2012,” explains author and director Paul Hyett. “It’s my very first as director and to be selected to open the festival is truly humbling and terrifically exciting. I like to think of the film as a cross between ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’, ‘Martyrs’ and ‘Die Hard’. It’s an uncompromising, action-packed and claustrophobic revenge thriller set against the backdrop of an unspecified Balkan war. Having worked on so many films over the last few decades I am totally comfortable with making the leap into directing. It feels like a natural progression for me. While the subject matter is dark, disturbing and nihilistic, I’m approaching it in a very stylish, glossy and beautiful fairytale way. The first half is an opiated dream, then the tone shifts as the young girl is dragged out of this darkness, the dream shattered and a far edgier, fractured and realistic film emerges. I’ve been lucky enough to be working with friends from my previous work, including Sean (Pertwee, playing “Goran”, the brutal militia leader), Kevin (Howarth, playing “Viktor” the shifty proprietor of the eponymous establishment), Michael (Riley, producer) as well as some new friends such as the amazing Rosie Day, who plays “Angel”, the tiny young girl who makes her way around the house via the crawlspaces and spaces beneath the floorboards. Directing The Seasoning House is an enormous pleasure for me, and this will be the first of a series of films I will direct over the next few years”.

“Paul has done prosthetics on many of my films over the last 15 years,” adds producer Michael Riley, who has worked with Paul on numerous projects before.  “His focus, preparation and creative abilities coupled with his vast experience on some of the best European films of recent years convinced me he was ready to put on director’s shoes. On set he is calm, prepared, relaxed and communicative. With a confidence born of years of experience, and virtually ego-free, he commands the respect of the cast and crew. So the perfect director. I look forward to continuing this relationship into the future on subsequent horror/thrillers”.

‘The Seasoning House’ is written and directed by Paul Hyett, an award-winning Special Makeup FX Designer for movies like ‘The Woman In Black’, ‘Dog Soldiers’, ‘Doomsday’, ‘Attack The Block’, ‘Eden Lake’, ‘Centurion’, ‘Unknown’, ‘The Descent’, ‘The Eagle’, ‘Ironclad’and more. The film stars Sean Pertwee (Equilibrium, Doomsday, Mutant Chronicles, Devil’s Playground, 4.3.2.1.), Rposie Day (Black Books, Fallen Angel, Harley Street), Anna Walton (Hellboy II – The Golden Army, 5 Days of War, Mutant Chronicles, Crusoe), Kevin Howarth (Gallowwalker, The Magnificent Eleven, The Last Horror Movie) and Jemma Powell (Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland, The Symmetry Of Love).

‘The Seasoning House’ is a Sterling Pictures production in association with Templeheart Films and Film Gate Films.

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