Our mission is to spotlight the visionary womxn shaping the future of horror cinema. Through Fearless Frame, we celebrate the artistry, innovation, and diverse perspectives of womxn filmmakers who craft chilling tales, push boundaries, and redefine the genre. By amplifying their voices, we aim to inspire audiences and empower creators to continue forging their paths in the shadowy corners of storytelling. Through the month of December, we will be showcasing a womxn filmmaker in the horror genre each day!

KELLY HOLMES

WORK: THE SIN-EATER – Horror/Period Drama 2024 – (17 MIN)

DIRECTOR: Kelly Holmes She/They

WRITER: Matthew White He/Him

SYNOPSIS: 1852, Wales: a desperate young mother carries out a forbidden ritual to save the soul of her unbaptised dead baby, but is tricked into taking on a terrifying supernatural burden.

Themes: Death, Grief, Mother/Child, Ritual

BIO: Kelly Holmes (she/they) is a director/writer from the UK with a love for telling genre inspired stories. She has had her films commissioned and broadcast on national French television, screened multiple award-winning shorts internationally at BAFTA/OSCAR festivals, and is developing her first horror feature film with Sharp House/Gallus Films. She has participated in multiple talent schemes including the Reykjavik Talent Lab; won the JETS Co-Production Market at Berlinale in 2021, and was selected as part of Frontières Co-Production Market 2021. In 2022 she was Shadow Director and 2nd Unit Director on Sky Studios new drama series A Town Called Malice. And she is currently on the festival circuit with her new BFI Network short film THE SIN-EATER

STORY STATEMENT: This is a woman’s story: women at the time were meant to bury emotional grief inwardly and accept responsibility for the death of a child. In our current climate where women’s rights seem to be regressing, and THE SIN-EATER highlights many issues the film-makers are passionate about. The use of Welsh language in the story also reinforces that message: how language, culture and women were suppressed in “polite” society. And so we’ve centred Welsh as the language of power, depth and emotion in the film.

WRITER/DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT: THE SIN-EATER is a Gothic horror that asks a simple, powerful question: how far will you go to protect the ones you love? Set in the beautiful but bleak mountains of mid-19th century Wales, it uses a real historical ritual as the backdrop to a story about inequality and injustice, pitting a young woman against a conservative society that mirrors many of the more troubling aspects of today’s world. Sin-eating was a real Victorian ritual in which the sins of the newly dead were “eaten” by another, supposedly freeing up their passage to heaven. It was an important part of mid-19th century Welsh culture: a ceremony that was illegal but widely tolerated. Available to everyone, but mainly used by those who could afford to pay. The Sin-Eater carried out an essential role, but they were usually poor, surrounded by shame and shunned by their society. Our film uses those dichotomies to probe the inequalities and injustices of the time, in a way that’s relevant to us all here and now.

PRODUCTION CONTENT:

• Producer: David Brown
• DoP: Alan McLaughlin
• Editor: Elizabeth Clutterbuck
• Composer: Die Hexen

MARGINALIZED VOICES INVOLVED:

• Women and Non-Binary Creators: Amplifying voices historically underrepresented in filmmaking.
• Disabled and Chronically Ill Filmmakers: Uplifting voices that reflect the experiences of physical and mental disabilities.
• Neurodivergent Creators: Highlighting filmmakers with autism, ADHD, and other neurodivergent experiences.
• Emerging Filmmakers over 40: Breaking stereotypes about ageism and showcasing creators thriving later in life.
• Working Class Filmmakers: Sharing stories from those who overcome systemic barriers to pursue their craft.

AWARDS AND FILM FESTIVAL APPEARANCES:

• FilmQuest (Winner Best Supporting Actor for Jack Parry-Jones, nom Best Fantasy Film)
• Abertoir Film Festival
• Galway Film Fleadh (in comp Oscar qualifying)
• Flatpack Festival
• Women X (nom Best Actress & Best Cinematography)
• Bolton Film Festival (nom Best Fantasy/Sci-fi Film)
• Court Metrange (nom Melies d’argent)
• Mayhem Film Festival
• Soho Horror Film Festival
• FFS

*THE SIN-EATER is a haunting Gothic horror set against the stark, sweeping landscapes of mid-19th century Wales, where it delves into the depths of inequality and injustice through a chilling historical lens. The film centers on a young woman who must confront a conservative, oppressive society that reflects many of today’s most troubling issues. At the heart of the story is the ritual of sin-eating, a real Victorian practice in which a person would “eat” the sins of the recently deceased to ensure their passage to the afterlife. While the practice was illegal, it was widely tolerated, and typically carried out by the poor and shunned members of society, who were both necessary yet reviled. In this darkly atmospheric tale, the protagonist’s struggle against a rigid and unforgiving culture raises powerful questions about sacrifice, love, and the societal systems that bind us all. The Sin-Eater explores these historical dichotomies, making its themes of social inequality and injustice deeply resonant with contemporary issues.

Learn more about THE SIN-EATER here!