Manchester Morgue Presents: Grimmfest 2026 picks!

 

Greetings from the Morgue!

This year sees the return of the mighty Grimmfest, Manchester’s very own Festival of fantastic films, on 8-11th October. As usual there are Q&As, signings, market stalls and of course lots and lots of brand new horror movie premieres, as well as a few screenings of beloved genre classics. Ken and Gary will be reporting from the festival and in this here post, you can find out just what they’re most excited about before it all kicks off. Come say hi!

You can get tickets for Grimmfest here: 

Gary’s Pick - Ivan (Damien Fannon)

Damien Fannon’s retro, sci-fi infused horror is a cautionary tale that speaks to the lingering, generational consequences of domestic abuse and skewers the danger of youngsters beginning to discover things beyond family-set boundaries in the advent of the world wide web and the comfort that AI ‘personalities’ can offer the lonely and disenfranchised. This one will resonate with parents especially and boys should brace themselves against the fate of one unfortunate character in particular…

You can listen to our interview with director Damien Fannon here

Ken’s pick - Grind (Brea Grant, Chelsea Stardust, Ed Dougherty)

An anthology horror about the gig economy, a modern phenomenon that honestly doesn't need much of a push to become horrific. It covers everything from fashion-shilling influencers to content moderation, and while it's very funny, it knows exactly when to get dark. The content moderation segment in particular tackles some grim themes and features a gonzo montage of horrific pratfalls and atrocities. Barbara Crampton also pops up in a story about someone who has to keep selling leggings or face supernatural punishment. The film crams a lot into its runtime, but there are enough laughs and meaty themes to carry it through all those tonal shifts.

Gary’s Pick - The Whisper (El Sussuro - Gustavo Hernandez)

Gustavo Hernandez brings us a story dripping darkness both visually and metaphorically as two siblings flee domestic violence to a mansion setting where they uncover a sordid plot and their family curse follows hot on their heels. A refreshing take on vampire lore that is haunting, visceral and sad with shades reminiscent of Let The Right One In.

Ken’s pick - The Glorious Dead (Toby Poser, John Adams)

The Adams family are back with another personal, moody, filthy, bass-driven horror odyssey. Last time we spoke to Toby Poser and John Adams, they teased a western-style project that had us very intrigued. Well, it's here, and it charts the escalating madness of a small town caught up in an apocalyptic event. Toby plays the sheriff, with Zelda Adams as her deputy. There's a real Lynchian vibe to the horror, plus grisly practical effects that call to mind Silent Hill (the games, not the ok-to-abysmal movie adaptations). The Adams have a perfect hit rate at this point, and we can't wait to see what they bring to the 'fest next

You can listen to the boys catch with John and Toby to discuss the movie in more detail here

Gary’s Pick - Oddities (Tyler Savage)

Oddities sees two friends with a penchant far partying a little too hard flee when an uncomfortable situation goes bad, only to find their circumstances get progressively worse through a series of twists and turns that you really won't see coming. It begins like a gritty, crime-driven road trip only to pull the rug right under you as events unfold. Sarah Durn and Annie Fitzpatrick star alongside genre legend Adrienne Barbeau, who is set to make a personal appearance at Grimmfest and will doing a Q&A alongside John Carpenter’s seminal ‘The Fog’