Announcing the Midlands Movies Awards 2021
midlandsmovies • February 2, 2021

Hi there! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
As most people know, in January of each year our Midlands Movies Awards are well underway with our jury deep in contemplation over the many fantastic films submitted. But in 2021 it’s had to be a bit different and we want to share our latest news update with you all…
 
 What are we planning? 
 
 Well, we all know the challenges faced in the last 12 months, but to give the awards ceremony the best chance of occurring we delayed our regular March event until later in the year. (Click here for full announcement)
 
 So, in place of a crowdfunding campaign to cover costs beforehand, we’ve decided to put the event planning on hold but still get things moving by opening the awards to filmmakers as quick as possible.
 
 When and where can I submit my film?
 
 With the above in mind, we’re therefore incredibly excited to announce on Friday 12th February we will open for submissions for the Midlands Movies Awards 2021 via FilmFreeway here
 
 What are the rules?
 
 We’ve tweaked the terms slightly to ensure there is even more focus on the Midlands (based on where a film was shot), yet we’ve also expanded the eligibility dates to take into account the delay. For details please click here for full terms & conditions
 
 How much does it cost?
 
 We do not want to add any extra barriers given this difficult time so we’re happy to share the news that submissions will be FREE for another year.
 
 Will an event happen?
 
 We very much hope so! FilmFreeway does require a mandatory date to announce the winners so we’ve chosen one as a holding date for the event, but please keep in mind that this is very much provisional based on how things develop in the region owing to Covid.
 
 Who’s on the jury panel?
 
 As in previous years, we’ll be announcing our exciting and experienced jury panel members during the submission window. You’ll find the latest updates on our social media channels (Facebook 
& Twitter) as well as the official awards page on our website.
 
 And finally…
 
 We appreciate everyone’s tremendous patience and understanding during a tough year and we will do our upmost to guarantee the best and smoothest awards we can for all filmmakers.
 
 Thanks for reading and do put a reminder in your diaries for the opening date, because we absolutely cannot wait to see the wealth of inspiring films from the Midlands once more!
 
 Michael Sales
 
 Editor, Midlands Movies 
 

UNCANNY                                                                                                            Directed by Liam Banks                                                                                                            2025                                                                                                            Superfreak Media                                                                                                            Liam Banks follows up the excellent Run For Your Life! (                                               review here                                              ) with a short, sharp horror experience that takes influence from the glut of uncanny, ‘imposter’ horror content across YouTube and gaming currently.                                                                                                            James Podmore plays Jordan, a successful singleton who is looking for love on an online dating platform. After a brief, comical interaction with one lady (played by Run For Your Life! lead Rosie Frost), he connects with Amanda (Racheal Caulton). However, there is something clearly very wrong with Amanda, especially when she finally turns her camera on to reveal a distorted, not quite human façade.                                                                                                            Podmore is great as the confused lead, recognising that something is clearly wrong, but also wanting to give his match the benefit of the doubt. And the script kicks him into action just before he risks becoming a stereotypical horror victim. Similarly, Caulton manages to shine through the layers of special effects and voice manipulation, proving she’s just as effective an antagonist, as she is horror victim.                                                                                                            Banks, who also co-handled script duties with Charlie Brentnall, does an excellent job with the effects here. Playing it safe by keeping Caulton in low light for the most part, the effects on her face look great, even as the film quickly shifts to more of a home invasion style piece.                                                                                                            There are also some neat little ‘did you see that?’ moments, with Amanda placed in the background of scenes; standing out just enough to heighten that uncanny feeling, only occasionally marred by a too-obvious sound design that fills the silence with stingers to make the scares obvious.                                                                                                            Overall, it’s an excellent short. One that continues the streak of high-quality horror productions that Superfreak Media has been delivering. At just 20 minutes, there’s no fat to trim here, delivering a genuinely tense, uncomfortable experience that will keep the Halloween vibes coming.                                                                                                            3.5 / 5                                                                                                            Matthew Tilt                                                      Instagram                                                                                                          https://www.instagram.com/tiltmatthew90/                                                                                                                        Watch the full short for free on YouTube below:
 





