Released by Miracle Media on 27 July, the feature documentary follows Australian filmmaker Anthony Frith as he walks away from the security of directing corporate videos to pursue his long-held ambition of making feature films. That decision leads him to an unexpected opportunity with The Asylum, the Hollywood studio behind titles including Sharknado, Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies, Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus, Titanic II and King of the Ants.

Frith is handed the task of directing The Land That Time Forgot, a dinosaur adventure produced on a shoestring budget and filmed over just six days in suburban Adelaide. Recognising the unique opportunity unfolding around him, he begins documenting the experience, capturing both the production itself and his own journey as a first-time feature director.

What follows is an unusually candid look at independent genre filmmaking, as Frith balances demanding production schedules, constant creative compromises and the realities of working with one of Hollywood’s most prolific B-movie studios. Alongside the chaos of making one film, Mockbuster quietly becomes another.

The documentary features appearances from The Asylum’s founders David Latt, David Rimawi and Paul Bales, alongside Brendan Petrizzo, Rachel Lee Goldenberg, Michael Paré, Eric Roberts, Danny Philippou and Glenn Campbell.

Written by Frith and Sandy Cameron, Mockbuster is produced by David Elliot-Jones, Cameron and Naomi Ball, with cinematography by Maxx Corkindale, editing by David Scarborough and an original score by Bryony Marks. The project received support from Screen Australia, the South Australian Film Corporation, the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund and VicScreen.

The documentary premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival in October 2025, where it won the Feature Documentary Audience Award. It was subsequently acquired for worldwide distribution by Giant Pictures, while Umbrella Entertainment secured Australian and New Zealand rights.

For horror and cult cinema fans, Mockbuster offers a rare opportunity to step inside one of the industry’s most recognisable independent studios and witness the realities of low-budget filmmaking from the perspective of a director learning on the job.

Mockbuster arrives on Digital from Miracle Media on 27 July 2026.

Mockbuster trailer

Adapted from Ana Paula Maia’s novel Enterre Seus Mortos, the 2024 feature blends psychological horror, road movie and apocalyptic drama as it follows a man searching for the woman he loves across a country sliding towards collapse. The release marks the latest international outing for Dutra, whose previous genre work includes the award-winning Good Manners, which he co-directed with Juliana Rojas.

Selton Mello leads the cast as Edgar Wilson, a roadkill collector desperate to leave his isolated existence behind with his partner Nete, played by Marjorie Estiano. When Nete joins her family’s apocalyptic cult, Edgar sets out to find her, accompanied by Tomás, an excommunicated priest. Their journey unfolds across desolate highways and abandoned communities as society edges closer to ruin and Edgar is forced to confront both his past and the uncertain future ahead.

Bury Your Dead first premiered at the Sitges Film Festival in 2024 before continuing its festival run with competition screenings at both the BFI London Film Festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival, introducing the film to audiences beyond Brazil. Critical response has been equally strong, with Dread Central describing it as “beautifully shot and is packed with stellar performances.”

Dutra has become one of Brazil’s most distinctive genre filmmakers over the past decade. His films frequently blur the boundaries between realism and the uncanny, with When I Was Alive, The Silence of the Sky and Good Manners helping establish his reputation on the international festival circuit. More recently, he directed episodes of the Disney+ series Tarã while continuing to develop feature projects.

Mello, one of Brazil’s most celebrated actors and filmmakers, brings decades of acclaimed screen experience to Edgar Wilson, having earned numerous awards for performances in films including To the Left of the Father, Drained and My Name Ain’t Johnny. Estiano reunites with Dutra after previously appearing in Good Manners, while Danilo Grangheia also stars.

Bury Your Dead is available now on Digital and On Demand through Dark Star.

Bury Your Dead trailer

Running from 3 to 5 July, the new festival will transform the city centre venue into a hub for Gothic-themed screenings, talks, workshops, live events and shopping, with organisers promising a programme designed to appeal to horror fans, film lovers and curious newcomers alike.

At the heart of the weekend is Dracula’s Bazaar, a free market operating throughout all three days. Taking over QUAD’s first floor, the event will bring together traders offering clothing, artwork, accessories, crafts, stickers and other Gothic-inspired merchandise.

Cinema will play a major role in the programme through the Hot Goth Summer Film Festival, which will showcase a selection of notable vampire films on the big screen. The line-up includes Interview with the Vampire, Dracula: Prince of Darkness, The Lost Boys, The Hunger, Salem’s Lot and Ken Russell’s Derbyshire-shot The Lair of the White Worm. Festival passes are available alongside tickets for individual screenings.

The weekend will also feature a range of free activities, including a family trail, a children’s colouring competition, a film quiz and the Dances with Darkness disco night. Additional ticketed events will include talks and workshops covering topics ranging from writing to arts and crafts.

The festival has been made possible through support from Derby Dracula and Aspect, with organisers keen to highlight the city’s long-standing literary connection to Bram Stoker’s iconic vampire. Stoker is believed to have drawn inspiration from a visit to Derbyshire while researching what would become Dracula, and that connection has increasingly become part of the city’s cultural identity.

Professor Matthew Cheeseman, Professor of Writing and Folklore at the University of Derby and Director of the Derby Dracula Enterprise, said the festival was intended to celebrate that heritage while welcoming a broad audience.

Meanwhile, QUAD Head of Film Adam J Marsh pointed to the opportunity to see classic vampire films on the cinema screen, highlighting titles ranging from Christopher Lee’s portrayal of Dracula to David Bowie’s performance in The Hunger and the enduring popularity of The Lost Boys.

Hot Goth Summer takes place at QUAD, Derby, from 3 to 5 July 2026. Tickets and further information are available through the festival’s official website: derbyquad.co.uk/season-festival/hot-goth-summer/

Premiering internationally at Raindance Film Festival on 21 June, the film showcases a score built around warped vocals, percussive rhythms and mounting anxiety.

As part of our Five Raindance Revelations series, Batuman discusses the films and composers that shaped his creative outlook, the lessons learned from scoring his first feature, and why sometimes the most effective musical choices are the simplest ones.

Gem Batuman composer for ‘The Killing Moon’

1. Tell us about your film and why you felt Raindance would be a great place to unleash it on London and the UK.

The Killing Moon is a thriller about a wealthy couple’s vacation getaway that’s interrupted by a stranger showing up wounded at their door. I composed the score for the film, and tried to create a tense, anxiety-inducing sound, with a lot of percussion and warped vocals. I think Raindance is a perfect place to showcase the unconventional score because it embodies the kind of artistic risk-taking that Raindance has championed. Also London is the epicenter of music, culture, and iconic bands, including Echo and the Bunnymen, from which the film got its title.

2. What moment made you realise you wanted to create films, not just watch them?

I loved Johns Williams ever since watching Star Wars and Harry Potter, but I think it was Jon Brion’s music in Eternal Sunshine that made me want to compose music for films. Then hearing the works of Trent Reznor and then Johnny Greenwood in their movie soundtracks really made me realize how interesting and creative film music could be.

3. What’s one film that fundamentally changed the way you think about cinema?

There Will Be Blood changed the way I viewed film scores. Instead of sweeping orchestral pieces that were very classical in nature, Johnny Greenwood’s score had a lot of dissonance, layered percussion, and polyrhythms, that sounded really fresh and different.

4. If you could collaborate with anyone in film history, who would unlock the most exciting project for you?

I’d love to collaborate with Dennis Villeneuve. His films are incredible at creating atmosphere and immersive worlds, and I think the most exciting film music isn’t just emotional accompaniment, but part of the world-building itself. Also, if he were alive, David Lynch, because his worlds are so strange and unsettling and dreamlike, and that’s the kind of vibe I like to create with music.

5. What’s something making this film revealed about yourself that you didn’t know before?

I learned a lot about the collaborative process when working on this film. I wasn’t just making music that I personally liked, but something that supported the vision of the film itself. I also learned that I sometimes overcomplicate things and try to make something really elaborate, when often simpler ideas worked better. It’s kind of a process where you have to set your ego aside and let go of musical ideas that didn’t support the scene as well.

From the orchestral magic of John Williams to the boundary-pushing work of Jon Brion, Trent Reznor and Johnny Greenwood, Gem Batuman’s influences reflect a fascination with film music that dares to be different. His work on The Killing Moon demonstrates that same willingness to experiment, creating a score that aims to unsettle audiences as much as the story itself.

We thank Gem for taking part in Five Raindance Revelations and wish him and the team behind The Killing Moon every success at Raindance and beyond.

The film screens again at Vue Piccadilly on 25 June, giving festival audiences another chance to experience its tense psychological drama and distinctive soundscape. For more information and tickets to see it, visit: raindance.eventive.org/films/the-killing-moon

The Killing Moon trailer

Running from 28 October to 1 November, this year’s event adopts the theme “Legacy”, reflecting both the heritage of the festival and the idea of creative influence being handed forward. The announcement was made at Florence’s Uffizi Galleries, where organisers outlined plans for what is being billed as Lucca Comics & Games’ diamond anniversary edition.

The official poster has been created by acclaimed comic artist Claudio Castellini, whose career spans work on Dylan Dog, Nathan Never, Marvel and DC Comics. Castellini’s artwork serves as a tribute to the festival’s history, bringing together characters and imagery from previous Lucca posters in a single illustration. During the launch event, the artist symbolically passed his pencil to 10-year-old French comics talent Louise Stéphant, whose variant poster artwork will be unveiled at the festival’s opening ceremony.

Among the headline guests announced for 2026 are manga pioneer Go Nagai, creator of Grendizer and Mazinger Z, legendary comic writer and artist Frank Miller, Fantastic Four and X-Men architect Jonathan Hickman, Japanese Marvel star Peach Momoko and Spanish comics creator Paco Roca.

The video games programme is equally substantial. Final Fantasy VII producer Yoshinori Kitase will attend as Guest of Honour, while Devil May Cry, Bayonetta and ?kami creator Hideki Kamiya is also confirmed. Industry veteran Stephen Bliss, whose artwork helped define the visual identity of the Grand Theft Auto series, joins the line-up alongside concept art pioneer Daniel Dociu and LucasArts veteran Noah Falstein.

Music will once again play a prominent role across the city. Composer Y?ko Kanno will make her first-ever appearance in Italy, while Italian pop-punk favourites Finley and anime soundtrack legends I Cavalieri del Re are also scheduled to perform.

Special exhibitions will celebrate both Lucca’s history and major figures from the comics world. A large retrospective dedicated to Castellini will showcase original artwork from across his career, while another exhibition marks the 80th anniversary of Lucky Luke, featuring material drawn from the archives of creator Morris.

The festival is also embracing interactive experiences. Luke & Clea – A Quest for Legacy, a new retro-inspired pixel-art game created especially for the anniversary edition, launches on 24 September and will culminate with a final level unlocked during the event itself.

Lucca Comics & Games 2026 takes place in Lucca, Italy, from 28 October to 1 November, with Early Bird tickets available now. Just visit: luccacomicsandgames.com/