Alix Turner
Despite having talked to the Mayhem team a year ago about how they put on such an event, it’s still a surprising feat, just like every other time I have attended. And also just like every other time, I have come away with a few stand-out memories and some new favourite films. Here are this year’s highlights.
Game (John Minton, UK)
It was great to be in attendance for what was essentially Game’s world premiere, and in an affectionate crowd. One of the leads, Jason Williamson, is from Nottingham; and I have no doubt many of the audience were familiar with his band, Sleaford Mods, who are very much based in the city too. Williamson came on stage after the film for a Q&A with festival organisers and audience – along with John Minton (the film’s director), Geoff Barrow (writer and composer), and Marc Bessant (writer and co-star) – and there were so many questions, it felt like the audience were almost reluctant to let the team go. What an excellent way to open this year’s Mayhem Film Festival.
Redux Redux (Kevin and Matthew McManus, USA)
A few years ago, Jeremy Gardner and Christian Stella’s After Midnight had me in tears at Mayhem; this year, it was the maternal anguish in Redux Redux. I’d heard this was a good one, but I was in no way prepared for the sharp writing, relatable characters and the overall mood of the film, built with care from precise cinematography and a largely subtle score. A film that centres on the idea of multiple universes, I admired the way the McManus brother brushed off any need for exposition. Redux Redux has action, emotion, intelligence, mystery and a satisfying ending: highly recommended.
Man Finds Tape (Paul Gandersman and Peter S. Hall, USA)
Yes, I love a found footage film, but honestly: mind blown. It combined found footage within a found footage, “screen life” and mockumentary with tension and such good acting that I could feel the characters’ fear along with them at times. It’s about a town where something is not right, but no-one there realises. And it’s about gaslighting, and religion, and the unexplained.
However, for found footage to be really believable as such, the cast need to be complete newcomers. I recognised two of the actors straight away… but I guess that’s a risk I have to take with the quantity of films I consume. Definitely worth it, and I’ll happily watch this one again.
Witte Wieven (Didier Konings, Netherlands)
Interesting: Witte Wieven translates as “wise women”, though this film is billed as Heresy in Mayhem’s line-up, as well as that of some other festivals. It is essentially a folk horror of Europe in the middle ages, set in a small, close-knit community, in which a young woman (Anneke Sluiters) suffers misogyny and suspicion – even from her husband – when she is unable to bear a child. Witte Wieven is an astounding film, a piece of art from beginning to end (so I’m not surprised to see most of Konings’ previous work was in the art department); and at barely an hour long, I don’t know how films like this would find an audience outside of events like Mayhem: it absolutely deserves to spread widely.
In the Mayhem Film Festival programme, Witte Wieven was paired with another mid-length film, Kier-La Janisse’s The Occupant of the Room. Just as fascinating, thanks to Janisse’s thoughtful adaptation of Algernon Blackwood’s story, this short film combined (the always wonderful) Karim Hussain’s cinematography with paper-based animation to represent the school teacher’s late night imaginings. Worth looking out for… but something tells me Witte Wieven will stay with me longer.
Portal To Hell (Woody Bess, USA)
Films described as “comedy horror” don’t often get much respect, so it’s remarkable to see one like this with high-scoring reviews. It was no less entertaining on its second viewing, and possibly more thought-provoking, watching – as I did – in a full auditorium. Portal to Hell is a seemingly simple film, about a man who finds (yes) a portal to Hell in his neighbourhood laundromat. In simple terms, it’s also about good and evil, and how nothing is quite that simple. You can read the director’s own insights in my interview.
Of course, there was more to Mayhem than these five films…
There are the short film showcases (which had me in tears again), the late night cult classic (Event Horizon, Paul W.S. Anderson, USA, 1997) and the rarely seen archive gem (Chess of the Wind, dir Mohammad Reza Aslani, Iran, 1976). There are the people, both fans and organisers, who are steadily becoming annual friends. And there is the chance to interact with filmmakers, some new to the scene and some (Ben Wheatley, in this case), who have brought a film to Mayhem several times. Mayhem is by no means a small event, taking place over nearly four days; but as the films are spread out with decent breaks, and everything takes place in one venue (no dashing from one auditorium to another), it is very manageable, even for casual film fans. I’m proud to have now taken my teenager with me, too, and they were made to feel very welcome. I would never claim that the event is perfect – they have many, many people to please, after all – but it’s the one for me. Maybe see you next year?
