Various (director)
Glasgow FrightFest 2026 (studio)
18 (certificate)
Various (length)
08 March 2026 (released)
4 h
Nazar (16.34) Director: Kaljeven Singh Lally
A diorama/animated opening sequence leads into a lunch where Harbir (Tajinder Singh) is at odds with Ben (Michael MacLeod). A man who doesn’t share his respect of his Sikh religious beliefs. Ben is more concerned with the material world and what it has to offer him. It’s a lack of respect that costs him dear and into Harbir’s hands.
The core of the film is respect for others’ beliefs irrespective of your own cynicism and prejudice. It’s not much to ask. However that is not immediate and Lally dresses the story with some strong visuals that at times are difficult to tally with the overall story. Nevertheless, taken as viewed they work well in this interesting and original short film.
3/5
A Hand to Hold (14.55) Director: Philip Clyde-Smith
An elderly couple Moira (Frances Barber) and Patrick (Murray McArthur) are playing chess. Patrick is very ill with a morphine drip and doesn’t see the game out. He dies the next morning the grieving Moira holding his hand and then finds that she can’t let go. Assured by the doctor that its rigor mortis however later desperate measures are required to remove the hand. Which is only the start of the problems for Moira the bizarre family and people who turn up to help.
This horror comedy couldn’t be tighter both visually and writing. There’s not a spare second as Clyde-Smith takes the viewer through rang of horror tropes using pitch black humour combining deadpan and gore. There is a message in the film just not on the nose and beautifully integrated within the mayhem.
4/5
The Trick (4.39) Directors: Matt Fitch, Chris Baker
Its closing time in a pub and there’s one customer (Rowan Polanski) left. Rita (Jennie Eggleton) reminds him of the time only for his empty glass to ‘magically’ refill. Rita remains unconvinced about the reality of magic even as the card tricks become more elaborate eventually taking Rita in.
Over its very short duration Fitch and Baker baffle and develop dread to a conclusion that may appear a little cruel. The film did vaguely remind me of an old Warren Mitchell programmer, Where Has Poor Mickey Gone? (1964) though The Trick doesn’t have the former’s dubious moral base for revenge. There is certainly an element of spite at play here though its more about convincing the sceptical than outright malevolence.
4/5
Plastic Surgery (12.02) Director: Guy Trevellyan
It’s her last day before maternity leave and Dr Terra (Anna Popplewell) is keen to be off. However her last shift turns into a nightmare as she deals with a very strange and disturbing case. One that proves to be far from unique and rapidly begins to overwhelm her and her colleagues.
This is body horror with a message as the cases come in ever more bizarre and difficult to deal with. That together with the hospital staffs’ knowledge that they are not immune from what is happening to their patients.
Trevellyan uses slick and pacey direction to build tension and doesn’t back away from outright horror. Some may find this film overly didactic (if not patronising) especially at the end when the dangers of microplastics are laid bare when it is fairly obvious as the film develops what the issue is.
3/5
