Ahead of the 50th anniversary re-release of Jaws this August, Forbidden Worlds invites audiences to dive into new depths of fear and excitement with FORBIDDEN WORLDS OF THE DEEP, featuring a line-up of classic and cult films set on, around and under the water.

Events include a special 30th anniversary screening of Waterworld (1995), which will see the extended European ‘Ulysses Cut’ shown theatrically for the first time in the UK; The Whale God (1962), a rarely screened Japanese-take on Moby Dick with stunning life-size practical effects; cult horror Blood Tide (1980) featuring the late, great James Earl Jones as a secretive treasure hunter; an in-depth look at the world of Jawsploitation films with screenings of the new 4K restorations of Orca (1977) and Alligator (1980); and Below (2002) -  a WWII-horror film featuring supernatural occurrences onboard a submarine from David Twohy, director of Pitch Black (2000) - screened theatrically for the first time in the UK!

The festival will also honour and celebrate the career of Gale Anne Hurd by naming her as this year’s FORBIDDEN WORLDS LEGEND. Hurd has had unprecedented success as both a film and television producer on some of the biggest films and TV shows of all time including The Walking Dead universe. Initially hired as an executive assistant to the legendary Roger Corman, Hurd rapidly rose through the ranks to become head of marketing at his independent film company, New World Pictures. 

After launching her own production company in 1982, Hurd produced her first film, the science fiction classic The Terminator, setting the stage for her meteoric rise in the entertainment industry. Forbidden Worlds will be hosting special in-person Q&A screenings with Hurd for three of her most iconic and influential films - Aliens (1986), Tremors (1990) and Battle Beyond The Stars (1980).

Pulled FROM THE VIDEO SHOP ARCHIVES of Bristol institution 20th Century Flicks also comes special screenings of French fantasy The City of Lost Children, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and Amblin Studios adventure Young Sherlock Holmes that marks its 40th anniversary.

The festival will once again be celebrating the GENRE FILMMAKERS OF THE FUTURE with the return of its short film showcase where attendees can enjoy new action, horror, sci-fi and fantasy shorts from filmmakers both local and international.

The festival will also be hosting the WORLD PREMIERE of Bristolian film-maker Arthur Cauty’s new documentary The Big Picture which tells the story of how the Bristol IMAX, a state of the art cinema, was left forgotten for over a decade in the middle of the city, and how it came to find a new lease of life as a new community space - Bristol Megascreen.

Forbidden Worlds Film Festival is Bristol’s leading genre film festival dedicated to screening repertory fantasy, action, science-fiction and horror films from around the world, and celebrating the people who made them.