Max Vanderspuy's Body Horror Short FISHBRAIN Premieres at BFI London Film Festival

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The film stars Chloe Lea, John Henshaw, and Karren Winchester in Vanderspuy's exploration of family dynamics and body horror.

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'Fishbrain', the new body horror short film by London-based writer-director Max Vanderspuy, is set for its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on October 7th with a second screening on October 18th, both of which have sold out. The film stars BAFTA Children's Award-winner Chloe Lea ('Katy', 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms', and 'Dune: Prophecy'), John Henshaw ('Early Doors', 'Born and Bred', and 'Looking for Eric'), and Karren Winchester ('Ruby Speaking', 'Coronation Street', and 'EastEnders').

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The film, produced by Viridian Films and Daniel Panyko, pulls from titles like 'The Thing', 'Under the Skin', and 'Eraserhead', in order to tell a deeply human story. Writer-director Vanderspuy's intentions were to explore body horror's capacity to make pressure physical through food, skin, smell, water and the rituals of keeping someone alive. Alongside its screening at LFF, 'Fishbrain' has already began picking up awards, having recently won the award for Best Production Design on a Short Film at the 2026 British Film Designers Guild.

Speaking about his inclusion in LFF, Max said:

''Fishbrain' began with an image of a coastline full of dead fish, but its real horror lies inside the family, at the point where care begins to feel like captivity. Having the film selected for the BFI London Film Festival is incredibly meaningful. I'm proud that this strange, salt-stained world will now meet audiences in London, and I am so grateful to the cast and crew who made it possible.'

When Ori (Lea) returns to care for her grandfather Jeb (Henshaw) in his isolated coastal home, the routines keeping them together begin to rot. Outside, dead fish blanket the shore. Inside, old resentments gather in the kitchen, the sickroom and the silences between them. As warnings go ignored and the sea's contamination enters the house, Ori is forced to confront the terrible shape of escape.

Max Vanderspuy is a London-based writer-director and NYU Tisch Film & TV alumnus. He founded Viridian Films as a filmmaker-led studio for bold, original work. His previous short, 'Recursive Dreams', screened internationally, including at Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying festivals. He is now developing 'Fishbrain' into his intended debut feature.

Daniel Panyko is a BAFTA-shortlisted producer from Southeast London. He produced 'In the Clouds', which won at Rhode Island International Film Festival, qualifying it for the Academy Awards, and was longlisted for the 2025 Oscars. His debut short, 'First One Away', was shortlisted for a Yugo BAFTA Student Award. He also produced the sci-fi short 'Recursive Dreams', which won the British Film Designers Guild Award for Best Production Design and is now available on the DUST YouTube channel.

Viridian Films is a London-based production company founded by writer-director Max Vanderspuy. Its award-winning shorts include 'Fishbrain' and 'Recursive Dreams'. The company develops original narrative films and documentaries and produces commissioned work from premise to final form.

Chloe Lea captivated audiences in HBO's 'Dune: Prophecy' as central character Lila. Already an award-winning talent, Chloe took home the BAFTA Young Performer prize at the 2018 Children's BAFTA Awards for their lead role in 'Katy' and earned the Royal Television Society Northwest Award for Breakthrough Talent, cementing their status as one of the UK's most exciting emerging actors.

From Chloe's haunting turn as Young Estella in BBC/FX's 'Great Expectations' to their sci-fi breakout in Apple TV+'s 'Foundation', their undeniable charisma has landed them roles in major franchises and critically acclaimed productions alike. Chloe also appears as Anna in 'Blueberry Inn', as well as in HBO's highly anticipated 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms', further establishing their presence within some of the industry's most celebrated productions.

John Henshaw has been a fixture of British screen comedy and drama for more than three decades. An award-winning British actor, John is best known for his roles as pub landlord Ken in the BBC comedy 'Early Doors', Roy in 'The Cops' and Wilf in 'Born and Bred'. His collaborations with Ken Loach include 'Looking for Eric', for which he won Best Supporting Actor at the 2009 British Independent Film Awards, and 'The Angels' Share', winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes in 2012.

'The Keeper' brought him a second Best Supporting Actor prize, the Tiantan Award at the 2019 Beijing International Film Festival, and he appeared alongside Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly in 'Stan & Ollie'. His recent television credits include ITV's 'The Long Shadow', the BBC's 'Boat Story' and AMC's 'Talamasca: The Secret Order'.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Photos-FISHBRAIN-to-Premiere-at-BFI-London-Film-Festival-20260923)._