Month: April 2025

Feature Film Review: The Mermaid. Directed by Soudabeh Moradian

festreviews Movie Review

A mysterious girl is saved from drowning by a fragmented family living in a desolate beach house. Her strange relationship with them becomes intimate and complex until everything reaches to a point of no return.

Review by Andie Kay:

Mermaids have captured our imagination for decades. From the sirens in Greek mythology to Disney’s adaptation of Hans Christen Anderson’s tale.


This suspenseful drama-thriller is based on a story by Naghmeh Samini. Naghmeh co-wrote the script with Mary E. Fry and Director, Soudabeh Moradian. A mysterious girl is found unconscious on the shore and taken in by a family…but is she an innocent victim?


The cast of characters is delightfully specific and each one adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the plot. A very intriguing storyline that is reminiscent of one of Hitchcock’s classics, right down to the fact it was done in black and white. Alex Mendez Giner was the Director of Photography for this film and he did an exceptional job in balancing the grayscale tones and maintaining contrast. It was rich with depth and achieved a sinister foreshadowing.


The filmmakers knew how to build the suspense but I think there were a couple of places within the edit they could have tightened it up to keep the pace. All in all, this was such an enjoyable watch that will make you think differently about mermaids.

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Short Film Review: BAY FOR BLOOD. Directed by Harry Waldman

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James and Rob are hiding out in isolation to fix their mutual issues. As time progresses, the two reveal facts regarding their disturbing past relationship. An acquaintance of James’, Jessica, finds herself in an uncomfortable position as she contemplates the best way to handle the situation.

Review by Julie Sheppard:

This gripping short, Bay for Blood, is a warning to those who bully the weak and socially awkward. The premise that cruelty is repaid by enduring suffering is truly compelling, a willingness to endure justice for one’s past evil deeds. 

The performance of the captor, once harassed by the captive, is both venerable and believable, while at the same time frantic and edgy. The viewer can at least comprehend how a history of being ridiculed and picked on could cause someone to search for justice and revenge. This actor displays a wide range of emotions such as fear, edginess, anger and bitterness, as well as being able to put on a “good face” for drug customer Jessica, at least for a time, until paranoia starts to emerge. 

The actor playing the captive is also quite convincing, giving a layered performance of both defiance and remorse for past wickedness. The rather sterile white lighting in the claustrophobic apartment works well for this tale of imprisonment. Other elements that give the film a purposely unstable quality, are the rapid fire, jerky shots, spinning around the bleeding freed captive on the ground. These shots produce a jittery and unstable sensation, to mirror what the nervous crowd standing around the shot man might be experiencing. This film has the essence of a morality play, where the captive has seemingly learned his lesson and will no longer victimize the weak, even though the victim may not have been liked and, in fact, was unpleasant and paranoid.

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News & Reviews

Today’s Podcast: Screenwriter Thad Alexander (THE SHADOW KILLER)

festreviews PODCASTS

Watch the best scene reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISexQ4GgQCo

In the heart of Bangkok, Detective Aran Chen, a defiant inspector haunted by his past, pursues the elusive “Shadow Killer,” a ruthless serial murderer. Armed with his sharp instincts and lethal martial arts skills, Aran battles through the city’s underworld, uncovering a chilling link between the killer’s motives and his own scars. As the lines between justice and revenge blur, Aran faces a deadly confrontation that will test his resolve and redefine his destiny.

Get to know the writer:

What is your screenplay about?
Shadow Killer is a grounded crime thriller set in Bangkok, following a police investigator haunted by his past as he hunts down a mysterious serial killer. As the body count rises, he relentlessly pursues the murderer, relying on sharp detective work and his martial arts skills. His past looms over him, threatening to cloud his judgment, but he pushes forward, determined to stop the killer. The chase builds to a brutal final confrontation, where his skills and resilience are put to the ultimate test.

Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Shadow Killer is a bold, high-impact reinvention of the action genre, fusing a gripping crime investigation with bone-crunching martial arts combat. In a world where thrillers often fall into predictable formulas, this film keeps audiences on edge with relentless action, shocking twists, and a hero who fights both a deadly killer and his own past.

With one or two game-changing twists leading to a high-stakes, brutal finale, Shadow Killer delivers exactly what modern audiences crave—an electrifying, no-nonsense action experience that’s as smart as it is thrilling. It’s a ride that never lets up, never holds back, and most importantly, never forgets to entertain.

This isn’t just another action movie, it’s the one that will leave audiences breathless.

Subscribe to the podcast:

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundpod/

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Today’s Writing Deadlines: April 1, 2025

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Submit to these exciting festivals today. Festivals that offer feedback from the industry, plus performance videos.

TRUE CRIME Short Story Festival:
https://crimemysteryfestival.com/true-crime-short-story-contest/

Submit your TRUE CRIME Short Story to the Festival here and we will automatically have it performed by a professional actor and turned into a promotional video for yourself.

YOUNG ADULT Novel Festival:
https://festivalforfamily.com/young-adult-novel-festival/

A young adult (YA) novel is a fictional work written for readers aged 12 to 18 that usually explores the experiences and challenges of adolescence.

Get FULL FEEDBACK on either the 1st chapter or entire novel book from our committee of professional writers and writing consultants. Get your novel performed by a professional actor at the festival.

NEW OPTION: Or, just submit for an actor performance reading transcript of your novel (any 5 pages of your book). Great way to promote the sales of your book if you’re already published.

RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY Screenplay Festival:
https://storypitches.com/religion-spiritually-screenplay-festival-deadline/

This festival has a guaranteed 4-tier set up for each accepted script. (No matter what, all screenplays submitted receive FULL FEEDBACK on their work.)
1) Full Feedback on your script
2) Actors performance video reading of your script
3) Blog interview promotion.
4) Podcast interview on the Film Festival ITunes show

EPIC Poetry Contest – FREE:
https://wildsoundwritingfestival.submittable.com/submit/301185/epic-poetry-submission

Submit your poem for free and get it showcased on the platform. Other options for poetry video reading, and/or poetry movie.

WILDsound Festival –  VOTED Top 100 Best Reviewed Festival in the world! – April 2025

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Submit to the WILDsound Festival Today:

Note today from FilmFreeway:

Dear WILDsound FEEDBACK Film and Screenplay Festival,

Congratulations! Your festival has ranked as one of the Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals on FilmFreeway for the month of March!

According to reviews from real FilmFreeway users, your festival ranks in the top 1% of more than 14,000 film festivals and creative contests around the world. No doubt, this ranking is a testament to the countless hours of hard work and care that you and your staff have devoted to creating such a wonderful event.

We’re especially proud to be partnered with amazing events like yours that help independent film continue to thrive.