The Herd: A brutal horror film with a compassionate message.
Inspired of a frustration at the mainstream refusal to accept the sentiency of other species, THE HERD takes that anger and throws it back at the masses. This a film which inflicts every torture suffered by dairy cows on to a group of captive humans.
THE HERD is written by Ed Pope and directed by Melanie Light, and features the considerable acting talents of Pollyanna McIntosh (The Woman, Filth), Victoria Broom (ABCs of Death 2, Stalled), Jon Campling (Sleeping Dogs, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows) and Charlotte Hunter (Dungeons and Dragons, Vitality). The score is by Laurent Bernard of the band Gallows.
Imprisoned within inhuman squalor with other women; Paula’s existence and human function is abused as a resource by her captors.
Escape, on any level, is hopeless as the women are condemned to a life of enforced servitude at the whims of their imprisoners for one reason only – their milk.
Enslaved, inseminated and abused – every facet of their life is violated. At first the premise seems exaggerated and absurd; but is, in fact, disgusting in its stark normality.
Deliberately avoiding the lack of finesse associated with “torture porn” and sexploitation, THE HERD eschews these in favour of a vicarious descent into the visceral nightmare of relinquishing the most innate rights of existence.
A dark and transgressive horror short film, THE HERD also asks questions as to how we approach the sentiency of other beings and the importance of the concept of individual freedoms in modern society.
Those who support the idea of taking an uncompromising vegan and animal rights message to a larger audience can find out more about the film and, should they wish, how to support it here: http://www.sponsume.com/project/herd
5 wins and 2 nominations
British Horror Film Festival, UK 2016
| Nominee Scream Award | Best Leading Actress Victoria Broom Eat your heart out films |
British Horror Film Festival, UK 2015
| Winner Haunted Award | Best Cinematography Bart Sienkiewicz |
Celluloid Screams – Sheffield Horror Film Festival 2015
| Winner Best Short Horror | Best Short Horror Melanie Light Eat your heart out films |
Festival boca de inferno 2015
| Winner Best Short Film | Best Short Film Melanie Light Eat your heart out films |
London Independent Film Festival 2015
| Winner Festival Prize | Best Horror Short Film Melanie Light Ed Pope Pollyanna McIntosh Charlotte Hunter Victoria Broom Dylan Barnes Jon Campling Eat your heart out films |
Sitges – Catalonian International Film Festival 2016
| Nominee Official Fantàstic Competition | Short Melanie Light Eat your heart out films |
Sunderland Shorts 2015
| Winner Jury Prize | Best Horror/Sci-Fi Melanie Light Ed Pope Pollyanna McIntosh Victoria Broom Charlotte Hunter Dylan Barnes Jon Campling Andrew Shim Seamus O’Neill Eat your heart out films |
