Cult horror icon Laurence R. Harvey (The Human Centipede 2 & 3) will star alongside Charlotte Avery (Rogue Agent, Eastenders) in TELE XXX, a gory techno-body horror short following a middle-aged recluse who is, quite literally, seduced by his television.
“TELE XXX is about manufactured connection, objectification, and is a counterpoint to techno-optimism,” says writer-director Johnny Massahi. “Visually, it’s a homage to the video nasty era, and we took our cues directly from Cronenberg, Fulci, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and Shinya Tsukamoto. It’s pure grindhouse.”
The short was filmed in Wallsend in Newcastle upon Tyne in the summer, with support from North East Screen. It is now in post-production and will soon begin submitting to festivals.
Produced in association with Kodak London and Cinelab Film and Digital, TELE XXX was shot entirely on Vision3 16mm film and deliberately without the luxuries of modern cinema technology. “We wanted to limit ourselves, turn back the clock,” Massahi explains. “The film’s core intention is to showcase the problems of our future through a lens situated in the past.”
TELE XXX is slated for a festival release next year. For updates, follow @telexfilm on Instagram.
