New festival to explore film genre described as 'folk, but off kilter'

A gala presentation of Ken Russell’s 1988 gothic farce The Lair of the White Worm, starring Capaldi as Scottish archaeologist Angus Flint, will launch Fiends in the Furrows in Leith, which will also include an open air screening of classic Scottish film The Wicker Man.

The Lair of the White Worm, which also stars Hugh Grant, underperformed at the box office and received largely unfavourable responses from critics.

Fiends in the Furrows, which will run from April 23 – 26, is a collaboration between film events and networking organisation Cinetopia and Leith Kino – a popular weekly film club.

Amanda Rogers of Cinetopia said: “Folk Horror is a great genre. It is rooted in the British folk tradition and the Wicker Man, which is set in Scotland, has such a cult following. Open air screenings have such a special atmosphere and I have always wanted to stage an outdoor showing of The Wicker Man.”

Fiends in the Furrows will feature fourteen film screenings across four days, at venues including South Leith Parish Church Halls and Leith Depot – home of Leith Kino. The closing open air screening will be Mark Jenkin’s Rose of Nevada – a brand-new sci fi drama set in Cornwall.

Morvern Cunningham, co-founder of Leith Kino, said folk horror was having “a moment”. She said: “It is folklore – but off kilter. It’s about the connection and disconnection to the land and the feeling that the world is out of balance, much like many people are experiencing right now.”

Organisers hope Fiends in the Furrows will become an annual event – featuring both British and international films.

Fraser Elliot, co-founder of Leith Kino, described folk horror as a “fascinating category of film”. Held weekly, Leith Kino is a pop up 50-seat cinema hosted by Leith Depot, which focuses on the under-seen, the under-appreciated and the maligned oddities of cinematic art.

He said: “It is a hugely contested genre – but generally it is where the folk are the horror. It is rooted in paganism and religious cults but it is also about looking for a connection with the countryside and nature and the land. I think with the rise of AI and the aftermath of Covid people are really looking for that kind of meaning again.”

The festival will also include a family friendly outdoor screening of animated animal drama Watership Down and an outdoor showing of The Last Sacrifice, a 2025 documentary by Rupert Russell, son of filmmaker Ken, about an unexplained ritualistic murder in Warwickshire.

Katharine Simpson from Screen Scotland, which is supporting the event, said: “Fiends in the Furrows is an innovative new film festival, bringing together a team with a variety of expertise, to produce an event with an exciting programme and commitment to accessibility.

“Horror film has strong audience appeal and Fiends in the Furrows offers a fresh take on the genre. The festival offers a new experience to audiences in Scotland, and we look forward to exploring the full programme when its announced.”