Stephen A. Russell – Emma Westwood

From 3rd to 11th October 2025 at Cinema Nova in Melbourne, Monster Fest acts as the perfect Halloween primer with an all-fun lineup of feature and short horror film titles.

This year’s all-killer/no-filler jury tasked with judging the three big awards – Best Australian Feature, Best International Feature and The Golden Monster – consists of Kate Fitzpatrick (MIFF programmer), Spiro Economopoulos (Artistic Director of Europa!), Simon Foster (President of Film Critics Circle of Australia) and my favourite ‘Scotstralian’ film journalist, Stephen A. Russell.

Somehow, I’ve managed to sneak into the lineup of judges too, which is amazing (for me).

Are you coming to Monster Fest this year? Be scared, be very scared…

Despite a minor COVID-19 setback (i.e. postponement of my trip to LA), the BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN book is making excellent progress. It’s mutated into something, I would argue, is even better and more beautiful than my initial ambition: a compendium of essays from a murder of curated writers, with myself acting as the editor.

I’m pleased to make a first announcement of contributors who have agreed to etch their words in blood and dance naked under the full moon – Sally Christie, Lee Gambin, Dan Golding, Jon Towlson and Stephen A. Russell. Each writer has nominated a specific topic/theme of BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN on which they wish to focus.

Stay tuned for more news, as I’ll be revealing topics and further contributors as the project evolves. In the meantime…

Matrimonially yours,
Emma 🕸

Tag: Stephen A. Russell

Monster Fest 2025 Jury

Introducing the BRIDE party