SYKEHOUSE INTERNATIONAL FILMFEST 2025 will take place at The Owston Hall Hotel, Owston Lane, Bentley, Doncaster, DN5 0LP. (https://owstonhall.com/)
DATE: 27/28 June 2025
TIME: 1pm - 9pm Friday / 10am to Midnight Saturday.
GUESTS:
Paul Finch - A former cop and journalist, Paul Finch was a writer for British TV crime drama, The Bill. He wrote two series for Avon (HarperCollins). The 'Heck' series has so far reached combined sales of nearly half a million, and the Lucy Clayburn series shot him into the Sunday Times bestseller list.
David Penny - David Penny is the author of the Thomas Berrington Historical Mysteries set in the chaotic final years of Moorish al-Andalus in Spain. He started writing again after a lapse of almost 40 years. After being traditionally published in his 20’s with four science fiction novels, he chose to publish independently on his return to writing.
Jackie Kabler - Jackie Kabler is a television presenter and award-winning crime writer. Her bestselling psychological thrillers – published by One More Chapter at HarperCollins – have sold over a million copies in English alone and been translated into eight languages. They include Am I Guilty?, The Perfect Couple, The Happy Family, The Murder List, The Vanishing of Class 3B and The Life Sentence.
Bryony Pearce - Bryony Pearce is a multi-award-winning novelist working in both the YA and Adult markets. In the YA genre she has produced a mixture of dark thrillers, paranormal adventures, dystopia and horror. She also writes adult thrillers. Her first domestic noir, The Girl on the Platform was followed by Little Rumours (both published by Avon).
TRAVEL: The nearest rail station is Adwick (on a branch line serving Leeds and Sheffield), or Doncaster (mainline from London) and taxis from Doncaster are frequent and easy. From Adwick, you’re best to have the number of a local taxi company handy! The Hall has plenty of parking space, and is close to the A1, A19, M62 and M18, so access by car is easy as well.
EVENT DETAILS:
The conference starts on Friday 27 June, afternoon 1-5pm, kicking off with panels, where writers, filmmakers talk about their art, giving insight into the worlds of film and the life of authors.
Join us on Friday evening for a filmmaker and author mixer, where you can network over a drink or three! And have your elevator pitches at the ready ... We feel it's important that film producers, directors, writers and actors get to mingle with novelists of all persuasions ... that's how the magic happens!
On Saturday there will be author panels with headlining guest interviews and even a filmmakers' panel. In another room you can chill and watch the season of selected submissions to our Sykehouse International Film Festival or just dip in and out of both. There are even some writing workshops and filmmaker's round tables. It's all included!
There’s an on-site bar and restaurant so lunch, drinks and snacks are easily available, and the Owston also has bedrooms available if you wish to stay over. Please contact them direct for booking. They only have limited numbers of rooms though, so please book early if you want to stay!
The Saturday evening Gala Dinner will take place in the Hall’s Marlborough suite, with it’s own private bar area where there’ll be an arrival drinks reception and Red Carpet photos with the other attending celebrities.
The event has planned a three course sit-down, waiter-served dinner, and the evening event promises music, laughter, food, friendship, networking and, of course, the announcement of the Awards themselves!
Tickets are on sale NOW ...
Package 1: FULL DAY SCREENING AND VIP GALA/AWARDS DINNER: £89.27
- This gives you access to all day panels and screenings on Friday and Saturday, the mixer on the Friday evening. Saturday drinks reception at 6pm with red carpet photographs, 7pm sit-down three course meal, evening entertainment and awards ceremony.
- This is access to just the all day panels and screenings on Saturday only.
Package 3: PANELS AND SCREENINGS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY DAY PASS: £34.80
- This is access to all panels and screenings on Friday and Saturday, including the drinks mixer on Friday evening.
Package 4: GALA DINNER AND AWARDS: £76.43
- This package gives you access to the Gala dinner, pre-drinks, red carpet, awards and entertainment only but not to the day programming.
Tickets available until June 1st 2025.
For these packages, please buy tickets here: EVENT TICKETS
GALA DINNER
There is a choice of food for the Gala Dinner, so once you have booked your tickets, please complete and submit this form to make your selections.
If none of the selections are suitable due to allergies or other reasons, then please check OTHER and we will contact you to find out what options might be available.
DRESS CODE
Day - Casual
Gala/Award - Black Tie - This is a glamourous evening, mingling with celebrities - dress to impress.
For these packages, please buy tickets here: EVENT TICKETS
THE FIRST 20 PEOPLE TO BOOK WILL ALSO RECEIVE WINE ON THEIR TABLE - Equivalent of half a bottle each.
Owston Hall Hotel has limited rooms available. Please book direct through them at https://owstonhall.com/.
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| Owston Hall Hotel |
What we're about ...
The festival will combine a Horror and Crime Writer's Conference with the Autumn Season Film festival and will run simultaneously.
The Awards Gala Dinner will take place on the Saturday evening, and consist of a three course meal, with entertainment, and followed by the Awards Ceremony.
As well as the Sykehouse International Film Awards, we will also be presenting The Noose Awards! These awards are open to Horror/Fantasy/Science Fiction and Crime/Thriller writers.
Films and Screenplays will have been judged by a panel of committed film-o-philes, and each round will award a BEST and RUNNER-UP in the eleven categories:
BEST THRILLER
BEST HORROR
BEST SHORT FILM
BEST SCREENPLAY
BEST SHORT SCREENPLAY
BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTRESS
BEST POP VIDEO
BEST ACTION
BEST COMEDY
BEST PILOT
We will also be making some honorary award presentations on the awards night!
For the Noose Awards we have three Chairs who are all crime and horror experts and fans, and they have assembled teams to read and consider and award the books and stories submitted.
The Noose: Best Thriller Novel
The Slipknot: Best Horror/Fantasy/Science Fiction Novel
The Silken Rope: Best Short Story
Please see the NOOSE AWARDS TAB for further details of the Awards and how to enter.
In Support of ...
PINK RIBBON FOUNDATION
The Pink Ribbon Foundation is a grant making trust with a mission to fund projects and provide financial support to UK charities which relieve the needs of people who are suffering from or who have been affected by breast cancer, or who work to advance the understanding of breast cancer and its early detection and treatment.
There are a large number of such charities in the UK, each as deserving as the next. Many of the charities supported are the smaller ones, which operate on a shoestring. The Pink Ribbon Foundation has very little infrastructure. It relies on the hard work given by Trustees, interested parties and its Patrons. This is done in order to maximise the amount, which goes to the charities that benefit from the funds raised.
WHO'S INVOLVED:
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR: Samantha Lee Howe
JUDGES: The Judges for the 2025 SYKEHOUSE INTERNATIONAL FILMFEST are:
Samantha Lee Howe - USA Today bestselling author and multi-award winning screenwriter. www.samanthaleehowe.co.uk
David J Howe - author and historian, who has been reviewing and writing about film since the eighties. www.howeswho.co.uk
Karen Woodham - proprietor of the multi-award winning blog www.blazingminds.co.uk.
Rosie Nagaty & John Aaron - self-confessed film addicts! Rosie and John are driven entrepreneurs who have carved their own path in the entertainment industry and now run The Old George Inn and Between Two Rivers glamping site. https://oldgeorgeinnsykehouse.co.uk/
Adele Maddison - Self-confessed Film-o-phile, academic and entrepreneur.
