Grimmfest's very own Simeon Halligan and Rachel Richardson Jones have previously thrilled attendees at the Manchester event with creature feature Splintered and cat-and-mouse thriller Habit. Keeping British locations, casts, and crew at the forefront of their features, the duo brought their latest genre chiller, Past Life, to this year's event.

Starring Jeremy Piven, Aneurin Barnard, Pixie Lott, Tim McInnerny, and Nicholas Farrell, Past Life follows soldier Jason (Barnard), who has been left traumatised by his experiences in Syria. After undergoing intense therapy for six years to put his life back together, Jason has been asked to return to the warzone, much to the dismay of his heavily pregnant wife, Claira (Lott). The couple attends a daytime TV recording in their Manchester hometown, which features guest Timothy Bevan (Piven), a hypnotist promoting his latest book, Past Lives, as well as his ability to help patients witness glimpses of their previous lives. Skeptical, Jason volunteers to go under and taps into horrific crimes committed in one of his previous lives. Unable to shake the haunting visions, Jason works with Timothy to catch the killer who has claimed multiple lives in the area.

Blending elements of giallo with true crime and twisty psychological thriller, Past Life is a hypnotic and intriguing exploration of trauma, survivor's guilt, and the complexities of PTSD that remains intriguing yet sensitive to its subject matter. POV shots from the perspective of the killer, shown through shaky camerawork, are as disorienting, claustrophobic, and unnerving as the extreme closeups focusing on Jason during his lowest moments as he grapples with the stress of impending parenthood and escalating mental health issues. As such, Past Life is tense from the get-go, and it doesn't let up until its final, nail-biting conclusion that audience members will certainly not see coming.

Piven and Barard's chemistry helps Past Life's themes hit so much harder, bringing to life the film's complex central characters in so much clarity that their descent into obsession is almost too painful to watch. Lott's Claira bears the brunt of Jason's pursuit for justice, and her pain is etched across her face in scenes that, while secondary to the main storyline, are some of the most memorable of the piece.

Past Life is a triumphant return for Halligan and Richardson Jones, successfully blending a smorgasbord of themes and ideas into one final product that never feels muddled in style or messaging. It's a claustrophobic nightmare that pays homage to classic horror cinema, while turning some of its more stale elements on their head in a way that keeps the audience guessing at every turn.

Past Life had its world premiere at Grimmfest 2025 on 9 October