Birmingham’s terrifying horror film, The Shimian, is now on Amazon Prime - just in time for Halloween

There are many different ways of celebrating Halloween. Some people attend costume parties, some go trick or treating or play pranks on others, and then there are those who stay home and watch movies.

If you are one of the latter ones, there’s an independent horror film that can be added to your list. The Shimian, which is shot in Birmingham, and produced by Bader Media Entertainment CIC is now available on Prime Video as part of the Prime Video Direct content submission portal.

The film, starring Sophie Simmons, Blake Hutchings (who has worked with the director previously), debutant Margot Lin, and Ashlea Winfield, tells the tale of a family who thought they were going to spend some time together on a special occasion and work on their strained relationships.

Instead, they have to run for their lives while on an innocuous family trip. Their birthday celebrations are cut short when they realise that they are being hunted by The Shimian - an unearthly creature.

The feature-length movie has been written and directed by industry veteran James Peakman, who previously worked with ITV and Channel 4 and directed 4th Floor of Singapore (2016) and miniseries Thrash the Trash(2021).

Where was the film shot?

The Shimian was shot in Birmingham and surrounding areas in the West Midlands. In Birmingham, The Lampworks Studios was used. The studio is located in the Jewellery Quarter and was a former factory and two adjoining Victorian houses with a courtyard. It has green screen and natural light studios.

Thorpe Constantine (Tamworth) and Guys Cliffe (Warwick) also feature in the movie.

What did the team say?

James Peakman, writer and director, The Shimian, said: “With Halloween just around the corner, we’re very excited to announce that The Shimian is now available to rent and buy on Prime Video. The cast and crew have worked tirelessly to produce a film which will deliver scares, thrills, and first-class entertainment to audiences in equal measure.

“A lot of hard work and effort went into making this film and we are thrilled to have our work showcased on such an incredible global platform.”

Steve George-Hilley, executive producer, The Shimian said: “The Shimian is the latest exciting new movie to emerge from Britain’s thriving independent film industry. These films simply cannot be made without a dedicated director, cast and crew, all of whom put a great deal of time and effort into bringing these projects to life.”

You can watch The Shimian on Prime Video by clicking here. The movie has an 8.4/10 rating on IMDB already.