In this episode of The Launch Podcast, we dive into the world of indie horror and genre cinema with Rachel and Simeon Halligan, co-founders of GrimmFest and creators of the upcoming psychological thriller Past Life.

From producing their first horror feature to launching one of the UK’s leading genre film festivals, Rachel and Simeon share their journey through the highs and horrors of independent filmmaking. You'll hear how they pivoted into running a festival, built a global audience, attracted A-list talent like Jeremy Piven and Pixie Lott, and stayed fiercely committed to original storytelling.

🎥 What We Talk About:

How they started GrimmFest & pivoted from indie film to full festival

The making of Past Life: a thriller about past life regression, murder, and mystery

Behind the scenes with Jeremy Piven, Pixie Lott & Tim McInnerny

Building a production company + audience from scratch

Lessons from over a decade in horror filmmaking

Why story always comes first

📅 Past Life is expected to release in late 2025—don’t miss the inside scoop before it hits screens!

Follow for more founder journeys, filmmaking insights, and creative inspiration.