April 2025 Indie Film Releases Hitting UK & US Screens
April 2025 is shaping up to be a standout month for indie film fans, with a dynamic lineup of titles hitting UK and US cinemas, as well as major digital platforms. This month brings everything from blood-soaked horror-comedies to heartfelt dramas and pulse-pounding thrillers. Get ready for 'CANNIBAL MUKBANG', a gruesome dive into the dark side of mukbanging, the high-stakes melodrama 'THE BITTER TEARS OF ZAHRA ZAND', the bold reimagining of a twisted fairy tale in 'RUMPELSTILTSKIN', the tense neighbourly thriller 'RESTLESS', the heartwarming comedy-drama 'FOUR MOTHERS', the wild creature feature 'BEARS ON A SHIP', and the outrageous horror-comedy 'SHIVER ME TIMBERS', where Popeye gets a terrifying new makeover.
It’s a month packed with unforgettable stories, genre-bending twists, and films from around the world hitting UK and US screens. Click Here to go to Aprils film release calendar.
🎬 Filmmakers & Distributors: Got a film releasing in April 2025? Want it featured here? Contact us at contacts@britflicks.com
'MURDER BALLADS' – A Blood-Soaked Rock ‘n’ Roll Satire from Debut Director Mitchell Tolliday
📍 Starring: Rhiann Connor, Imogen Wilde, Luke De Belder, Fran McAteer, Lauren Cornelius, Simon Callow
📍 Genre: Dark Comedy, Music Satire, Anthology Drama
📍 UK Digital Release Date: April 22, 2025
🎬 Synopsis: Stack of Corpses are desperate to make it big. But when the struggling rock band steals a song from a dead musician, they launch themselves into a spiraling saga of fame, betrayal, and bloody consequences. Told in six anarchic chapters—with sharp wit, surreal flair, and guidance from a drugged-up rock legend played by Simon Callow—'MURDER BALLADS' charts their meteoric rise and inevitable crash.
Packed with prosthetic gore, original music, and offbeat characters, this is an unapologetically wild ride through the darker side of the music industry.
🏆 Winner – Best Writing, Nightmares Film Festival 🏆 Winner – Best Comedy Feature, B-Beside the Sea Film Festival 🏆 Winner – Best Supporting Actor (Simon Callow), Romford Film Festival
🔹 Genre Tags: #DarkComedy #BritishIndie #RocknRoll #Satire #AnthologyFilm #UKIndieFilm #SimonCallow #MusicalMayhem
'TREADING WATER' – A Gritty and Compassionate British Drama from Debut Director Gino Evans
📍 Starring: Joe Gill, Becky Bowe, Darryl Clark, Darren Connolly
📍 Genre: British Drama, Social Realism, Romance
📍 UK Cinema Release Date: April 25, 2025
🎬 Synopsis: Set amidst the iconic Manchester skyline, 'TREADING WATER' follows Danny (Joe Gill), newly released from prison and thrust into the harsh world of supported housing while battling deep-rooted mental health struggles. A chance encounter with former love Laura (Becky Bowe) offers a flicker of redemption—but will love save him, or spiral him into tragedy?
Shot with warmth, grit, and realism, Gino Evans’ debut echoes the spirit of Andrea Arnold and Shane Meadows. Featuring powerful performances and a heartfelt exploration of class, trauma, and second chances.
Premiered at the 2024 BFI London Film Festival.
🔹 Genre Tags: #BritishDrama #SocialRealism #ManchesterFilm #RomanticDrama #UKIndieFilm #PrisonReform #MentalHealthMatters
'DEMISE' – A Steamy and Unhinged Erotic Thriller from Director Yara Estrada Lowe
📍 Starring: Carlo Mendez, Liz Fenning, Crystal Hernandez
📍 Genre: Erotic Thriller, Psychological Drama
📍 UK Digital Release Date: April 14, 2025
🎬 Synopsis: From the outside, Caleb (Carlo Mendez) and Celine (Liz Fenning) seem to have the perfect marriage. But Caleb has been living a lie—an intense affair with rising fashion designer Fiona (Crystal Hernandez) that’s lasted over a year. When Celine discovers the betrayal, and learns Fiona is pregnant, she spirals into a shocking, vengeful obsession. Determined to take back what she’s lost, Celine sets a deadly plan in motion, threatening to destroy everyone in her path.
"Hell hath no fury as juicy as this in the volcanic home-wrecking thriller 'DEMISE'" – Film Threat (9/10)
🔹 Genre Tags: #EroticThriller #Obsession #PsychologicalDrama #RevengeFilm #UKIndieFilm
'WELLWOOD' – A Tense Sci-Fi Horror from Director Eliza Hooper
📍 Starring: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Lance E. Nichols, Camille Balsamo-Gillis, Reid Collums
📍 Genre: Sci-Fi Horror
📍 Executive Producer & Special Effects: Alec Gillis
📍 US Digital & On Demand Release Date: April 1, 2025
🎬 Synopsis: When Laura Harper (Camille Balsamo-Gillis) is diagnosed with a terminal illness, her husband Nick (Reid Collums) becomes desperate to save her. His search leads him to an extraterrestrial entity he believes holds the key to her cure. However, their actions soon attract attention from Deputy Gracie Marsh (Keisha Castle-Hughes) and Sheriff Bradley (Lance E. Nichols), drawing the couple into a dangerous web of unintended consequences.
"Fans of sci-fi horror are in for something special with 'WELLWOOD'," says Keith Leopard, President of Uncork’d Entertainment. "The film delivers a tense, emotional story with incredible performances and top-tier practical effects from the legendary team at studioADI. We’re excited for audiences to experience it when it debuts this April."
🔹 Genre Tags: #SciFiHorror #CreatureEffects #Thriller #AlecGillis
'APRIL' – A Powerful Drama From Acclaimed Director Dea Kulumbegashvili
📍 Director: Dea Kulumbegashvili
📍 Starring: Ia Sukhitashvili
📍 Genre: Drama
📍 Producers: Luca Guadagnino, Ilan Amouyal, David Zerat, Francesco Melzi D’Eril, Archil Gelovani, Gabriele Moratti, Alexandra Rossi
📍 UK & Irish Cinemas Release Date: April 25, 2025
🎬 Synopsis: Nina (Ia Sukhitashvili) is a skilled obstetrician at a maternity hospital in Eastern Georgia. After a tragedy strikes in the delivery room, the grief-stricken father demands an inquiry into her methods. The investigation threatens to expose Nina’s secret—driving through the Georgian countryside to perform unsanctioned abortions for women and girls in remote villages. This work, which gives Nina's life meaning, now risks being destroyed.
'APRIL' is a powerful, intimate exploration of choice, grief, and the quiet resilience of a woman navigating complex moral and societal boundaries.
🔹 Genre Tags: #Drama #InternationalCinema #ReproductiveRights #LucaGuadagnino
'THE LAST SPARK OF HOPE' – A Gripping Sci-Fi Survival Thriller
📍 Starring: Magdalena Wieczorek, Jacek Beler
📍 Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
📍 Distributor: Saban Films
📍 US Digital & On Demand Release Date: April 29, 2025
🎬 Synopsis: In a desolate future where humanity is all but extinct, one woman (Magdalena Wieczorek) fights to survive with only her robot companion. As she grapples with isolation and the harsh realities of her existence, the unthinkable happens—her once-trusted robot turns against her, forcing her into a deadly fight for survival.
'THE LAST SPARK OF HOPE' delivers a tense, emotional exploration of loneliness, survival, and betrayal in a dystopian world.
🔹 Genre Tags: #SciFi #SurvivalThriller #SabanFilms
'LYLA' – A Dark Psychological Thriller
📍 Starring: Jolene Andersen (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., V/H/S/Beyond), Clark Moore (Monsters, Yellowstone)
📍 Genre: Psychological Thriller
📍 Distributor: Miracle Media
📍 UK Digital Release Date: April 21, 2025
🎬 Synopsis: In an attempt to escape the distractions surrounding him, writer Mark (Clark Moore) takes his wife, Lyla (Jolene Andersen), and their son on a secluded getaway. However, Mark is unaware that Lyla is hiding a dark secret—one she will do anything to protect. As tensions between them mount, Mark's growing suspicions threaten not just the family but his own sanity, leading him down a dark and twisted path.
Mother knows best in this brooding, psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the final moment.
🔹 Genre Tags: #PsychologicalThriller #Mystery #MiracleMedia
'ABOUT LIGHT AND SHADOWS' – A Captivating Documentary
📍 Director: José Antonio Gonzalez-Cuevas
📍 Genre: Documentary, Science, Spirituality
📍 UK Screenings:
📅 March 31, 2025 – UK Premiere, Vue Leicester Square, London
📅 April 3, 2025 – UK Release
📍 Language: English
🎬 Synopsis: 'ABOUT LIGHT AND SHADOWS' explores the power of energy vibration, the boundaries of scientific understanding, and the profound teachings of Korean spiritual leader Master Oh. Filmed internationally across Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, the UK, Spain, and The Netherlands, it bridges modern scientific fields—astrophysics, quantum physics, neurology, molecular biology—and ancient Eastern spiritual practices. Master Oh's unique approach to energy healing offers transformative insights into wellness, inner peace, and self-discovery.
🔔 Stay Updated: ideasagitadas.productions | masteroh.com
🔹 Genre Tags: #ScienceDocumentary #Spirituality #EnergyHealing #QuantumPhysics #SelfDiscovery
'THE BLADE CUTS DEEPER' – A Gory, Giallo-Inspired Meta Horror
📍 Starring: John Tueart, Peter Durr, Kristin Jaap, Jason L. Ricketts, Vicki Avery, Lucy Renton, Quentin J. Gray, Lindsay Bennett-Thompson, James Podmore, Saul Murphy
📍 Genre: Horror, Slasher, Giallo
📍 Distributor: Barber Green Digital
📍 International Sales: TBA
📍 Studio: Barber Green Digital
📍 UK Screenings:
📅 April 4, 2025 – Society Taps Room, Runcorn, UK
📅 April 13, 2025 – Horrorwood 2, Heywood Horror Convention, UK
📅 April 16, 2025 – Leigh Film Factory Cinema, UK
📍 Language: English
📍 Runtime: 83 Minutes
🎬 Synopsis: John Abbott, the egotistical host of the infamous true-crime show Lights, Camera, KILL, has made a fortune by exploiting pain and suffering. But one grieving father, pushed to the brink by the show's heartless dramatizations, is out for blood. As Abbott revels in his twisted fame, a relentless, blade-wielding maniac begins hunting him down. Paying homage to the Giallo genre, THE BLADE CUTS DEEPER is a brutal, meta-horror that slices into the consequences of sensationalized crime entertainment.
🔔 Stay Updated: The Blade Cuts Deeper Official Website | Instagram: @gdolders
🔹 Genre Tags: #GialloHorror #Slasher #MetaHorror #RevengeThriller #IndieHorror
'REBIRTH: HOME SWEET HOME' – Demonic Chaos Unleashed
📍 Directors: Alexander Kiesl & Steffen Hacker (Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction)
📍 Starring: Michele Morrone (365 Days), William Moseley (The Chronicles of Narnia), Urassaya Sperbund (Fast & Feel Love)
📍 Genre: Action, Horror
📍 Distributor: Signature Entertainment
📍 UK Digital Release Date: April 14, 2025
📍 UK DVD & Blu-ray Release Date: April 21, 2025
📍 Certification: TBC
🎬 Synopsis: While on holiday in Thailand, American cop Jake stumbles upon a mass murderer’s ritual, unintentionally opening the Gates of Hell. As demonic entities possess the city’s inhabitants, chaos erupts, trapping Jake’s family in the supernatural horror. Teaming up with a mysterious Novice Monk, Jake must navigate The Hindrance, a nightmarish spirit realm, to shut the Gates before Hell consumes the world.
🔹 Genre Tags: #ActionHorror #Supernatural #VideoGameAdaptation #DemonicPossession #Thriller
'CLOUD' – The Horror of Internet-Driven Animosity
📍 Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Pulse, Cure, Tokyo Sonata)
📍 Starring: Masaki Suda, Kotone Furukawa, Daiken Okudaira
📍 Genre: Action, Drama, Horror
📍 Distributor: Blue Finch Films
📍 UK Theatrical Release Date: April 25, 2025
📍 Certification: TBC 📍 Runtime: 123 Minutes
🎬 Synopsis: Ryosuke Yoshii (Masaki Suda, The Boy and the Heron) supplements his factory job by reselling goods online under the alias “Ratel.” His business thrives on simple economics: buy low, sell high. But when he moves to a lakeside home with his girlfriend Akiko (Kotone Furukawa, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy), his quiet life begins to unravel. Stalking shadows, broken windows, and ominous online threats hint at a growing vendetta against him.
As hostility spreads through the dark corners of the internet, Yoshii unknowingly becomes the target of a vengeful, faceless mob. Their digital fury transforms into real-world violence, leaving him fighting for his life. In CLOUD, Kurosawa, known for his chilling exploration of digital paranoia in Pulse, turns his lens to the modern horrors of internet-fueled hate, capturing the terrifying moment when online resentment explodes into reality.
🔹 Genre Tags: #Action #Drama #Horror #KiyoshiKurosawa #Thriller #PsychologicalHorror
'BLACK CAB' – The Ride You’ll Wish You Never Took
📍 Starring: Nick Frost, Synnøve Karlsen, Luke Norris
📍 Genre: Horror, Thriller
📍 Distributor: Acorn Media International
📍 UK Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Release Date: April 7, 2025
📍 Certification: 15 📍 Runtime: 87 Minutes
🎬 Synopsis: After a tense date night, Anne (Synnøve Karlsen) and her abusive fiancé (Luke Norris) make one final bad decision—hailing the wrong cab. Driven by the sinister Ian (Nick Frost in his most chilling role yet), the couple's ride spirals into a terrifying ordeal of abduction, haunting visions, and a deadly game of survival. As the night unfolds, buried secrets surface, and Anne must confront the horrors of her past while fighting for her life.
'BLACK CAB' is a haunting Shudder Original, blending ghostly thrills with psychological horror. Nick Frost ditches his comedic roots for a truly sinister performance that will leave you questioning every cab ride home.
🔗 More Info: Acorn Media International
🔹 Genre Tags: #Horror #Thriller #ShudderOriginal #AcornMediaInternational
'CANNIBAL MUKBANG' – A Bloody Dive into the Dark Side of Mukbanging
📍 Starring: Nate Wise, April Consalo, Clay Von Carlowitz
📍 Genre: Horror, Thriller
📍 Distributor: JackRabbit Media
📍 UK & Ireland Digital Release Date: March 25, 2025
📍 Blu-Ray Release Date: April 22, 2025
📍 Runtime: 103 Minutes
🎬 Synopsis: Shy and looking for love, Mark quickly becomes smitten with the outgoing and mysterious Ash, who—much to his surprise—reciprocates the attraction. But as his feelings deepen, so does his plunge into Ash's greatest passion: the wild world of mukbanging. What starts as an innocent curiosity soon spirals into a blood-soaked obsession.
🔹 Genre Tags: #Horror #Thriller #JackRabbitMedia
'THE BITTER TEARS OF ZAHRA ZAND' – A Melodrama of Exile, Identity, and Reinvention
📍 Starring: Boshra Dastournezhad, Melina Farahani
📍 Genre: Drama, Melodrama
📍 Distributor: Boos Boos Bang Bang
📍 World Premiere: Cinequest Film Festival, San Jose – March 17, 2025
📍 UK Cinema Release Date: April 2025
📍 Language: Persian
🎬 Synopsis: In the wake of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, legendary Iranian fashion designer Zahra Zand finds herself exiled in 1980s London—stripped of her former success, newly divorced, and spiraling into a tragicomic quest for relevance. Living in the stylish fantasy world of her apartment, Zahra clings to the ghosts of her past until a chance encounter with a free-spirited muse, Sheila, offers her a shot at reinvention. But as she navigates a whirlwind of glamour, heartbreak, and dark humor, Zahra’s battle for identity and survival in a foreign land teeters on the edge of unraveling.
🔹 Genre Tags: #Drama #Melodrama #BoosBoosBangBang
'RUMPELSTILTSKIN' – A Bold and Twisted Take on the Classic Fairy Tale
📍 Starring: Hannah Baxter-Eve, Joss Carter, Adrian Bouchet, Mark Cook, Colin Malone
📍 Genre: Fantasy, Horror
📍 Distributor: Miracle Media
📍 World Premiere: FrightFest Glasgow – March 8, 2025
📍 Digital Release Date: April 7, 2025
📍 Runtime: TBC
🎬 Synopsis: Say his name, say his name… RUMPELSTILTSKIN is back with a wickedly entertaining and gruesome twist on the classic fairy tale. When a greedy miller promises his beautiful daughter Evaline to the King, his lies unravel, leading to a desperate deal to spin straw into gold. As Evaline struggles to meet the impossible demand, a mischievous masked creature appears with a tempting offer—one that comes with a deadly price. With eye-popping special effects, bawdy humour, and a fierce female lead, Andy Edwards’ bold fantasy horror delivers a nightmarish new take on the legend, where greed, dark magic, and the Devil himself collide.
🔹 Genre Tags: #Fantasy #Horror #MiracleMedia #FrightFest
'RESTLESS' – When Quiet Turns to Chaos Next Door
📍 Starring: Lyndsey Marshal, Aston McAuley, Barry Ward
📍 Genre: Thriller, Drama
📍 Distributor: TBC
📍 World Premiere: Tribeca Film Festival 2024
📍 UK Cinema Release Date: April 4, 2025
📍 Runtime: TBC
🎬 Synopsis: In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, the peaceful life of mild-mannered care home worker Nicky (Lyndsey Marshal) spirals into chaos when hard-partying new neighbour Dean (Aston McAuley) moves in next door. Nicky’s quiet routines of classical music and snooker are shattered by booming late-night parties, and when her polite confrontations fail, she’s pushed to the brink. With no help from the authorities or her fearful neighbours, Nicky takes matters into her own hands—triggering a dangerous escalation that turns a simple neighbourly dispute into an all-out war.
🔹 Genre Tags: #Thriller #Drama #TribecaFilmFestival
'FOUR MOTHERS' – A Heartfelt Comedy-Drama About Family, Friendship, and Finding Balance
📍 Writers: Darren Thornton & Colin Thornton
📍 Starring: James McArdle, Fionnula Flanagan, Dearbhla Molloy, Paddy Glynn, Stella McCusker, with Niamh Cusack and Rory O’Neill (aka Panti Bliss)
📍 Genre: Comedy, Drama
📍 Distributor (UK): BFI Distribution
📍 Distributor (Ireland): Break Out Pictures
📍 World Premiere: BFI London Film Festival – Audience Award Winner for Best Feature
📍 Festival Screenings: Dublin International Film Festival, Glasgow Film Festival
📍 UK & Ireland Cinema Release Date: April 4, 2025
📍 Certification: 15
📍 Runtime: 89 Minutes
🎬 Synopsis: Edward (James McArdle), a talented novelist on the brink of literary stardom, has his world turned upside down when his friends ditch him for a spontaneous Pride getaway—leaving their three mothers in his care. Already juggling the demands of his ailing mother, Alma (Fionnula Flanagan), Edward finds himself hosting four wildly different, outspoken women for a chaotic weekend just as his US book tour looms. Adapted from Gianni Di Gregorio’s Mid-August Lunch and inspired by the filmmakers' personal experiences, FOUR MOTHERS is a charming and funny exploration of family, friendship, and the messy beauty of human connection.
🔹 Genre Tags: #Comedy #Drama #BFIDistribution #BreakOutPictures
'BEARS ON A SHIP' – When the Real Danger Isn’t Below Deck… It’s On It
📍 Starring: Derek Crowe, Michael Grayson, Erin Nolan, Diana Bukowska, Christopher Willson, David Jon Foster, Sherill Quinn, Samantha Aper, Jo’nez Cain Lewis, Derrick Hogan, Krystal Shay, Ray Ruiz, Matt Fuentes, Nick Ryan, Arturo Rangel, Jose Padilla, Jose Palacios, Mike Jarrod
📍 Genre: Horror, Comedy, Creature Feature
📍 Studio: Uncia Films
📍 Theatrical Road Show Launch: April 26, 2025, at Noon
📍 Location: Chabot Theater, California Bay Area
📍 Future Locations: More states and showings to be announced
🎬 Synopsis: Stranded in Mexico during an airline strike, a group of passengers decides to board a ship back to the United States. What starts as a simple voyage home quickly turns into a fight for survival when they discover they’re not alone—man-eating bears are also aboard, and they’re hungry.
🎟️ Tickets for the April 26th Screening: Buy Tickets Here
🔔 Stay Updated:
Instagram – Uncia Films
Facebook – Uncia Films
🔹 Genre Tags: #Horror #CreatureFeature #Comedy #UnciaFilms
'SHIVER ME TIMBERS' – Popeye Like You've Never Seen Him Before
📍 Starring: Anthony Greer, Paul Dewdney, Brendan Nelson, Stephen Corrall, Amy Mackie
📍 Genre: Horror, Comedy, Slasher
📍 Distributor (North America): Gravitas Ventures (An Anthem Sports & Entertainment Company)
📍 International Sales: EuroObscura
📍 Studio: Alpake Entertainment
📍 European Film Market Presentation: February 2025 (Berlin)
📍 North America Release Date: April 2025
📍 Language: English
📍 Runtime: 75 Minutes
🎬 Synopsis: In the summer of 1986, Olive Oyl, her brother Castor, and their cinema-obsessed friends head to Northern California for a once-in-a-lifetime camping trip to watch Halley’s Comet light up the sky. But the serene stargazing quickly descends into chaos when a meteor transforms Popeye into an unstoppable, bloodthirsty killing machine. Blending 80s slasher nostalgia with outrageous humor, SHIVER ME TIMBERS delivers a brutal, laugh-out-loud horror-comedy that reimagines a beloved character in the most twisted way imaginable.
🔔 Stay Updated on International Sales: EuroObscura
🔹 Genre Tags: #HorrorComedy #Slasher #80sHorror #PopeyeReimagined #GravitasVentures
📅 April 2025 Indie Film Release Calendar
📅 April 1 – WELLWOOD (Digital & On Demand – US)
📅 April 3 – ABOUT LIGHT AND SHADOWS (UK Release)
📅 April 4 – RESTLESS (Theatrical Release – UK)
📅 April 4 – THE BLADE CUTS DEEPER (Special Screening – Society Taps Room, Runcorn, UK)
📅 April 4 – FOUR MOTHERS (Theatrical Release – UK & Ireland)
📅 April 7 – BLACK CAB (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital – UK)
📅 April 7 – RUMPELSTILTSKIN (Digital Release – UK)
📅 April 13 – THE BLADE CUTS DEEPER (Horrorwood 2 – Heywood Horror Convention, UK)
📅 April 14 – DEMISE (Digital – UK)
📅 April 14 – REBIRTH: HOME SWEET HOME (Digital – UK)
📅 April 15 – MURDER BALLADS (Digital – UK, US, CA, AU, NZ)
📅 April 16 – THE BLADE CUTS DEEPER (Leigh Film Factory Cinema, UK)
📅 April 21 - LYLA (Digital - UK)
📅 April 22 – CANNIBAL MUKBANG (Blu-ray Release – UK & Ireland)
📅 April 25 – TREADING WATER (Cinema Release – UK)
📅 April 25 – APRIL (UK & Irish Cinemas)
📅 April 25 – CLOUD (Theatrical Release – UK )
📅 April 26 – BEARS ON A SHIP (Theatrical Road Show Launch – Chabot Theater, California Bay Area)
📅 April 29 – THE LAST SPARK OF HOPE (VOD & Digital – US)
📅 April (TBA) – THE BITTER TEARS OF ZAHRA ZAND (UK Cinema Release)
📅 April (TBA) – SHIVER ME TIMBERS (North America Release)
Stay tuned for more indie film releases every month on the BritFlicks YouTube channel!
#BritFlicksMonthlyRelease #IndieFilm #April2025
