They are just toys - what's the worst that can happen?

Ignore the signs of climate change at your peril in this bloody, slimy, slithering comedy-horror, where nature bites back with a giant, tentacled monster. Grow will make you laugh, unsettle you, and give you pause for reflection on how the decisions we make every day impact the planet.

Lovecraft meets Gremlins meets Shaun of the Dead. Bloody. Gooey. Fun.

Get on board team Grow and help us take this to the big screen.

Hello from Sabrina, the writer and director of Grow.

Thank you for checking us out and for your generous contributions!

I wrote Grow out of love for comedy-horror as a genre, and it naturally featured a cause very close to my heart - our impact on the planet. I trained as an actress for many years, both in my native Turin, and here in London; I co-wrote and directed 'Satan's key' for the 2024 IHS 666 Challenge, and I am currently on the writing team for 'Home Invasion', a fun, gory Christmas comedy-horror. My short films ‘The Mirror’ and 'The Bait' are currently starting their festival run.

Grow will be my very first big project as a writer/director, and I can't wait to share this film with the world! 

We need YOU!

Did you know that making movies costs a lot of money? I know, I know. You know this already. But did you know just how big a difference YOU can make, even with a teeny tiny pledge? Huge. Whether you can only spare a few quid, or you have been looking for a creative project to splash all that extra cash on - we've got you, with plenty of options. We will appreciate all contributions and show you some love in return with lots of great perks.

What are we raising funds for?

All the pledges we collect will go towards production costs - from cast and crew to location fees, props, costumes, expenses, travel, accommodation, food. All of it. This will help us make as great a movie as we can so we can share it with you all.

Chris Nials and Scott Lyus - Crossroad Pictures

Grow is being produced by Crossroad Pictures, the production company behind the multi-award-winning feature film Walking Against The Rain, and celebrated UK-based shorts such as Black Mass, Echoes of the Passed and Silently Within Your Shadow. 

Scott Lyus and Chris Nials have assembled a team of award-winning collaborators throughout their careers, including Director Of Photography Neal Parsons, who worked on the OSCAR-winning short The Silent Child, and BIFA-winning SFX designer Dan Martin. 

Find out more about Crossroad Pictures here: Crossroad Pictures

Simon Curtin plays Simon (mid/late 30s), a film critic and film snob, who is trying to make ends meet by writing for some obscure online film magazine. He takes himself very seriously and doesn't miss a single opportunity to lecture his long-suffering friend Tabitha on the classics. He decided to buy a bag of grow-in-water toys for his nephew's birthday from a dodgy-looking shop in an obscure part of London because he was told that he likes the Ocean. Are these toys a little out-of-touch for a 12 year old? Yes. Is Simon going to regret this ill-judged impulse purchase? Most definitely.

Simon is a classically trained performer, with over twenty years' experience in theatre. His credits include the UK premier of the musical The Green Room (The Comedy Store), where he played the leading role of Cliff, the music video for Submechano by The St Pierre Snake Invasion, Sweeney Todd (Brookside Theatre), Philosophy in the Bedroom (Edinburgh Festival) and Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Emery Theatre).

Geri Allen plays Tabitha (mid/late 30s), Simon's quirky life-long friend and housemate. She is laidback and a little awkward, and hasn't quite decided what she wants to be when she grows up. She hops from one fixation to the next, and makes that her whole personality. The latest one? Veganism. Or better yet: do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do performative veganism. She gives Simon a hard time about his preference for almond milk over oat, never mind the packet of prosciutto she keeps stashed away in her bedroom! Her trip to the shop is going to end in a bloodbath, and make her wish she'd lingered around the fridge aisle a little longer...

Geri is an actor, singer, musician, and writer. She has been performing in theatre for over ten years, with recognitions on the Cabaret Circuit winning Burlesque Idol in 2013. She is currently starring in the West End production of Operation Mincemeat (Fortune Theatre) and previously appeared in Footloose the Musical (UK & International Tour) and Luna Park (Tristan Bates Theatre); TV & Film Includes Victoria in Hanxiety (Belle Barnston) and Sarah in Emma’s Dead (Elvis Deane Productions).

Gerardo Cabal will bring our Creature to life, with all the tentacles and vengeance that your hearts desire!

Gerardo is an internationally acclaimed and multi skilled actor, with years of performing experience on stage and on camera. His latest roles include Doug in The King of Hollywood (The White Bear Theatre & The Space UK), Diego in Don’t Bury it (New Indie Film Ltd), Radu in All’s Well that Ends (Kibo Productions), and The Shadow in For Queen and Country (CatShark).

Bucky (Richard O’Hare) - DoP

Bucky is our Director of Photography with over ten years' experience in the film industry. He co-founded the production company Orillo Films and has worked on commercials, documentaries, narrative short and everything in-between. 

His feature length documentary ‘Chasing Tokyo’ was released on Discovery in 2022 and his horror short 'The Heritage' is part of Bite Size Halloween: Series 3 on Hulu. 

Some of Bucky’s latest work includes horror shorts ‘Body Worn Video’ (the FEAR Incubator in collaboration with the Independent Horror Society), and ‘Fisitor’ (Ffilm Cymru, BBC Wales); both films are currently enjoying a very successful festival run. 

Bucky's work can be found here: Richard O'Hare

Matthew Bulley – Sound Recordist

A graduate of Falmouth University's Television BA and Film & TV MA, Matt's studies helped him to cultivate a rapid adaptability, an open work ethic, and a strong grasp of technology. 

He entered the industry with an eye for storytelling and a taste for sound, which he has spent the past year honing on several projects including a micro-budget crime comedy feature film and a pair of Screen Cornwall funded short films. Through this, Matt has had to work in a wide range of environments and conditions with equally diverse casts; this year he also worked with Grow's writer and director on 'Satan's Key' as part of the 2024 Independent Horror Society's 666 Challenge.

Matt is currently in pre-production with ‘Beneath the Sheet’, a comedy-horror short that will mark his directorial debut.

Patrizio Tamborriello - Sound Design

Our Sound Design is in the capable hands of Patrizio Tamborriello. With years of experience in live music, sound design, post-production, location recording, and gaming audio, he will weave sounds from the deep into the narrative of this monster short.

Patrizio has worked with outstanding artists, including Amaraae, Sea Girls, and The Juliet Massacre in some of the most prominent venues in the UK and Europe. He also made his mark on the gaming scene by working on Starfield and The Last of Us Part II.

Patrizio's work can be found here: Patrizio Tamborriello

Mitch Tolliday - Editor

Mitchell is a film editor with over 10 years of experience. He has worked across every format from commercials, documentaries to narrative shorts and features.

In addition to editing, Mitch ventured into directing with the short film 'Everything Is Going To Be Fine', released on Cineverse's Scream Box, and the award winning dark comedy feature 'Murder Ballads: How to Make it in Rock'n'Roll' starring Simon Callow, currently on its festival circuit.

A huge fan of the horror genre with a particular love for mixing in comedy, Mitch is excited to help bring the larger than life story of GROW to the screen.

Mitch's work  can be found here: Mitch Tolliday

Craig Tonks - VFX

Craig Tonks will take care of the visual effects, bringing the monster to life to enhance its features and give it a realistic and haunting look.

Craig has vast experience working at the highest level of film and tv in visual effects, helping tell stories for clients such as Disney, Warner Bros and Paramount. His exceptional work includes 'Interstellar', for which the VFX earned an Oscar and Bafta, 'The Lion King', Oscar Nominated for VFX, and 'Annihilation'.

You can find Craig's work here: Mr Tonks

Charlyne Fernandes Fine and Connie Xu - SFX

Charlyne Fine and Connie Xu crafted our monster in a wearable piece with masterful use of clay, latex and silicon to create a terrifying creature.

Charlyne is a dedicated costume designer specialising in film, stop-motion cinema, and theatre; Connie is a special effects makeup artist with expertise in film and theatre, as well as experience in editorial makeup for photoshoots and fashion films.

You can see more of their work here: Charlyne & Connie

Neil Fraser - Artwork

Our amazing poster was created by Neil Fraser. A multi-award-winning poster, key, and book cover artist - Neil has worked with companies such as Disney, The Horror Collective, The Willard Price Estate, Yellowcard, Fright Rags, Sky Cinema, Shudder and many others.

As a huge supporter of indie films, Neil has worked with not only ourselves but the teams behind other great films such as Host, Manfish, The Cleansing Hour, The Dare and Scare Package.

Find out more about Neil's artwork here: neilfrasergraphics