SMEAR (2017) 

Chloe thinks she's just going in for a routine test...things do not go as planned. 

Director: Kate Herron 

Writers: Kate Herron & Briony Redman

Producer: Douglas Cox

"Very funny. Great work by a gifted group of filmmakers." -PAUL FEIG (BRIDESMAIDS, GHOSTBUSTERS)

"Pure genius." - FLICKERING  MYTH, “BEST SHORTS FROM THE 61ST LONDON FILM FESTIVAL”

"One of the best horror shorts to come out of this years FrightFest " - LOVE HORROR

"Widly strange" - KIM NEWMAN (EMPIRE MOVIE MAGAZINE)

"Hilariously reflecting Chloe’s self-conscious anxieties about the icky monstrousness of her own femininity. " - SCIFINOW

OFFICIAL SELECTION

2017 BFI London Film Festival 

2017 Raindance Film Festival

2017 Encounters Film Festival

2017 Upsalla Film Festival

2017 Morbido Film Festival

2017 Aesthetica Film Festival

2017 Citizen Jane Film Festival

2017 Cucalorus Film Festival 

2017 Underwire Film Festival 

2017 Lund Fantastisk Film Festival

2017 Cambridge Film Festival 

2017 Frightfest Film Festival

2018 London Short Film Festival

SMEAR is a lube-tastic horror-comedy inspired by Gremlins, Tremors and Little Shop of Horrors, about a woman going in for her first pap-smear test starring in the lead, Sophia Di Martino of the BAFTA-nominated Flowers and Nick Mohammed (Mr Swallow 4**** The Guardian). 

It also stars Isabella Laughland (Harry Potter), comedians Ben Target (Leicester Mercury Comedian of the year), Mariam Haque, Briony Redman and Katherine Bennett Fox of The Free Association ("UK equivalent to the professionalised improv of Chicago's Second City or Upright Citizen's Brigade, the FA are it" - FestMag) and Rose Johnson from sketch-group Birthday Girls ("This is Joy" The Skinny).

Kate directed and co-wrote the film with her writing partner Briony Redman. It was produced by Douglas Cox of Shadowhouse Films (Sundance short film Dawn of the Deaf), scored by emmy-nominated composer Patrick Jonsson (Virunga, The White Helmets) , shot by Nicola Daley ACS and practical effects by BIFA-nominated SFX artist Dan Martin of 13FingerFX (High Rise, Free Fire). 

SMEAR played at film festivals around the world including BFI London Film Festival to Frightfest in Australia. It launched online for International Women's Day with the Big Issue. Catching the attention of Hollywood director Paul Feig who described the film as "Very funny".

SMEAR was also featured by Women and Hollywood, the BFI,  British Comedy Guide, Chortle, Directors Notes, Flickering Myth, Horror Channel, Ladies with Lenses, LoveHorror, Morbido, Sci-Fi Now, Screen Anarchy , in Emerald Street "Vagina Week" and on ShortoftheWeek Vimeo Channel.

Kate made the film to explore pap-smear anxiety, “My friend told me my first pap-smear would be the worst thing that ever happened to me... it wasn’t”

Cervical cancer screening has the lowest attendance numbers for women under 35 but is the most common cancer for women in that age-bracket. Nine women die everyday and two will be diagnosed every day with cervical cancer. Kate hopes the film will encourage more women to go, “tentacles felt the most natural way to do this”