STAFF PICK: Tummy Monster
By Colin Hyer – Operations Manager
Tummy Monster, the debut feature from Scottish director Ciaran Lyons, co-written with Lorn Macdonald and Orlando Norman (who also star in the film), is a wild ride that defies easy classification. Seamlessly blending heart-pounding psychological thrills with laugh-out-loud comedy, the film shifts effortlessly between genres without ever losing its grip. Lyons, Macdonald, and Norman skillfully manage these contrasting tones, keeping the energy high from the very first shot to the final frame. The result is a consistently escalating tension that hooks you immediately and doesn’t let go—a remarkable achievement for a debut.
The inventive script pulls off some extremely challenging elements with ease: it keeps a single location exciting, makes a deeply flawed and selfish character surprisingly sympathetic, and uses a repeated line to fuel both the character’s and the viewer’s descent into madness. That line will stay with you for days after the film ends, a testament to the script’s layered psychological impact.
Tummy Monster
(UK, 88 MIN)
Writer: Ciaran Lyons and Lorn Macdonald & Orlando Norman
Director: Ciaran Lyons
Cast: Lorn Macdonald, Orlando Norman, Michael Akinsulire
When a narcissistic tattoo artist tries to get a selfie with a world-famous client, his refusal to take no for an answer embroils him in a nightmarish battle of wills that threatens to destroy his business, his personal life, and his sanity.
Make sure you catch one of two showings of TUMMY MONSTER while at AFF: