Urban Ghost Story

Plot

The plot follows 12-year-old Lizzie (Heather Ann Foster) who, after being involved in a road traffic accident and suffering a near-death experience, feels that she is haunted by a malicious spirit that she brought back with her from the afterlife. Although surrounded by people who disbelieve her claims, Lizzie and her mother eventually encounters a journalist who, although initially skeptical, comes to eventually believe the claims and with the assistance of a university parapsychologist the family start to confront with the events.

Cast

Production

Following production of their previous film, White Angel (1994 film), Geneviève Jolliffe and Chris Jones researched Poltergeist activity including the Enfield Poltergeist occurrences. Filming took place at Ealing Studios with location shots done in Glasgow.

Reception

The film was nominated for two British Independent Film Awards. It won two Fantafestival awards, for Best Actress and Best Film. Total Film magazine described the film as "Poltergeist, Ken Loach-style". Michael Thomson stated that "the director relies on too much editing within scenes, so the film often moves too quickly from one face to another instead of moving fluently with unbroken shots. In this way we are unhooked from a film which should really have grabbed and gripped."