Private Project

BURN

In the midst of national hysteria and incomprehensible personal tragedy, a child is born bearing the scars of other people's sins.

  • Judson Vaughan
    Director
    Mexican Wave, Soul Breaker, The Moment, Pedro
  • Chris Barnes
    Writer
  • Judson Vaughan
    Writer
  • Chris Barnes
    Producer
  • Judson Vaughan
    Producer
  • Steve Harper
    Producer
  • Joaquim Barreto
    Producer
  • Max Cavenham
    Key Cast
    Max Pain Retribution, Desecration
  • Emma Kelly
    Key Cast
    Inbetween
  • Matti Kolirin
    Key Cast
  • Inês Marcelo Curto
    Key Cast
    Girl on a Rocking Horse
  • Julius Rost
    Key Cast
  • Sadie-Jane Scott
    Key Cast
  • Judson Vaughan
    Key Cast
    The Spiritualist, White Powder, Cold Blood
  • Annabel Pemberton
    Key Cast
  • Chris Barnes
    Key Cast
  • Steve Harper
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 24, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    5,390 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    4K Raw (Sony F55) and 5DMark2
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Shortz Film Festival
    Chico, California
    United States
    July 15, 2017
    USA Premiere
  • Short to the point
    Bucharest
    Romania
    August 13, 2017
    Romanian Premiere
  • Coney Island Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    September 9, 2017
    New York Premiere
  • Fargo Fantastic Film Festival
    Fargo
    United States
    September 21, 2017
    North Dakota Premiere
  • Maverick Movie Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    October 29, 2017
    Nomination Best Actress
  • Shriekfest
    Los Angeles
    United States
    October 7, 2017
    L.A. Premiere
    Best Horror Short Film
  • New York City Horror Film Festival
    New York City
    United States
    October 26, 2017
    New Jersey Premiere
  • The Antic Horror Picture Show
    Barcelona
    Spain
    October 31, 2017
    Catalan/Spanish Premeire
  • Muestra Intergalactica Short Film Festival
    Saltillo
    Mexico
    November 14, 2017
    Mexican Premiere
    Honorific Mention
  • Glasgow Horror Festival
    Glasgow
    United Kingdom
    November 5, 2017
    Scottish Premiere
    Best Horror Short Film
  • Morbido Fest
    Mexico City
    Mexico
    November 3, 2018
  • Feratum International Fantastic Film Festival
    Tlalpujahua
    Mexico
    December 1, 2018
  • Dead All Day Film Festival
    Widnes
    United Kingdom
    November 14, 2017
    Best Short Horror
  • Filmquest
    Utah
    United States
    September 6, 2018
    Utah
    Nomination Best Horror & Best Screenplay | Best Horror
  • Black Sunday Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    September 24, 2017
    Best Short Horror
  • Beeston Film Festival
    Nottingham
    United Kingdom
    March 25, 2018
    Best Short Horror
  • Macoproject Online Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    July 24, 2019
    Winner Best Film
  • 51st Annual Worldfest Houston International Film Festival
    Houston
    United States
    April 16, 2018
    Gold Remi Award
  • Unrestricted View Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    April 27, 2018
    Best Actor
  • Direct Short Online Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    March 5, 2018
    Best DOP of the Month
  • Bristol Independent Film Festival
    Bristol
    United Kingdom
    September 30, 2018
    Winner Best Horror
  • Horror Haus Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United Kingdom
    October 30, 2018
    Nomination Best Film, Best Young Actor, Best Male Actor, Best Screenplay
  • Green Bay Film Festival
    De Pere, Wisconsin
    United States
    March 1, 2018
    Wisconsin
  • Peachtree Village International Film Festival
    Atlanta
    United States
    October 29, 2018
    Atlanta
    Finalist
  • La Vieja Encina
    Sevilla
    Spain
    June 15, 2017
    Sevilla
  • Wreak Havoc Film Festival
    Greensboro, North Carolina
    United States
    September 8, 2018
    Nomination Best Film & Best Foreign Film
  • Orlando Film Festival
    Orlando
    United States
    October 15, 2018
  • Hidalgo Film Festival
    Pachuca, Hidalgo
    Mexico
    July 28, 2018
  • Another Hole in the Head Film Festival
    San Francisco
    United States
    November 29, 2019
    San Francisco
  • I Filmmaker Film Festival
    Palamós, Cataluña
    Spain
    December 1, 2019
    Finalist
  • The Love Horror Short Film Festival
    Sacramento
    United States
    July 18, 2019
  • Derby Film Festival
    Derby
    United Kingdom
    November 23, 2019
    Derbyshire
  • Media Fright Fest
    Media, Pennsylvania
    United States
    April 2, 2020
    Pennsylvania
  • FIVE CONTINENTS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
    Puerto la Cruz
    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
    April 3, 2019
    Best Terror Film, Best Young Actor & Best Supporting Actor
  • Russian International Horror Film Festival & Awards
    Moscow
    Russian Federation
    March 23, 2019
    Russian Premiere
    Finalist
  • Motor City Nightmares International Film Festival
    Milford
    United States
    April 24, 2019
  • Chandler International Film Festival
    Utah
    United States
    January 21, 2020
  • FINDECOIN Independent International Short Film Festival
    Puerto la Cruz
    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
    February 24, 2019
  • OutlantaCon Short Film Festival
    Atlanta
    United States
    March 19, 2019
  • Cardiff International Film Festival
    Cardiff
    United Kingdom
    October 26, 2019
    Welsh Premeire
    Nomination Best Short Horror
  • Derby Film Festival
    Derby
    United Kingdom
    November 19, 2021
    Official Selection
  • The Hamilton New York International Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    July 19, 2020
    Best Horror Short Film
  • Nassau Film Festival
    Princeton, New Jersey
    United States
    May 15, 2021
    Princeton Tiger Award
  • Cine-Maniacs
    Türkheim, Bavaria
    Germany
    June 5, 2021
    German Premiere
    Finalist
  • Romford Horror Festival
    Romford
    United Kingdom
    June 11, 2021
    Best Director
  • World Distribution Awards
    Košice
    Slovakia
    August 5, 2021
    Slovakia
    Best Horror
  • New York Instanbul Short Film Festival
    İstanbul
    Turkey
    September 13, 2021
    Turkey
    Best Thriller Short Film & Best Poster Design
  • Navarra International Fantastic and Horror Film Festival
    Pamplona
    Spain
    October 25, 2021
    Navarra
    First Prize
  • SHOCKFEST
    Las Vegas & Los Angeles
    United States
    December 10, 2021
    Golden Stake Award
  • Vegas Movie Awards
    Las Vegas
    United States
    February 6, 2022
    BEST HORROR - Award of Excellence
  • Vegas Movie Awards
    Las Vegas
    United States
    February 6, 2022
    BEST STORY - Award of Prestige
  • European Short Film Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
    July 1, 2022
    Berlin
    Best Horror Short
Director Biography - Judson Vaughan

Judson has been directing and screenwriting since 2012, 'Trigger' his first feature screenplay was optioned and also the winner of a number of awards including the 'Richard Vetere Screenplay Award at the Long Island Film Festival. Directing since late 2012, 'The Moment' was his first short film, a comedy-drama, picking up Best Short film Under 5 Minutes at the Rob Knox Film Festival and Nominated Best Editing at the Laugh or Die Comedy Film Festival, it also scooped Best Direction at Real Teal Film Festival.

He has since directed a number of short films, 'Pedro' (distributed with CryptTv) and 'Soul Breaker’ distributed on Google Play, YouTube Movies, and Amazon Prime and itself, winner of over 15 awards) and won Film Crash in 2019, with Best Horror Feature Screenplay with his Noir Horror called IT'S HERE. He's now finished his next film 'Burn'.

His first feature-length, documentary called 'Mexican Wave' (featuring the British Labour Party Leader - Jeremy Corbyn, Dr. John M. Ackerman, Marisa Polin, and Mexican Actor/Producer - Rob Cavazos) is now also complete.

When the pandemic started last year in March (in the UK) I just had to document what we were experiencing and watching unfolding around us - in real-time - and so a documentary entitled 'PANDEMANIA' was created and is now due for distribution on Apple Tv.
It was also nominated for Best Feature Film Made for Less Than $5,000 at the Monkey Bread Tree Film Awards in October 2021.

It has been a life-changing, eye-opening, and often shattering experience, moments of revelation, sadness, tragedy, but also out of the darkness there has been some hope, hope for change, and change has come in many forms and transformed our lives, both good and bad, but ultimately, we have to believe things will get better.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Burn was a challenging and ambitious project given our budget and it's been fantastic to see it emerge. I'm always very hands-on and this was no different. I'm pleased with the results. A chance meeting with the main writer, who in turn became the executive producer, enabled me to create something memorable. I had a good team, whom did great things and I'm excited to see how Burn is received at the film festivals.

Writing and directing is so addictive and has turned into something of an obsession. It is now something I must do and I no longer have a choice in - I simply must! I've been writing screenplays for a few years, but 'Soul Breaker' was the first of my writing/directing creations, followed next by 'Pedro'. It's been an interesting journey. I tend to write a mix of all genres - comedy, drama, thriller, horror and sci-fi. I'm currently working on a couple of exciting projects that hopefully, I can bring to the international film festival stage soon. Hopefully I'll see you there. Thanks for reading.
Judson.