CENSOR

 Horror movies about horror movies are nothing new. You could say the "Scream" franchise really started a trend for self-referential horror films while here in Britain we had "Berberian Sound Studio". Now we have first-timer Prano Bailey-Bond's "Censor" which is again a film about horror cinema, or in this case 'video nasties', as it delves into the mind of '80's film censor Enid, (an excellent Niamh Algar), who becomes a target for abuse when she passes a picture that is linked to a violent crime but just when you think this might be a film about a girl being menaced by some right-wing slasher it veers off in an altogether different direction.

You see, Enid had a young sister who disappeared, and is presumed dead, some years before and one day she thinks she recognizes her in one of the video nasties she's watching. This may not be a particularly original idea but Bailey-Bond handles it superbly, teasing us with just the right amount of gory schlock-horror while at the same time making us question why we watch films like "Censor" in the first place.

Of course, the question we have to ask ourselves is whether the girl in the film is the missing sister or has Enid been watching too many horror films, (Polanski's "Repulsion" is another point of reference and there is a killer moment just over half way through that sets the tone for most of what follows). It's hardly subtle but it certainly does what it says on the tin, disturbing us and chastising us at the same time. I think Miss Bailey-Bond is definitely a name to watch.