‘Boxcutter’ Brings Brutal Roadside Horror to Grimmfest for World Premiere

A family funeral, a lonely stretch of highway and one very bad decision collide in Boxcutter, the feature debut from writer-director Lucky Cerruti, which will receive its world premiere at Grimmfest next weekend.

The American horror screens at Odeon Great Northern in Manchester on Sunday 11 October, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.

At the centre of the story are brothers Rob and James, who are travelling with their respective partners to the funeral of their estranged father. The journey is already loaded with unresolved family history, but a stop at an isolated roadside diner pushes the group into much darker territory.

Inside, they meet the Curtis family, owners of the diner, whose behaviour immediately puts the travellers on edge. After an uncomfortable meal and an equally uneasy conversation, Rob, James and their partners decide to leave and continue their journey.

They don’t get far.

A fatal car accident sends the group spiralling into panic, forcing them to return to the diner in search of a phone, help and some way of dealing with what has happened. From that point, the situation deteriorates rapidly, with fear, guilt and desperation turning every decision into a potentially catastrophic one.

Grimmfest has highlighted the way Cerruti initially presents the film as a character-driven family drama before sharply changing direction once the travellers reach the diner. The festival also points to the increasingly severe tone of the second half, with the film moving from strained domestic conflict into small-town horror and finally towards something much harsher and more confrontational.

Cerruti writes and directs the film, marking his first feature behind the camera. His previous credits include Uncle Sleazo’s Toxic and Terrifying T.V. Hour and Kindness of Strangers.

The cast includes Evan McFarland, Michael Lake, Kyle D King, Tyler Nye and Diego Rojas.

With its world premiere slot, Boxcutter arrives at Grimmfest as one of the festival’s genuine discoveries, giving audiences the first public look at Cerruti’s debut before the film begins its wider life beyond Manchester.

Boxcutter receives its world premiere at Grimmfest 2026 at Odeon Great Northern, Manchester, on Sunday 11 October at 12.25pm, followed by a filmmaker Q&A. Get your tickets here: grimmfest.com/