It’s the season for horror stories but some of those terrify all year round. Domestic abuse charity, I Choose Freedom, and collective, Good Eggs, have launched a chilling commercial, airing in cinemas during Halloween season and beyond, to highlight the real-life terror faced by thousands of women behind closed doors.
The 90-second cinematic spot makes use of all the spine-chilling, tension-building tropes of the horror movie genre, creaking sounds, shadowy imagery, eerie music, “the calm before the storm” ambience…and a man with a mask appearing suddenly in a mirror:
Christopher Ringsell, creative partner at Good Eggs, commented, “Many people wear masks at Halloween, but perpetrators of domestic abuse wear a mask in society – with the real monster only revealed behind closed doors. We leaned into classic horror tropes and reframed them to show the true fear one in four women live with every day. The aim was to create something that feels cinematic, chilling – and horribly real.”
The spot, produced by MindsEye and directed by Anne-Sofie Lindgaard, will air in advance of horror titles and chillers across the DCM cinema network, including ODEON, Vue, Cineworld and Picturehouse cinemas.
Teresa Parker, communications lead at I Choose Freedom, added, “After two decades of working with survivors, I can honestly say there’s no horror film that compares to what women living in fear of their partner describe. The mask in our film reflects the façade many abusers present to the world – respectable, charming, even admired. This time we’re lifting that mask, exposing the truth that’s too often hidden in plain sight.”
For over 40 years, I Choose Freedom has provided safety and refuge to thousands of women and children escaping domestic abuse. But over half of the charity’s income will run out by March 31 2026, leaving its refuge network and helpline under threat.
Emma Bray, CEO of I Choose Freedom, commented, “This Halloween, our biggest fear is that our refuge services won’t exist unless long-term funding becomes a government priority. You can’t halve violence against women, as the government has pledged, if the refuges that keep women alive are forced to close. We’re immensely grateful to the team who brought this powerful campaign to life, and to everyone who shares the film and helps us keep the doors open.”
Credits:
Client: I Choose Freedom
Client Team: Emma Bray & Teresa Parker
Creative Collective: Good Eggs
Creative Partners: Christopher Ringsell, Dave Newbold & Creative Partner: Paul Hancock
Producer: Sue Lee-stern
PR: Trudi Harris
Production Company: MindsEye
Managing Director: Hughie Phillips
Director: Anne-Sofie Lindgaard
Executive Producer: Debbie Ninnis
Director’s Rep: Emma Horgan
Head of Production: Max Yeoman
Producer: Lucy Benson-Brown
Production Manager: David Gluckstein
Production Assistant: Maria Pereira
1st AD: Danny Rimbelow
DOP: Jaime Ackroyd
Media: DCM Network
Mask Design: Raoul Peltier & Helen Louka @ Face Forge
Editing: The Quarry
Editor: Geri Docherty
Edit Producer: Dilja Knobel-Winterstein
Sound Design: Jon Clarke @ Runamok
Colourist: Rich Fearon @ Black Kite
Post Executive Producer: Alasdair Patrick @ ELMNTL
VFX Supervisor: Martin Waller @ ELMNTL
