'I'm beyond delighted to see the film going from strength to strength' - awards for body-horror thriller written and directed by former Chesterfield man

A director who grew up in Chesterfield has spoken of his crew’s joy that their horror film has won awards at an international festival.

Kai Undrell wrote the script for Placebo and directed the film which has just been awarded best short of the season and best horror at the IndieX festival in Los Angeles. An invitation to screen the film in LA in February 2027 has been issued on the back of its success.

Placebo is a finalist for best horror at the Director's Cut International Film Festival, organised by Ardelian European Film Association, in Norway. Creators of the body-horror film will be heading to Oslo in December to attend the association’s gala.

Kai, 25, who studied film and television production at Chesterfield College, said: "I'm beyond delighted to see the film going from strength to strength, and to see such love for something we all worked so incredibly hard towards is fantastic - everybody who worked on Placebo is immensely proud."

A special screening of Placebo will be held at Hasland Club on Thursday, November 26 at 9pm, with Thornbridge Brewery laying on a special beer to celebrate. Scenes for the film were shot in a bathroom at the club in 2025.

Placebo stars Harry Fundell playing a clinical trial volunteer who gets far more than he bargained for and spirals into self-destruction.

Kai also directed the 2019 short film Stand-Up about a comedian’s return to the spotlight, which was shot entirely at The Avenue nightspot on Beetwell Street, Chesterfield. Stand-Up was nominated for best film at the Lift Off Filmmaker Sessions Festival, run by Pinewood Studios.

In 2024 he directed a promo video for Chesterfield College, working with young actor Fintan Buckard, who went on to play Ben Drake in TV’s Waterloo Road.

Kai, who is based in Sheffield, also directs music videos and documentaries.