Poisoned Honey | “The public think that only naïve people get manipulated”

“It was inspired by something that happened to my mum, so it was quite close to my heart,” says writer director Kate Stubbs, about her film Poisoned Honey.

The victim’s perspective

“When my mum was scammed in spring 2024 I felt angry,” says Kate. “The money was the least important thing she lost; it was her confidence in fellow human beings. By researching scammers’ methods I made this film, from the victim’s perspective, to shows how it feels, despite being cautious, to fall prey to the clever, manipulations of the criminals.”

The story unfolds as you’re caught within it – ideal for the mind-swirl claustrophobia of the topic. We’re chatting to Kate in the sun trap outside Torquay Museum during the third screening event of the English Riviera Film Festival’s 10th anniversary.

Guilt

“The public think that only naïve people get manipulated, until it happens to them. Then they feel stupid, embarrassed and guilty,” says Kate.

This film shows how fraudsters sneakily invade your safe space and your mind. It serves as an empathic, entertaining warning to find a breathing space and trust in your gut feelings.

Everyone has a story

“When you bring it up as a subject, everyone has a story,” says Kate. “They have something to tell you about it, something that’s happened to them or someone that they know.

“As the aim of Poisoned Honey is to promote discussion, so I am very happy for anyone to watch it and if they want to share it on a big screen, they can contact me on kate@lightbulbfantastic.com for a high resolution file,” says Kate.

A life disturbed

Here’s the blurb from the English Riviera Film Festival brochure: “Julia’s cosy life is disturbed by a friendly phone call. Stealthily, a web of lies from a net around to distort her reason, resurfacing past traumas and forcing her to take a ride to a seaside town.”

The interiors of Poisoned Honey were shot in South Brent, with the exteriors in Paignton.

Poisoned Honey is Kate’s first drama and second film, and she has another on the way: a shadow puppet film about climate change, which is in post-production as we speak.

And with a shadow puppet film, she will avoid some of the tension of creating Poisoned Honey.

Cast

“Two days before the shoot, the guy who was going to play one of the main characters was ill,” says Kate. “I was asking everyone I could think of, including the local drama society. I was walking down the street asking people I met if they could be in a film because I had the equipment and the car and the crew and location and everything booked for those days. In the end, my good friend Harry stepped in at the last minute. He’s never acted before, and I think he did a pretty good job.”

Kate is interested in the environment, and what makes people do things. She wants to make films that are useful in some way.

Her first film was a documentary that was aired at the Cine Sisters Film Festival. It’s about a friend who grew up in the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and is now doing a lot of environmental work.

Feels right but impossible

“During the Troubles, a friend of his was shot, and then he decided that he wanted to join the Peace Movement. He felt he’s always struggling to do something that seems right but feels impossible, like fighting against climate change or finding peace.”

Kate’s themes catch on those human experiences, with an insight that promotes thought and discussion.

Poisoned Honey | watch it on Vimeo

• About
• Latest Posts

D&CFilm

D&CFilm is the name for our Staff Writers here at the D&CFilm. If you'd like to become a staff, or named, writer drop us a line.

Latest posts by D&CFilm (see all)

• New self tape workshop in Cornwall - September 10, 2026
• Escape into a true love story… for free | The Cycle of Love - September 7, 2026
• Mr. Whispers and Megan Tremethick’s  Spoiling You at Glowflare Horror fest - September 3, 2026