Widely regarded as one of the leading poets of his generation, Simon Armitage is also a playwright, travel writer, song lyricist and has written extensively for radio and television. His most recent book, a one-thousand line poem called Killing Time, was the result of a New Millennium Experience commission. Tonight he will be in conversation with the audience at Hull Screen after introducing and showing The Tyre, a 10 minute dramatisation of one of his poems by the same name.

The Tyre, directed by award winning documentary maker Brian Hill, stars Christopher Eccleston (Gone in 60 Seconds, Elizabeth & Shallow Grave) as a sales rep who frees himself through a magical childhood memory.

The 19th Century French Horror Story has a pedigree as remarkable as that of Britain or America. Born in the aftermath of the French Revolution the genre explores every conceivable fear and fascination from vampirism and diabolicism to alchemy and morbid sexuality. Terry Hale, who works in the Department of Drama at Hull University, has specially dramatised half a dozen of the more macabre offerings for The Humber Mouth.

Terry Hale's The Dedalus Book of French Horror: The 19th Century was published to considerable critical acclaim. 'Wickedly funny' (The Guardian), 'a heady brew of vampirism, ghostly gore and sexual misbehaving' (Scotland on Sunday). Copies will be available on the night.