San Francisco’s Another Hole in the Head Film Festival is ending 2020 on a high note for horror and genre-film fans by offering a mind-boggling array of almost 300 selections during its December 11-27 online run. Looking for a surreal genre-mash-up? Try Sister Tempest. How about a psychological supernatural thriller — with sharks? Give From the Depths (our featured image for this article) a shot. Interested in a unique approach to a horror classic? Then you’ll want to check out the New Zealand offering The Turn of the Screw. Following is the official press release, with all of the information you’ll need to make a huge must-see list and order tickets.
SF IndieFest is pleased to announce the complete program for the 17th Another Hole In The Head Film Festival which takes place December 11 to 27 via Eventive.org and Zoom.us.
The festival will once again bring the freshest new independent genre films from around the world to San Francisco audiences. The festival will include over forty feature films, and over 250 short films – all available on demand through Eventive. Selected content will also screen live on Zoom during special weekend shows, featuring audience Q&As with the filmmakers.
Tickets are $10; a full pass is $125, ten film pass is $75 and five film pass is $40. There are also numerous free programs. For all festival information, visit https://ahith2020.eventive.org/welcome.
FEATURE FILMS
An Unquiet Grave – A year after losing his wife in a car crash, Jamie convinces her sister to return with him to the site of the accident and help him perform a strange ritual. But as the night wears on, it becomes clear that he has darker intentions. (Director Terence Krey)
Beasts Clawing at Straws – A wild crime thriller about a bag of money left in a sauna and the eight strangers who, spurred by blinding greed, become intricately and dangerously involved. (Director Kim Yong-hoon)
Brave Action – Set in Borneo in the 1840s and the 20th century, this film tells the story of an elderly indigenous man whose neighbors scoff at his tales of Pangait, a modern-day head-hunter. There’s a reason why he disagrees, a reason he has kept hidden. (Director Marcellus Abas)
Cecily and Lydia at the Waypoint Fantasy – On a lush, but lonely earth, Cecily walks. Alone in her house, Lydia waits. One balmy afternoon, the two women meet. (Director Juliette Strangio)
Choir Girl
A down-and-out photographer takes photos of a 15-year-old prostitute, and later tries to rescue her from the thugs who traffic her. How far will a nobody go to be a somebody? (Director John Fraser)
Country of Hotels – Tells the stories of the desperate souls who pass through the doors of 508, a room on the fifth floor of an anonymous, decaying hotel. (Director Julio Maria Martino)
Danni and The Vampire – A madcap drifter tries to reignite a special feeling from her past by helping a vampire achieve his dreams. (Director Max Werkmeister)
Daytime Nightmare
Aspiring actress Lucy finds her life crippled by intense migraines while taking painkillers provided by her housemate. When her ghostly inner self follows her into the real world, Lucy pops more pills, and finds herself in a loop of bizarre hallucinations. (Director Katrina Grey)
Dreamless Drama – Dylan is a transient who escapes reality with opiates. Des is a small town drifter who is equally lost in this parallel universe, but unlike Dylan she is searching for something. Neither of them expected that what they were missing was within each other. (Director Tanner Matthews)
F20 – A psychological thriller about a young girl who stays in the city during summer. She starts a relationship with an odd young man. When her strict father forbids her to join her friend for a weekend trip, she finds a way to escape – but it quickly turns into a bloody nightmare. (Director Arsen Anton Ostojic)
From The Depths – After surviving a shark attack a young woman is plagued by nightmares of being stalked by a ravenous predator, and hallucinations of visits from her sister and boyfriend, both of whom were killed in the attack. (Director Jose Montesinos)
Hawk and Rev: Vampire Slayers
Philip “HAWK” Hawkins doesn’t just dream about killing vampires… he eats, sleeps, drinks and breathes it! Just when it looks like all Hawk’s options in life have expired… Filthy-ass blood-sucking vampires appear! And of course… nobody believes him! (Director Ryan Barton-Grimley)
Imperial Blue – Bulu is a mysterious herb with prophetic powers, which has been kept a secret by healers in the west of Uganda. Chancing upon a small sample of purified bulu in the Indian criminal underworld, an American smuggler sets out to find its source… (Director Dan Moss)
Invention of Nature – Auslaug, a girl from a port town in Texas, finds her dead father’s travel diary the day of her mother’s funeral. The notebook sends her across oceans all the way to the frozen Andes. (Directors Alejandro Sescosse & Sergio Bastani)
Joe Finds Grace – A comic drama about simple-minded Joseph Briteman, a disfigured institute patient who wanders off into an animated world of fantasy and reality in search of his long lost sister. His quest leads him to an encounter with a kind-hearted film star who unwittingly brings him into her unique world of make-believe. (Director Anthony Harrison)
Murder Bury Win
Three friends create a board game, and they think it has what it takes to become an indie bestseller. When their attempt to crowdfund fails, a mysterious man makes them an offer: he will publish their game on the condition that he gets full credit7/4. The premise of their game? How to murder someone… and get rid of the body. (Director Michael Lovan)
Parallel Minds – In the near future, a technology firm is on the verge of developing a revolutionary contact lens that records human sight to replicate memories. When the company’s lead researcher is murdered at the time of the product’s release, an old-fashioned police detective and an intrepid researcher are drawn into the investigation of an elusive digital shapeshifter. (Director Benjamin Ross Hayden)
Precarious Fantasy – A young man searches for a cursed fortune in an inescapable 1960s dreamscape. (Director Weston Terray)
Shakespeare’s Sh*tstorm – Two decades after Tromeo and Juliet, the Troma Team goes back to the bard for a TROMAtic adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” (Director Lloyd Kaufman)
Sister Tempest – Anne Hutchinson’s troubled relationship with her missing sister is under alien tribunal. Meanwhile, her new roommate’s mysterious illness causes her to go on a cannibalistic killing spree. (Director Joe Badon)
Some Southern Waters – After his girlfriend’s death, an aimless musician spirals into a genre-bending fever dream. (Director Julian Baner)
Stray Dogs – After a man’s beloved dog passes, he embarks on a backpacking trip with his brother to bury the dog where he was found. Along the way they encounter a stranger who turns out to be a killer on the run. (Director Adam Gascho)
The Big Kitty – Distraught Princess Yukova Illinaditch hires Private Detective Guy Boyman to investigate the kidnapping of her cat. Together, they battle a shifty cast of characters; and are tricked, drugged, tied up, shot at and blown up. They will need all their courage, determination and invention to get to the heart of the mystery, but something darker is afoot, prowling the backlots and alleys of the city. (Directors Lisa Barmby and Tom Alberts)
The Big Ugly – Anglo-American relations go bad when London mob bosses invest in a West Virginia oil deal, hoping to launder dirty money. (Director Scott Wiper)
The Curse of Willow Song
A recovering addict is released on probation after serving her prison term for arson. Facing systemic racism and socioeconomic displacement, Willow’s new life on the outside is stymied. She can’t escape the nightmares, as her own shadow self comes to life. (Director Karen Lam)
The Deep Ones – A married couple rents a beach side Airbnb only to be surrounded by peculiar neighbors and occurrences. They soon discover they’re in the grips of mysterious cult members and their ancient sea god. (Director Chad Ferrin)
The Explorer – In the heart of the largely unexplored Congo Basin forest hides the Mokele-mbembe, a semi-aquatic animal whose shape and dimensions resemble those of a sauropod dinosaur. (Director Alexandre Brecher)
The Last Thanksgiving – A family of cannibalistic pilgrims attacks a restaurant that stays open for Thanksgiving. (Director Erick Lorinc)
The Lost End – A man investigates the seaside disappearance of his wife and eight-year-old son. Led by clues and strange people, he discovers a mysterious cult hidden under an old western town. A psychedelic game begins. (Director Alexander Salabaschew)
The Return – After the death of his father, a brilliant college student returns to his family home. There he learns that the horrors from his childhood aren’t as dead and gone as he once thought. (Director BJ Verot)
The Statement – At lunchtime, soldiers of the Military Police occupy the counter of a decadent bar, to eat greasy food without paying the bill. While eating, in addition to talking about their routine of extreme violence in one of the largest cities in the world, they give voice to what is most hidden in the depths of their minds. (Director Amadeo Canônico)
The Turn of the Screw
An actress finds she is the last minute replacement for another actress in a stage adaptation of Henry James’ Victorian novel, The Turn of the Screw. Arriving at the theatre late at night for a dress rehearsal, she is immediately thrown on stage and into her role. Julia begins to believe that not only is the fictitious house haunted… but also the theatre itself! (Director Alex Galvin)
Victim of Love – Charly is looking for his American girlfriend, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances in a Copenhagen hotel. Charly decides to revisit the hotel to finally solve the mystery, but his investigation is quickly derailed by a mysterious receptionist, sending him into a phantasmagorical nightmare. (Director Jesper Isaksen)
Wander – After getting hired to probe a suspicious death in the small town of Wander, Arthur Bretnik, an increasingly paranoid private investigator, becomes convinced the case is linked to the same conspiracy cover up that caused the death of his daughter. (Director April Mullen )
Willie, Jamaley & The Cacacoon – Childhood friends Willie and Jamaley embark on a quest to prove the existence of a local mythological creature known as The Cacacoon. (Directors Ryan Dellaquila and ler Schnabel)
LIVE SHOWS ON ZOOM
[All Friday, Saturday and Sunday shows feature live Q&A with the filmmakers]
Saturday, December 5, 7pm
Festival Previews (Free!)
The festival staff will be on hand to screen trailers for this year’s films, and discuss them live with the filmmakers.
Registration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8rXxFhgBTUazs8lD2C6xv w
Sunday, December 6, 5 pm
Festival Previews Part Two (Free!)
The festival staff will be on hand to screen trailers for this year’s films, and discuss them live with the filmmakers.
Registration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ndHrbOFERa6tYN3g6pRY 1A
Friday, December 11, 8 pm
Terminator: The Dark Years (A Fan Film)
This celebration of the franchise aims to create something nostalgic, yet new. Compiled by Josh Nitsche.
Registration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-XlHenGcQaCaWmUvuyh 6mA
Saturday, December 12
4 pm: Assorted Short Films
An eclectic mix of themes and genres.
6 pm: Cecily and Lydia at the Waypoint
Directed by Juliette Strangio
On a lush, but lonely earth, Cecily walks. Alone in her house, Lydia waits. One balmy afternoon, the two women meet in this Twilight Zone-styled Fantasy film.
8 pm: Murder Bury Win
Directed by Michael Lovan
In this thriller, a mysterious stranger offers to publish an indie board game—if the creators agree to relinquish all credit.
Registration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_86P60RzDTtSAkGY7lVq0 Gg
Sunday, December 13
4 pm: Assorted Short Films
An eclectic mix of themes and genres.
6 pm: Danni and The Vampire
Directed by Max Werkmeister
A madcap drifter tries to reignite a special feeling from her past by helping a vampire achieve his dreams in this Horror Comedy.
8 pm: Joe Finds Grace
Directed by Anthony Harrison
A disfigured institute patient wanders off into an animated world of fantasy and reality in search of his long lost sister.
Registration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_V_PItGdIREqdOwU0RQYZ tw
Thursday, December 17, 7 pm
Live Game Show Special (Free!)
Guess the classic genre films and win prizes!
Registration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1W6gAIJtS5i3M1EMrhsG AQ
Friday, December 18, 8 pm
Jorge Torres-Torres’ Supercut (A Fan Film)
The man behind Evil Dead Revision brings us his latest creation, drawing from Death Wish and other great films.
Registration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_r-4juwuQTqSSiSnwhqvsb A
Saturday, December 19
4 pm: Assorted Short Films
An eclectic mix of themes and genres.
6 pm: Precarious
Directed by Weston Terray
A young man searches for a cursed fortune in an inescapable 1960s dreamscape. This surreal film was shot in Emeryville, Berkeley, and Petaluma.
8 pm: Sister Tempest
Directed by Joe Badon
A woman’s troubled relationship with her missing sister becomes the subject of an alien tribunal in this dark sci-fi comedy.
Registration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_J30MG84DRXOZc4U7Qgn DhQ
Sunday, December 20
10 am: Assorted Short Films, Foreign Edition
An eclectic mix of themes and genres from around the world.
12 pm: Country of Hotels
Directed by Julio Maria Martino
Surreal and darkly comic incidents occur in a rundown hotel.
2 pm: The Statement
Directed by Amadeo Canônico
Over lunch, members of the Brazilian Military Police force discuss their routine of violence and give voice to what is most hidden in the depths of their minds.
Registration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-5A7z-xiSNO4y-HcVsAqe A
Thursday, December 24, 6:30 pm
Christmas Eve Mystery Double Feature (Free!)
Two secret features and classic Christmas cartoons.
Registration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5e6ajuZWSKeKmsC0-JqfJ Q
Friday, December 25, 7 pm
The Last Thanksgiving
Directed by Erick Lorinc
A family of cannibalistic pilgrims attacks a restaurant that stays open for Thanksgiving.
Registration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_o8nEvHObR_eYSc_WDdd rlw
SHORTS PROGRAMS
This year’s festival showcases over 250 short films! For program information, visit https://ahith2020.eventive.org/films.
