CategoryFilm Festivals
Horror film festivals worldwide — lineups, awards and the titles that break out of the festival circuit.
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Prepare for a chilling cinematic experience.The supernatural thriller Queen of Bones has now secured theatrical distribution ahead of its February debut at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. Featuring a talented young cast, including Julia Butters (The Fabelmans), Jacob Tremblay (The Toxic Avenger, 2023), and Martin Freeman (“Fargo”), the film promises to weave a captivating tale of mystery and suspense. The Story: In 1931, in Oregon, siblings Lily (Butters) and Sam (Tremblay) discover a mysterious spell book hidden within their remote home. This unearthing leads them down a rabbit hole of suspicion. That casts doubt on their widowed father’s (Freeman) past and their beloved mother’s tragic death. Joined by their father’s friend, Ida May (Taylor Schilling, “Orange Is the New Black”). The siblings embark on a perilous quest to uncover the truth. They must confront the dark forces lurking in the surrounding woods. Behind the Scenes: Directed by Robert Budreau (“Born to be Blue”), Queen of Bones marks a reunion for
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviews
I’m a very hard sell on new zombie movies. In a subgenre of horror films that I personally feel is growing ever weaker on originality, I’m open minded, however, in finding new discoveries with a unique take on things. Director Thea Hvistendahl’s Norwegian feature Handling the Undead — adapted from Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist’s (Let The Right One In) novel, with a screenplay cowritten by the pair — is one such film, a remarkable dramatic take on the undead. Handling the Undead focuses on grief rather than gore as three families who have lost loved ones find that their deceased members have returned to life — in a sense — after a mysterious phenomenon occurs. The returned ones are weak, barely breathing and sometimes barely moving. The hope from their family members and lovers is felt along with confusion and unease. They have already been grieving, and some now fear that they may lose their loved ones once again.
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviews
Writer/director Jon Bell combines post-pregnancy horror with social commentary in his Australian feature The Moogai, the 2024 expansion of his 2021 short film. The result is a mixed bag, as Bell addresses the tragic aspect of Australia’s infamous “Stolen Generations” — when thousands of mixed-race children of Australian Aboriginal descent between 1910–1970 were forcibly taken from their homes by the white government in an assimilation effort — using a monster as a metaphor. Expectant mother Sarah (Shari Sebbens) has recently come into contact with her Indigenous birth mother Ruth (Tessa Rose). She feels she has nothing in common with Ruth and is short-tempered with her and dismissive of her traditional beliefs. Sarah’s husband Fergus (Meyne Wyatt) and their young daughter Chloe (Jahdeana Mary), however, are very affectionate toward Ruth. After the birth of the couple’s son Jacob, Ruth attempts to ward off the coming of the child-stealing spirit called The Moogai in her daughter’s home using traditional rituals, which is
Continue reading →
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For its 16th edition, A Night of Horror International Film Festival moves from Australia to the United States — Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to be exact — from March 1–3, 2024, and the fest’s first wave announcement promises something for horror fans of every stripe. Following is the official press announcement. A Night of Horror International Film Festival announces its first programming wave for 2024 today. Long known as Australia’s premier genre film event, the festival now takes place in the United States. This year, the festival’s 16th edition – and first in the US – screens from March 1-3, at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. “To move a fest I co-founded in Sydney, Australia, back in 2006, to America feels surreal”, says festival director Dean Bertram. “A Night of Horror has long taken pride in being recognized for its excellence in showcasing the best and bloodiest new horror films from around the globe. And this year’s program
Continue reading →
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It is January 22, 2024 as I write this review, and I have my first strong candidate for my list of best films of 2024: writer/director Fabio D’Orta’s genre-blending Italian chiller The Complex Forms. With his film, which he himself lensed in luscious black-and-white, D’Orta uses for inspiration classic cinema both Italian and international, investing these inspirations with a modern sensibility and a maverick vision. The budget may have been low, but the look of the film — including fantastical, beautifully rendered creature design — belies that fact. Christian Del Ben (David White) is down on his luck to the point that he has agreed to sell the use of his body to a mysterious entity for a sum of money that will help him get back on his feet. This takes place in a mysterious villa, the location of which none of the men who have made the pact know about. Del Ben is roommates with the affable Luh
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsMoviesReviewsShort Films
THE LOOMING So often in horror films the elderly are portrayed as scary or creepy subjects, something to fear, run from, or even kill. Occasionally, they are treated with more reverence and respect than usual in fright-fare cinema, such as in director Natalie Erika James’s Relic (2020). Writer/director Masha Ko’s new short The Looming is another such film that examines the plight of the aged and lonely, delivering heartbreak along with horror. Seventy-year-old Chester (Joseph Lopez in an absolutely amazing performance) begins to hear terrifying noises in his home, where he lives alone, and his fears are dismissed both at his job and by his adult daughter, who refuses to come to his home to discuss the matter. Something is indeed, as the title says, looming around Chester, though. Ko has crafted a superb-looking, emotionally charged work that draws attention to the importance of the fears of the elderly, and to how they deserve our attention. I give The Looming
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsMoviesReviewsShort Films
Legend of El Cucuy Folklore horror meets problems of modern parenting in writer/director Cynthia Garcia Williams’ short film Legend of El Cucuy. Laura (Diana Sanchez) and Carlos (Effie Cacarnakis) are attempting to raise their young daughter Isabel (Obriella Genesis Witron) with as much freedom from rules at home and school as possible, but when the girl starts really acting up, Carlos attempts to straighten her out some by telling her the tale of El Cucuy, a ghostlike monster that kidnaps disobedient children, with origins in folk tales from Spain and Portugal. The short boasts great cinematography and a fine score, impressive performances, engaging direction, and impressive CGI and practical effects makeup work. It is certainly worthy of being expanded into a feature-length film. PU EKAW TNOD In writer/director Rebecca Culverhouse’s U.K. horror short PU EKAW TNOD, a young couple (Dorothea Jones and Harold Addo) watch a horror film together when they discover that they are suddenly in a dreamworld —
Continue reading →
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After premiering at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, one movie, Steven Soderbergh‘s film Presence, left viewers shook. The psychological horror thriller that stars Lucy Liu, Julia Fox, and Chris Sullivan was so intense that some audience members walked out. Not because it wasn’t good, but because it was too intense. Written by David Koepp, the movie centers around the Payne family. After moving into a new house, they soon discover they are not alone. Presence is a haunted house movie. However, there is a twist: the story is told from the perspective of the entity that haunts the family. According to Variety, when it premiered at Sundance, it proved to be too much to handle for some. Several viewers exited the film before its end, reportedly saying, “I cannot take this stress so late at night.” One of the viewers stated they suffered from “edge-of-the-seat anxiety.” But viewers were not the only ones affected by Presence. Cast members have indicated
Continue reading →
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FrightFest, the UK’s No.1 horror fantasy event, returns to the renowned Glasgow Film Festival for its 19th year, from Thurs 7 March to Sat 9 March 2024. This year’s diverse and creative line-up, once again housed at the iconic Glasgow Film Theatre, showcases the latest new releases from the horror, chiller and fantastic realms by auteurs from all over the globe who are not only transforming the genre in exciting ways but also celebrating its consistent appeal at the box office. This year we will be presenting twelve films from eight countries, spanning three continents, including two world and eight UK premieres. Festival co-director Alan Jones says, “We live in amazing times of change in the delivery of the audiovisual experience, but festivals like the GFF and FrightFest remain constant and committed to bringing all of these advances together for lively debate because the magic of cinema knows no boundaries”. FrightFest kicks off in thrilling style on Thurs 7 March
Continue reading →
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Aficionados of high strangeness and offbeat films, make your plans now to attend this year’s edition of MidWest WeirdFest, happening March 1-3, 2024 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Festival Founder and Programming Director Dean Bertram has once again selected an incredible array of the odd, the unusual, and the terrifying. Following is the official press announcement. MidWest WeirdFest announces its first programming wave for 2024 today. The cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird, is now in its 8th year. The festival takes place March 1-3, 2024 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. “Prepare for your first glimpse into the inner sanctum of 2024’s cinematic chapel of the weird”, says festival founder and programming director Dean Bertram. “Today, MidWest WeirdFest is delighted to announce this year’s first wave of feature programming. And it’s loaded with weirdness: from aspirational super villains and blind (and blind drunk) avengers, through UFOs
Continue reading →
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Film FestivalsMoviesNews
Prepare for a chilling cinematic experience.The supernatural thriller Queen of Bones has now secured theatrical distribution ahead of its February debut at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. Featuring a talented young cast, including Julia Butters (The Fabelmans), Jacob Tremblay (The Toxic Avenger, 2023), and Martin Freeman (“Fargo”), the film promises to weave a captivating tale of mystery and suspense. The Story: In 1931, in Oregon, siblings Lily (Butters) and Sam (Tremblay) discover a mysterious spell book hidden within their remote home. This unearthing leads them down a rabbit hole of suspicion. That casts doubt on their widowed father’s (Freeman) past and their beloved mother’s tragic death. Joined by their father’s friend, Ida May (Taylor Schilling, “Orange Is the New Black”). The siblings embark on a perilous quest to uncover the truth. They must confront the dark forces lurking in the surrounding woods. Behind the Scenes: Directed by Robert Budreau (“Born to be Blue”), Queen of Bones marks a reunion for
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviews
I’m a very hard sell on new zombie movies. In a subgenre of horror films that I personally feel is growing ever weaker on originality, I’m open minded, however, in finding new discoveries with a unique take on things. Director Thea Hvistendahl’s Norwegian feature Handling the Undead — adapted from Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist’s (Let The Right One In) novel, with a screenplay cowritten by the pair — is one such film, a remarkable dramatic take on the undead. Handling the Undead focuses on grief rather than gore as three families who have lost loved ones find that their deceased members have returned to life — in a sense — after a mysterious phenomenon occurs. The returned ones are weak, barely breathing and sometimes barely moving. The hope from their family members and lovers is felt along with confusion and unease. They have already been grieving, and some now fear that they may lose their loved ones once again.
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviews
Writer/director Jon Bell combines post-pregnancy horror with social commentary in his Australian feature The Moogai, the 2024 expansion of his 2021 short film. The result is a mixed bag, as Bell addresses the tragic aspect of Australia’s infamous “Stolen Generations” — when thousands of mixed-race children of Australian Aboriginal descent between 1910–1970 were forcibly taken from their homes by the white government in an assimilation effort — using a monster as a metaphor. Expectant mother Sarah (Shari Sebbens) has recently come into contact with her Indigenous birth mother Ruth (Tessa Rose). She feels she has nothing in common with Ruth and is short-tempered with her and dismissive of her traditional beliefs. Sarah’s husband Fergus (Meyne Wyatt) and their young daughter Chloe (Jahdeana Mary), however, are very affectionate toward Ruth. After the birth of the couple’s son Jacob, Ruth attempts to ward off the coming of the child-stealing spirit called The Moogai in her daughter’s home using traditional rituals, which is
Continue reading →
EventsFilm FestivalsForeignIndieMoviesNews
For its 16th edition, A Night of Horror International Film Festival moves from Australia to the United States — Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to be exact — from March 1–3, 2024, and the fest’s first wave announcement promises something for horror fans of every stripe. Following is the official press announcement. A Night of Horror International Film Festival announces its first programming wave for 2024 today. Long known as Australia’s premier genre film event, the festival now takes place in the United States. This year, the festival’s 16th edition – and first in the US – screens from March 1-3, at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. “To move a fest I co-founded in Sydney, Australia, back in 2006, to America feels surreal”, says festival director Dean Bertram. “A Night of Horror has long taken pride in being recognized for its excellence in showcasing the best and bloodiest new horror films from around the globe. And this year’s program
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviews
It is January 22, 2024 as I write this review, and I have my first strong candidate for my list of best films of 2024: writer/director Fabio D’Orta’s genre-blending Italian chiller The Complex Forms. With his film, which he himself lensed in luscious black-and-white, D’Orta uses for inspiration classic cinema both Italian and international, investing these inspirations with a modern sensibility and a maverick vision. The budget may have been low, but the look of the film — including fantastical, beautifully rendered creature design — belies that fact. Christian Del Ben (David White) is down on his luck to the point that he has agreed to sell the use of his body to a mysterious entity for a sum of money that will help him get back on his feet. This takes place in a mysterious villa, the location of which none of the men who have made the pact know about. Del Ben is roommates with the affable Luh
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsMoviesReviewsShort Films
THE LOOMING So often in horror films the elderly are portrayed as scary or creepy subjects, something to fear, run from, or even kill. Occasionally, they are treated with more reverence and respect than usual in fright-fare cinema, such as in director Natalie Erika James’s Relic (2020). Writer/director Masha Ko’s new short The Looming is another such film that examines the plight of the aged and lonely, delivering heartbreak along with horror. Seventy-year-old Chester (Joseph Lopez in an absolutely amazing performance) begins to hear terrifying noises in his home, where he lives alone, and his fears are dismissed both at his job and by his adult daughter, who refuses to come to his home to discuss the matter. Something is indeed, as the title says, looming around Chester, though. Ko has crafted a superb-looking, emotionally charged work that draws attention to the importance of the fears of the elderly, and to how they deserve our attention. I give The Looming
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsMoviesReviewsShort Films
Legend of El Cucuy Folklore horror meets problems of modern parenting in writer/director Cynthia Garcia Williams’ short film Legend of El Cucuy. Laura (Diana Sanchez) and Carlos (Effie Cacarnakis) are attempting to raise their young daughter Isabel (Obriella Genesis Witron) with as much freedom from rules at home and school as possible, but when the girl starts really acting up, Carlos attempts to straighten her out some by telling her the tale of El Cucuy, a ghostlike monster that kidnaps disobedient children, with origins in folk tales from Spain and Portugal. The short boasts great cinematography and a fine score, impressive performances, engaging direction, and impressive CGI and practical effects makeup work. It is certainly worthy of being expanded into a feature-length film. PU EKAW TNOD In writer/director Rebecca Culverhouse’s U.K. horror short PU EKAW TNOD, a young couple (Dorothea Jones and Harold Addo) watch a horror film together when they discover that they are suddenly in a dreamworld —
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsMoviesNews
After premiering at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, one movie, Steven Soderbergh‘s film Presence, left viewers shook. The psychological horror thriller that stars Lucy Liu, Julia Fox, and Chris Sullivan was so intense that some audience members walked out. Not because it wasn’t good, but because it was too intense. Written by David Koepp, the movie centers around the Payne family. After moving into a new house, they soon discover they are not alone. Presence is a haunted house movie. However, there is a twist: the story is told from the perspective of the entity that haunts the family. According to Variety, when it premiered at Sundance, it proved to be too much to handle for some. Several viewers exited the film before its end, reportedly saying, “I cannot take this stress so late at night.” One of the viewers stated they suffered from “edge-of-the-seat anxiety.” But viewers were not the only ones affected by Presence. Cast members have indicated
Continue reading →
EventsFilm FestivalsMoviesNews
FrightFest, the UK’s No.1 horror fantasy event, returns to the renowned Glasgow Film Festival for its 19th year, from Thurs 7 March to Sat 9 March 2024. This year’s diverse and creative line-up, once again housed at the iconic Glasgow Film Theatre, showcases the latest new releases from the horror, chiller and fantastic realms by auteurs from all over the globe who are not only transforming the genre in exciting ways but also celebrating its consistent appeal at the box office. This year we will be presenting twelve films from eight countries, spanning three continents, including two world and eight UK premieres. Festival co-director Alan Jones says, “We live in amazing times of change in the delivery of the audiovisual experience, but festivals like the GFF and FrightFest remain constant and committed to bringing all of these advances together for lively debate because the magic of cinema knows no boundaries”. FrightFest kicks off in thrilling style on Thurs 7 March
Continue reading →
EventsFilm FestivalsMoviesNews
Aficionados of high strangeness and offbeat films, make your plans now to attend this year’s edition of MidWest WeirdFest, happening March 1-3, 2024 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Festival Founder and Programming Director Dean Bertram has once again selected an incredible array of the odd, the unusual, and the terrifying. Following is the official press announcement. MidWest WeirdFest announces its first programming wave for 2024 today. The cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird, is now in its 8th year. The festival takes place March 1-3, 2024 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. “Prepare for your first glimpse into the inner sanctum of 2024’s cinematic chapel of the weird”, says festival founder and programming director Dean Bertram. “Today, MidWest WeirdFest is delighted to announce this year’s first wave of feature programming. And it’s loaded with weirdness: from aspirational super villains and blind (and blind drunk) avengers, through UFOs
Continue reading →
