CategoryIndie
Independent horror: micro-budget features, short films and first-time filmmakers doing more with less — and often doing it better.
2,257 stories
IndieMoviesNewsShudderStreaming TVTrailers
Get ready to be unsettled by Gateway, a new horror film directed by Niall Owens. The film boasts a stellar 90% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has received rave reviews. The movie takes viewers on a chilling journey into the heart of a seemingly ordinary abandoned house that’s far from ordinary. Gateway features a talented cast of rising stars, including Tim Creed (“Vikings”), Kevin Barry (Michael Inside), Laurence Ubong Williams (The Capture), and Fiona Hardy (Axman). They are joined by John Ryan Howard, Jimmy Smallhorne, Ryan McParland, and Dafhyd Flynn. The film’s synopsis offers a glimpse into the unsettling premise: a group of desperate criminals stumble upon something sinister within the walls of an abandoned house. But have they truly discovered a hidden horror, or has it discovered them? To mark Gateway’s streaming release on Shudder from Dark Sky Films, several new clips are now available to pique your curiosity and heighten the anticipation. Watch them below, then pop
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
Prepare to be unsettled. Thine Ears Shall Bleed, a chilling new horror film from writer-director Ben Bigelow, arrives on digital platforms this July. The film follows a devout minister’s family traveling westward in a covered wagon. Their journey takes a horrifying turn when they encounter a mysterious sound emanating from the depths of the woods. Initially mistaking it for a divine sign, they soon discover a far more sinister truth. As the unearthly sounds intensify, the family’s faith and sanity begin to crumble. The film promises a suspenseful exploration of religious devotion and the terrifying unknown. Thine Ears Shall Bleed stars Andrew Hovelson, Hannah Cabell, Lucas Near-Verbrugghe, Lea Zawada, and Duke Huston. Settle in for a white-knuckled ride when this unsettling tale arrives on digital platforms on July 9th, followed by its UK release on the 15th.
Continue reading →
DocumentariesEventsFilm FestivalsForeignFrom the CryptIndieMoviesNewsThriller
When Fantasia International Film Festival, Canada’s legendary genre film fest, makes announcements, we here at Horror Fuel take notice, and we want to share the good news about the event with our readers. Following is the official press announcement about the second wave of thrillers, chillers, and other fantastic fare for this year’s edition. The Fantasia International Film Festival will celebrate its upcoming 28th edition with an electrifying program of screenings, workshops, and launch events running from July 18 through August 4, 2024, returning yet again at the Concordia Hall and J.A. de Sève cinemas, with additional screens and events at Montréal’s Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Musée. The festival’s full lineup will be announced on July 3, but in the meantime, Fantasia is excited to reveal a select second wave of premiere titles, along with the recipient of their 2024 Canadian Trailblazer award. OPENING FILM: ANT TIMPSON’S BOOKWORM, STARRING ELIJAH WOOD AND NELL FISHER Fantasia’s 28th edition will open
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesParanormalReviews
Who got their relationship hoo-ha all mixed-up with supernatural shenanigans? Well the new anthology from filmmaker Jimmy Drain, Realm of Shadows for one… and lucky for you cats n’ creeps that’s the feature I’ll be slappin’ my putrid peepers on and given the ol’ standard substandard revoltin’ review treatment! After we are introduced to the Sisters of the Moon; a gaggle of gals, lead by the devilish Nalum (Erika Monet), hell bent on relating their visions of the battle for men’s souls as they struggle to obtain the mystical… and apparently pretty damn powerful Dagger of Destiny… from some priest-types. These visions form the basis of the stories presented for our vicious viewing pleasure! We are soon introduced to Malick (Drain), a dude with the hots for multiple ladies, which of course leads to raucous results once he makes his preternatural pick, followed by a journey into a relationship influenced by those witches mmentioned up yonder… so again, expect decidedly
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
Acclaimed independent film distributor Oscilloscope Laboratories has secured the U.S. distribution rights for The Vourdalak, a captivating 18th-century vampire tale helmed by director Adrien Beau. This atmospheric horror thriller is set to debut this month and promises a fresh take on the vampire mythos, predating Bram Stoker’s Dracula by over half a century. The Vourdalak follows the Marquis d’Urfé, a French nobleman, who finds himself lost and injured in the desolate countryside. Seeking refuge, he stumbles upon a secluded manor inhabited by a peculiar family. Their apprehension towards him grows as they anticipate the return of their patriarch, Gorcha. Upon his arrival, a horrifying truth is revealed – Gorcha is no longer the man they knew. Adapted from a lesser-known novella, The Vourdalak offers a unique perspective on the vampire legend. This atmospheric and unsettling film aims to leave audiences both reeling and exhilarated. Starring Kacey Mottet Kelin, Ariane Labed, Gregoire Colin, and Vassili Schneider, The Vourdalak premiered at the
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
Prepare to be unsettled! Dark Star Pictures will release the critically acclaimed horror film Property on Digital and on-demand this May. And it should be on your “must-see” list. Property has been racking up awards during its festival tour, winning Best Picture at the prestigious Fantastic Fest. It has gone on to impress audiences, screening at Sitges, Edinburgh, Berlin, and twenty other festivals. This film offers more than just visceral thrills. Writer and director Daniel Bandeira crafts a thought-provoking narrative that explores the political undertones of violence and the complexities of power dynamics. And does so with a tense, brutal tale. Property centers on a wealthy couple whose peaceful retreat is shattered by the arrival of laborers from the surrounding farm. Tensions escalate, forcing both sides to confront a brutal reality. With its exploration of societal issues interwoven with terrifying suspense, Property is a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll. Bandeira assembles a talented cast,
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
Terror Films Releasing has now announced the upcoming release of Witches’ Well, a chilling found-footage horror film written, directed, and starring Amanda K. Morales (Hell House LLC 2: The Abaddon Hotel). Morales portrays Leona, a best-selling horror author who is researching the Scottish Witch trials in Edinburgh. As Leona delves deeper into her subject matter, the lines between reality and the supernatural begin to blur. She’s not only stalked by a mysterious figure but also experiences phenomena that challenge her ingrained skepticism. The film’s creation stemmed from an unexpected source. While quarantined in Edinburgh during the COVID-19 pandemic, Morales found inspiration in her isolation and the city’s haunting history. The daily walks she took past the “Witches’ Well” memorial sparked a story about confronting skepticism and the allure of believing. Witches’ Well is a unique cinematic experience featuring Morales as the quasi-documentarian thrust into the heart of the horror. While acknowledging the limitations of a single performer, Morales emphasizes the
Continue reading →
DocumentariesForeignIndieMoviesReviews
There’s nothing that hits quite like Italian horror cinema of the ’80s to mid-’90s. It is often outrageous, spectacularly gore-drenched, surreal and completely one-of-a-kind (even when it lifts elements from Hollywood fright flick blockbusters)… and just as it was rockin’ and rollin’, the wheels came off the cart shortly after the release of Michele Soavi’s kinda-sorta Dylan Dog adaptation, Cemetery Man in 1994. How did this occur? Well, that is precisely what Nocturno magazine’s Davide Pulici aims to decipher in Claudio Lattanzi’s (1988’s Zombi 5: The Killing Birds) documentary Il Tempo del Sogna. Following the journey from Lamberto Bava’s 1985 monsterpiece Demons, with a special focus given to the troubled production of it’s second sequel (which would eventually be retooled into Soavi’s The Church in 1989), on through late-era Fulci, and to late in the game stragglers such as 1997’s The Wax Mask (directed by effects maestro Sergio Stivaletti) we hear first-hand accounts of both the production of beloved fright
Continue reading →
DocumentariesFilm FestivalsForeignIndieMoviesNewsThriller
Canada’s Fantasia International Film Festival brings a drool-worthy feast of genre cinema to Montreal every year, and the first wave announcement for the fest’s 2024 edition — set for July 18 through August 4 — boasts a buffet of amazing features. Following is the official press announcement. The Fantasia International Film Festival will celebrate its upcoming 28th edition with an electrifying program of screenings, workshops, and launch events running from July 18 through August 4, 2024, returning yet again at the Concordia Hall and J.A. de Sève cinemas, with additional screens and events at Montreal’s Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Musée. The festival’s full lineup will be announced on July 3, but this past Thursday, Fantasia exclusively revealed its first seventeen titles and a first look at its 2024 poster art. Please find the information below. The festival’s 2024 poster art, created by Montreal visual artist Donald Caron, brings back two of the festival’s most-beloved characters from earlier editions, returning
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
The 70s-style psychedelic horror Inverted explodes onto VOD platforms and DVD this May. It plunges you into the story of unsuspecting hippies and a twisted satanic cult out to fight a holy war. The victims face a horrifying choice: join the crusade or fight for their very survival against one of history’s most savage satanic sects. Inverted boasts a cast guaranteed to excite horror fans. The iconic Susan Lanier, who starred in The Hills Have Eyes, leads the charge. Joining her are genre veterans Maria Olsen (I Spit On Your Grave: Deja Vu) and Jeremy Gladen (I See You). The cast also includes rising stars Hannah Keeley (No Game Like Foxes) and Destinie Orndoff (Red Eye). Inverted is the brainchild of the filmmaking duo of Tristan Clay and Destinie Orndoff of Deranged Minds. The original story comes from Orndoff, while Clay takes the helm as director. Deranged Minds is grateful to the horror community for their unwavering support and to
Continue reading →
More from Indie
IndieMoviesNewsShudderStreaming TVTrailers
Get ready to be unsettled by Gateway, a new horror film directed by Niall Owens. The film boasts a stellar 90% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has received rave reviews. The movie takes viewers on a chilling journey into the heart of a seemingly ordinary abandoned house that’s far from ordinary. Gateway features a talented cast of rising stars, including Tim Creed (“Vikings”), Kevin Barry (Michael Inside), Laurence Ubong Williams (The Capture), and Fiona Hardy (Axman). They are joined by John Ryan Howard, Jimmy Smallhorne, Ryan McParland, and Dafhyd Flynn. The film’s synopsis offers a glimpse into the unsettling premise: a group of desperate criminals stumble upon something sinister within the walls of an abandoned house. But have they truly discovered a hidden horror, or has it discovered them? To mark Gateway’s streaming release on Shudder from Dark Sky Films, several new clips are now available to pique your curiosity and heighten the anticipation. Watch them below, then pop
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
Prepare to be unsettled. Thine Ears Shall Bleed, a chilling new horror film from writer-director Ben Bigelow, arrives on digital platforms this July. The film follows a devout minister’s family traveling westward in a covered wagon. Their journey takes a horrifying turn when they encounter a mysterious sound emanating from the depths of the woods. Initially mistaking it for a divine sign, they soon discover a far more sinister truth. As the unearthly sounds intensify, the family’s faith and sanity begin to crumble. The film promises a suspenseful exploration of religious devotion and the terrifying unknown. Thine Ears Shall Bleed stars Andrew Hovelson, Hannah Cabell, Lucas Near-Verbrugghe, Lea Zawada, and Duke Huston. Settle in for a white-knuckled ride when this unsettling tale arrives on digital platforms on July 9th, followed by its UK release on the 15th.
Continue reading →
DocumentariesEventsFilm FestivalsForeignFrom the CryptIndieMoviesNewsThriller
When Fantasia International Film Festival, Canada’s legendary genre film fest, makes announcements, we here at Horror Fuel take notice, and we want to share the good news about the event with our readers. Following is the official press announcement about the second wave of thrillers, chillers, and other fantastic fare for this year’s edition. The Fantasia International Film Festival will celebrate its upcoming 28th edition with an electrifying program of screenings, workshops, and launch events running from July 18 through August 4, 2024, returning yet again at the Concordia Hall and J.A. de Sève cinemas, with additional screens and events at Montréal’s Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Musée. The festival’s full lineup will be announced on July 3, but in the meantime, Fantasia is excited to reveal a select second wave of premiere titles, along with the recipient of their 2024 Canadian Trailblazer award. OPENING FILM: ANT TIMPSON’S BOOKWORM, STARRING ELIJAH WOOD AND NELL FISHER Fantasia’s 28th edition will open
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesParanormalReviews
Who got their relationship hoo-ha all mixed-up with supernatural shenanigans? Well the new anthology from filmmaker Jimmy Drain, Realm of Shadows for one… and lucky for you cats n’ creeps that’s the feature I’ll be slappin’ my putrid peepers on and given the ol’ standard substandard revoltin’ review treatment! After we are introduced to the Sisters of the Moon; a gaggle of gals, lead by the devilish Nalum (Erika Monet), hell bent on relating their visions of the battle for men’s souls as they struggle to obtain the mystical… and apparently pretty damn powerful Dagger of Destiny… from some priest-types. These visions form the basis of the stories presented for our vicious viewing pleasure! We are soon introduced to Malick (Drain), a dude with the hots for multiple ladies, which of course leads to raucous results once he makes his preternatural pick, followed by a journey into a relationship influenced by those witches mmentioned up yonder… so again, expect decidedly
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
Acclaimed independent film distributor Oscilloscope Laboratories has secured the U.S. distribution rights for The Vourdalak, a captivating 18th-century vampire tale helmed by director Adrien Beau. This atmospheric horror thriller is set to debut this month and promises a fresh take on the vampire mythos, predating Bram Stoker’s Dracula by over half a century. The Vourdalak follows the Marquis d’Urfé, a French nobleman, who finds himself lost and injured in the desolate countryside. Seeking refuge, he stumbles upon a secluded manor inhabited by a peculiar family. Their apprehension towards him grows as they anticipate the return of their patriarch, Gorcha. Upon his arrival, a horrifying truth is revealed – Gorcha is no longer the man they knew. Adapted from a lesser-known novella, The Vourdalak offers a unique perspective on the vampire legend. This atmospheric and unsettling film aims to leave audiences both reeling and exhilarated. Starring Kacey Mottet Kelin, Ariane Labed, Gregoire Colin, and Vassili Schneider, The Vourdalak premiered at the
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
Prepare to be unsettled! Dark Star Pictures will release the critically acclaimed horror film Property on Digital and on-demand this May. And it should be on your “must-see” list. Property has been racking up awards during its festival tour, winning Best Picture at the prestigious Fantastic Fest. It has gone on to impress audiences, screening at Sitges, Edinburgh, Berlin, and twenty other festivals. This film offers more than just visceral thrills. Writer and director Daniel Bandeira crafts a thought-provoking narrative that explores the political undertones of violence and the complexities of power dynamics. And does so with a tense, brutal tale. Property centers on a wealthy couple whose peaceful retreat is shattered by the arrival of laborers from the surrounding farm. Tensions escalate, forcing both sides to confront a brutal reality. With its exploration of societal issues interwoven with terrifying suspense, Property is a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll. Bandeira assembles a talented cast,
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
Terror Films Releasing has now announced the upcoming release of Witches’ Well, a chilling found-footage horror film written, directed, and starring Amanda K. Morales (Hell House LLC 2: The Abaddon Hotel). Morales portrays Leona, a best-selling horror author who is researching the Scottish Witch trials in Edinburgh. As Leona delves deeper into her subject matter, the lines between reality and the supernatural begin to blur. She’s not only stalked by a mysterious figure but also experiences phenomena that challenge her ingrained skepticism. The film’s creation stemmed from an unexpected source. While quarantined in Edinburgh during the COVID-19 pandemic, Morales found inspiration in her isolation and the city’s haunting history. The daily walks she took past the “Witches’ Well” memorial sparked a story about confronting skepticism and the allure of believing. Witches’ Well is a unique cinematic experience featuring Morales as the quasi-documentarian thrust into the heart of the horror. While acknowledging the limitations of a single performer, Morales emphasizes the
Continue reading →
DocumentariesForeignIndieMoviesReviews
There’s nothing that hits quite like Italian horror cinema of the ’80s to mid-’90s. It is often outrageous, spectacularly gore-drenched, surreal and completely one-of-a-kind (even when it lifts elements from Hollywood fright flick blockbusters)… and just as it was rockin’ and rollin’, the wheels came off the cart shortly after the release of Michele Soavi’s kinda-sorta Dylan Dog adaptation, Cemetery Man in 1994. How did this occur? Well, that is precisely what Nocturno magazine’s Davide Pulici aims to decipher in Claudio Lattanzi’s (1988’s Zombi 5: The Killing Birds) documentary Il Tempo del Sogna. Following the journey from Lamberto Bava’s 1985 monsterpiece Demons, with a special focus given to the troubled production of it’s second sequel (which would eventually be retooled into Soavi’s The Church in 1989), on through late-era Fulci, and to late in the game stragglers such as 1997’s The Wax Mask (directed by effects maestro Sergio Stivaletti) we hear first-hand accounts of both the production of beloved fright
Continue reading →
DocumentariesFilm FestivalsForeignIndieMoviesNewsThriller
Canada’s Fantasia International Film Festival brings a drool-worthy feast of genre cinema to Montreal every year, and the first wave announcement for the fest’s 2024 edition — set for July 18 through August 4 — boasts a buffet of amazing features. Following is the official press announcement. The Fantasia International Film Festival will celebrate its upcoming 28th edition with an electrifying program of screenings, workshops, and launch events running from July 18 through August 4, 2024, returning yet again at the Concordia Hall and J.A. de Sève cinemas, with additional screens and events at Montreal’s Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Musée. The festival’s full lineup will be announced on July 3, but this past Thursday, Fantasia exclusively revealed its first seventeen titles and a first look at its 2024 poster art. Please find the information below. The festival’s 2024 poster art, created by Montreal visual artist Donald Caron, brings back two of the festival’s most-beloved characters from earlier editions, returning
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
The 70s-style psychedelic horror Inverted explodes onto VOD platforms and DVD this May. It plunges you into the story of unsuspecting hippies and a twisted satanic cult out to fight a holy war. The victims face a horrifying choice: join the crusade or fight for their very survival against one of history’s most savage satanic sects. Inverted boasts a cast guaranteed to excite horror fans. The iconic Susan Lanier, who starred in The Hills Have Eyes, leads the charge. Joining her are genre veterans Maria Olsen (I Spit On Your Grave: Deja Vu) and Jeremy Gladen (I See You). The cast also includes rising stars Hannah Keeley (No Game Like Foxes) and Destinie Orndoff (Red Eye). Inverted is the brainchild of the filmmaking duo of Tristan Clay and Destinie Orndoff of Deranged Minds. The original story comes from Orndoff, while Clay takes the helm as director. Deranged Minds is grateful to the horror community for their unwavering support and to
Continue reading →
