20th Annual Screamfest Horror Film Festival Announces Drive-In Lineup
| The 20th annual Screamfest Horror Film Festival today announced their lineup of features and shorts, kicking off with a drive-in screening of Hulu’s Books of Blood. The festival, which will run from October 6-15, 2020, is the largest and longest running horror film festival in the United States. This year the festival will move entirely to drive-in screenings with a lineup of ten back-to-back nights of fright, each showcasing a feature film paired with a number of shorts. Tickets can be purchased here: https://screamfestla.com/ Screamfest LA will kick off on October 6th with the Opening Night screening of Books of Blood, based on Clive Barker’s acclaimed and influential horror anthology Books of Blood. The feature from director Brannon Braga and executive producer Seth MacFarlane is slated to premiere as a Hulu original film on October 7th. The film will screen under the stars at the stunning opening night location of Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, CA, and will take audiences on a journey into uncharted and forbidden territory through three uncanny tales tangled in space and time. The feature stars Britt Robertson, Rafi Gavron, Anna Friel, Yul Vazquez, and Freda Foh Shen. Related Article: Poster & Release Date for Clive Barker’s BOOKS OF BLOOD on Hulu Considered the “Sundance of Horror,” Screamfest premieres and showcases new work from American and international independent horror filmmakers. Highlights from this year’s program include the LA premieres of: Thirst, the first ever Icelandic gay splatter vampire flick; Sanzaru, a captivating ghost story from filmmaker Xia Magnus; and The Brain That Wouldn’t Die, a Frankenstein story with a retro twist. Australian psychological horror Sweet River, from director Justin McMillan, will make its North American debut, as well as Damian McCarthy’s feature film debut Caveat. US premieres include: Adam Stovall’s imaginative paranormal romance A Ghost Waits (currently at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes); French writer/director Baptiste Rouveure’s Anonymous Animals; Australian apocalyptic dinner party An Ideal Host; and social media teen slasher Initiation from Screamfest alum John Berardo, which was recently acquired by Saban Films. “2020 has been challenging for everyone and certainly not how we planned on celebrating Screamfest’s 20th edition, but we’re thrilled to be able to continue to serve the LA community and give our hardworking filmmakers the premieres they wholeheartedly deserve with our lineup of drive-in titles,” says festival founder Rachel Belofsky. “In this unprecedented, uncharted territory of hosting an entirely drive-in festival, we are honored that these wonderfully frightening films have entrusted Screamfest LA to be their festival home, and we’re excited for the opportunity to showcase the horror and sci-fi genre to LA audiences.” Formed in August 2001 by film producer Rachel Belofsky, Screamfest Horror Film Festival is a female-run 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that gives filmmakers and screenwriters in the horror and science fiction genres a venue to have their work showcased in the film industry. |
| Please find the 2020 Screamfest feature line-up below: A Ghost Waits (US, 2020) – US Premiere Directed by Adam Stovall Written by Adam Stovall, MacLeod Andrews Produced by Adam Stovall, MacLeod Andrews Cast: MacLeod Andrews, Natalie Walker Jack’s job is to fix up the house. Muriel’s job is to haunt it. They should be enemies, but they become fascinated by one another and eventually smitten, leading them to question everything about their work, lives, and decisions. But as the pressure mounts for them to fulfill their duties, something will have to give for them to have the time together they both so desperately want. An Ideal Host (Australia, 2020) – US Premiere Directed by Robert Woods Written by Tyler Jacob Jones Produced by Robert Woods, Tyler Jacob Jones Cast: Nadia Collins, Evan Williams, Naomi Brockwell, St John Cowcher Liz just wants to host the perfect dinner party but an unexpected guest sends the evening into chaos, with potentially apocalyptic consequences. Anonymous Animals (France, 2020) – US Premiere [Featured Image] Directed by Baptiste Rouveure Written by Baptiste Rouveure Produced by Anonymous Animals Films Cast: Thierry Maros, Aurélien Chilarski, Pauline Guilpain, Emilien Lavaut The balance of power between man and animal is reversed. In a remote countryside, any encounter with the dominant can become hostile. At the crossroads of fantastic and suspense kind, Anonymous Animals questions the place of animals in our societies. Related Article: Extreme French Horror is Alive and Well in Sick Trailer for ANONYMOUS ANIMALS Books of Blood (US, 2020) – Opening Night Directed by Brannon Braga Written by Brannon Braga & Adam Simon, based on the short story by Clive Barker with contributing original material Cast: Britt Robertson, Rafi Gavron, Anna Friel, Yul Vazquez, and Freda Foh Shen Executive Producers: Braga, Seth MacFarlane, Erica Huggins, Alana Kleiman, Brian Witten, Jeff Kwatinetz, Josh Barry, Clive Barker and Adam Simon Co-executive Producer: Mark Miller Producers: Jason Clark and Joe Micucci The film comes from Touchstone Television and Fuzzy Door, headed by MacFarlane and Huggins. Based on Clive Barker’s acclaimed and influential horror anthology BOOKS OF BLOOD, this feature takes audiences on a journey into uncharted and forbidden territory through three uncanny tales tangled in space and time. The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (US, 2019) – LA Premiere Directed by Derek Carl Written by Hank Huffman Produced by Molly Preston, Derek Carl, Hank Huffman, Daniel Timothy Treacy Cast: Rachael Perrell Fosket, Patrick D. Green, Jason Reynolds, David Withers, Robert Blanche, Mia Allen Set in the early sixties, The Brain That Wouldn’t Die follows the misadventures of Dr. Bill Cortner (Patrick Green), a brilliant surgeon, whose unorthodox practices produce fantastic results – the reanimation of dead tissue. Bill’s father and mentor, William, cautions his son against meddling with the forces of nature, but Bill insists that his work will bring an end to human mortality. Bill’s methods are put to the test when his fiancée, Jan Compton (Rachael Perrell Fosket), is decapitated in a car accident. Absconding with her remains to his secret laboratory, Bill successfully revives Jan’s head in a pan. She begs for death but Bill refuses to oblige, promising that he can make her whole again. Putting his assistant, Kurt (Jason Reynolds), in charge of the lab, Bill leaves to find Jan a new body, knowing full well that he will have to murder an innocent woman to do so. Bill’s quest takes him through the seedy underbelly of the city, from smoky cabarets to sleazy swimsuit competitions. Despite his efforts, Bill is foiled at every turn, narrowly avoiding the suspicions of Mancini (Robert Blanche), the hardboiled detective investigating the car accident. However, Bill’s luck changes when he chances upon an old flame, Doris Powell (Mia Allen), a vulnerable model with surgical needs. Meanwhile, Jan, determined to bring an end to the madness, uses her newly discovered psychic abilities to communicate with another of Bill’s hideously deformed experiments. Together, they plot their revenge… Caveat (UK, 2020) – North American Premiere Directed by Damian Mc Carthy Written by Damian Mc Carthy Produced by Justin Hyne Cast: Ben Caplan, Jonathan French, Leila Sykes A lone drifter, Isaac suffering from partial memory loss accepts a job from his old landlord Barrett, to look after his niece Olga, a psychologically troubled woman living in an abandoned house on an isolated island. When Barrett convinces Isaac to confine his movements to the house and leaves the two of them alone, a game of cat and mouse ensues with Isaac fighting to survive amid the terrifying resurgence of his own memory. Initiation (US, 2020) – US Premiere Directed by John Berardo Written by John Berardo, Lindsay LaVanchy, Brian Frager Produced by Brian Frager, John Berardo, JP Castel, Stephanie Stanziano, Lindsay LaVanchy, Jon Huertas Cast: Jon Huertas, Isabella Gomez, Lindsay LaVanchy, Froy Gutierrez, Gattlin Griffth, Patrick Walker, James Berardo, Bart Johnson, Shireen Lai, Kent Faulcon, Yancy Butler, Lochlyn Munro Teen horror is back with a vengeance in this edgy slasher about a cruel social media game that spins out of control. Whiton University unravels the night a star-athlete is murdered in the wake of a hidden assault allegation, kicking off a spree of social media-linked slayings. As a masked killer targets students across campus, a trio of sorority sisters race to uncover the truth behind the school’s hidden secrets – and the horrifying meaning of an exclamation point – before they become the killer’s next victims. Sanzaru (US, 2019) – LA Premiere Directed by Xia Magnus Written by Xia Magnus Produced by Alyssa Polk, Anthony Pedone, Nathan Hertz Cast: Ania Dumlao, Justin Arnold, Jayne Taini, Jon Viktor Corpuz When a mild Filipina nurse is hired by an elderly woman declining into dementia, the walls between this world and the next crumble as she uncovers her employer’s shocking family secret. Sweet River (Australia, 2020) – North American Premiere Directed by Justin McMillan Written by Eddie Baroo, Marc Furmie Produced by Ashley McLeod Cast: Lisa Kay, Martin Sacks, Jack Ellis, Charlotte Stent Hannah’s search for her son’s body leads her to sleepy Billins, where her investigations uncover more than she expected and threaten to expose the town’s dark secrets….secrets that both the living and the dead will fight to protect. Thirst (Iceland, 2019) – LA Premiere Directed by Steinþór Hróar Steinþórsson, Gaukur Úlfarsson Written by Björn Leó Brynjarsson Produced by Haraldur Hrafn Thorlacius Cast: Hjörtur Sævar Steinason, Hulda Lind Kristinsdóttir, Jens Jensson Hulda is a drug addict, arrested and accused of murdering her brother. After she is let go because of insufficient evidence, she meets Hjörtur, a thousand-year-old vampire. Together they have to fight a cult while being investigated by a rogue detective. |
| Please find the 2020 Screamfest shorts line-up below: A WAKE (US) Directed by Lauren Brown Three sisters struggle to hide how their father’s death haunts them. ABRACITOS (Spain) Directed by Tony Morales A terrible phone call in the middle of the night shakes Laura’s world. Meanwhile, little Ainara plays in her room. The appearance of an anknow being? will test the mental and emotional stability of the two sisters. ALVIN (US) Directed by Christy Anna Wu Alvin Cruz, a lonely remote network engineer, finds solace in video games and binge eating. After suffering a heart attack, he wakes to find himself held captive in a suspicious medical facility. Unflappable nurse Kathy and charismatic Dr. Miller force Alvin to comply with treatment for his addiction. Despite his protests, Alvin must overcome internal anguish and sad truths. THE APPOINTMENT (US/UK) Directed by Alexandre Singh In this playful, supernatural tale by visual artist Alexandre Singh, a curmudgeonly novelist, Henry Salt, wakes from a nightmare to find a troubling entry in his diary: 12 o’clock at the restaurant ‘La Folie’. But whom is Henry meeting, and why doesn’t he remember making this appointment? When no one shows, Henry becomes obsessed with solving the mystery. Charging through a series of increasingly surreal encounters, Henry discovers that the truth is more disturbing than he could have possibly imagined. AXE TO THE FACE (US) Directed by Andrew Moorehead Anna and Dylan meet on a dating app, and the two begin a budding relationship. As their chemistry progresses, we begin to see there is more to this seemingly chance encounter than we were originally led to believe. One thing’s for sure — someone is getting an axe to the face. BECKY (US) Directed by Nicole Ihasz Becky, a bullied teen, wants to be Steph and Ariel’s friend, but when she learns that these popular girls are responsible for a nasty rumor about her father, she seeks revenge. Becky and her dad take matters into their own hands… and relish every part. BOS (Belgium) Directed by Steffen Geypens The forest is suspiciously quiet. The wind rustles softly through the leaves, the sun reflects on the moist soil, no animals can be seen. The only thing that disturbs this peace is the panting of two jogging teenagers. When they reach an open space, the tension suddenly arises. THE CHAIR-MAKER (US/Mexico) Directed by Esteban Garcia Vernaza After receiving an anonymous letter, Marie develops an epistolary relationship with the sender who mysteriously can see everything she does. CIRCLE OF STONE (US) Directed by Mark Andrews When rural cops respond to a call for help from one of their own, their search through the woods reveals what happened to a young girl stolen away sixty years before. They find themselves stuck in a supernatural world with their only escape to fight their way out. CLEAN (US) Directed by Frank H. Woodward A man living peacefully in self quarantine discovers a troubling spot. DAY 14 (US) Directed by Sean Tretta Two young siblings must take care of their dangerously ill parent and protect each other from the outside world during a pandemic. F*CKING GHOSTS (US) Directed by Jason Cook What if a family bought a new house that was haunted by ghosts… that had sex all over the place? What if the ghosts were just people under sheets? What if there was a Scottish priest involved? I set out to find some answers. FACELIFT (US) Directed by Virat Pal Essie is a middle-aged, depressed woman who is unhappy with the lines and wrinkles age has brought her way. One day she receives a mysterious mask that helps her retrieve her lost beautiful, youthful looks. But there are strict rules to be followed, the violation of which may lead to sinister consequences. FEED YOUR MUSE (US) Directed by Brendan Beachman Andrew is an aspiring but broke novelist. After acquiring a sculpture purported to be the “muse” of a famous dead author, Andrew begins waking up every day filled with creative inspiration. But, at night, he starts to experience an unsettling form of sleep paralysis. FONDATIONS (Canada) Directed by Matthew Fournier Katie is inviting friends to help with renovations in the basement, but her boyfriend Benjamin seems strangely determined to push back the work at all costs. FRAGILE.COM (US) Directed by Alison-Eve Hammersley A teenage girl with acting dreams, an empty wallet, and a broken heart is approached by a charming man who promises her fame, fortune, and affection—if she agrees to livestream herself crying for his niche website, Fragile.com. GOOD HEAD (US) Directed by Izzy Ezagui A man awakens in a strange room to discover he no longer has a body. GUEST (UK) Directed by Finn Callan A young woman takes drastic measures to rid herself of a mysterious, otherworldly presence known as “the Guest”. HAMMURABI (US) Directed by Patrick Kennelly HAMMURABI is a short about a woman on a mission in the desert with her beat-up Toyota Celica. Communication is hard, so she must use all the tools at her disposal to deliver an important message to a man she believes is her estranged father… the guy she has hog-tied in the trunk of the car. HANSEL (Greece) Directed by Vivian Papageorgiou A young boy is trapped in a Gingerbread House which underneath hides a gloomy world, while his mother is desperately trying to find the gate that will take him out of there. THE HAUNTED SWORDSMAN (US) Directed by Kevin McTurk In this epic handcrafted puppet film, a lone samurai and his odd companion, a cursed severed head, seek vengeance in a haunted world. HELLEVATE (US) Directed by Dusty Brown A man must deal with an elevator company’s incompetent customer service while stuck between floors. THE HISTORY OF MONSTERS (US) Directed by Juan Pablo Arias Muñoz Haunted every night by monsters of unknown origin, an isolated woman finds a stranger in the woods and struggles between her safety and her sexual desires. HOSTILE (Spain) Directed by Carlos Sánchez Arévalo Samsa, an Asian tourist who has just arrived in Barcelona, has rented her room through an Internet App. Upon arriving at the house where she is staying will discover a hostile place run by the tenant Gregori, an anthropologist who has traveled all over the world studying ancient tribes and their rites. Samsa will immediately notice that his intentions hide going one step beyond being a good host but here everyone keeps their own secrets. HUMAN TRASH (Spain) Directed by Aitor Almuedo A boy is thrown into a trash container from the future. In his frantic search for the exit, he runs into a mysterious man, who will make him doubt the origin of his own existence. I LOVE EVE (Russia) Directed by Kristina Manzhula Nastya has only one friend called Eve. A dark creature living in a tunnel at an abandoned hydroelectric station. One day, the girl decides to escape from her mother and her new lover, but Eve comes to their house. IN THE MIRRORS (US) Directed by Merlin Camozzi In town for a job interview, Clara discovers she has much bigger problems than a nerve-wracking meeting when her AirBnB turns out to be haunted by invisible creatures. THE INFILTRATION (US) Directed by Flynn Falcone A professional cult infiltrator goes undercover to penetrate a mysterious group and spring his client’s mind-controlled daughter. He quickly discovers that the cult is much more dark and dangerous than he originally bargained for… INTO THE UNCANNY VALLEY (US) Directed by Liz Fania Werner and Carlos Montaner When a woman takes a new drug meant to enhance assertiveness by blocking empathy, she ends up locked in a deadly power struggle with her dismissive husband. Mousy Hana is thrilled to discover a new pill that temporarily disables the empathy center of the brain so that people who have always had trouble putting themselves first can finally get a chance to succeed in life and love. Her husband, Aleksi, calls all the shots in their marriage, largely by criticizing and manipulating her into feeling sorry for him. With the help of the drug, Hana hopes to assert herself and improve their relationship. At first, the pill seems to be paying off: she’s able to stand up for herself and meet her needs. But there’s a downside: when the drug wears off, all of her guilt comes rushing back. In order to avoid these attacks, Hana increases her dosage and, as a result, begins to lose her humanity. Into the Uncanny Valley is a psychological horror/thriller with a touch of dark comedy that explores the cost of choosing to live without empathy – a trait traditionally associated with the feminine – in order to succeed in a man’s world. KALLEY’S LAST REVIEW (US) Directed by Julia Bailey Johnson Aspiring beauty vlogger Kalley is positively determined to finish her first sponsored review video for an unknown brand’s chemical peel. KLAUS EATS BUTTERFLIES (US) Directed by Shane Aquino Had anybody known that Molly’s DNA code was 14% butterfly, they probably would not have brought Klaus on as a guest seeing as his skin secretes (Z)-9-tetradecenol (Z9-14:OH), hexadecanal (16:Ald ) and 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-ol (6,10,14-trime-15-2-ol). THE LAST LEAF (US) Directed by Sia Aleskovskaya Haunted by dark visions and unable to protect her family, Cathy has a final chance to save her lover Sue and stand up against the mysterious gentleman that has haunted her since childhood. THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (New Zealand) Directed by April Phillips As a young television news reporter, Annie Harper covered the exciting story of “Evolution 2”; the vaccine that promised to eradicate all birth defects in an attempt to achieve genetic perfection. Now, in the aftermath of a resultant global pandemic, Annie is a sole survivor who shelters in the devastatingly lonely spaces of the television studios, broadcasting a desperate message in the hope of finding other survivors. Her enormous relief at discovering she’s not alone quickly becomes a new fight for life and she is forced to question what makes a human worthy of survival. Who would you trust to be mankind’s last hope? LET THE GHOST PASS (US / Sweden) Directed by Andreas Thelander A homeless man tries to keep people away from Priest Street in Stockholm every night when a furious ghost comes, but one day the man dies and becomes a ghost himself. THE LITTLE ONE (Serbia) Directed by Danilo Beckovic Cell phone is a teenager’s best friend, especially when he goes on a family trip with parent and an annoying kid sister. However when the zombie apocalypse begins, the friendship is put to a test. MAKE A WISH (US) Directed by Dinh Thai A light-hearted comedy about the sweetest fiancé giving her boyfriend the best present ever. MASTERPIECE (US) Directed by Matthew Merenda and Alex Henes A lonely girl discovers a mysterious pen with the power to bring her drawings to life. But everything she conjures… comes with a consequence. MEAT LOVERS (US) Directed by Daniel Stebbins To satisfy her appetite, a young woman must juggle dealing with her salacious lover and a mysterious pizza order. METAVISION (US) Directed by Jai Love Malcolm is an angry 26 year old who lives on the fringes of society. While desperately straddling the blurred lines of sanity, Malcolm receives a self-help tape in the mail from an unusual organisation called MetaVision. Soon, Malcolm finds himself slowly deconstructing his own identity as well as the societal constructs around him, as the tape might offer more than just harmless advice. MIME (UK) Directed by Mark Lediard and Gavin Williams A self-involved pedestrian accidentally angers a sinister street Mime… and pays a heavy price. MIME (Netherlands) Directed by Ruwan Heggelman A dimension-shifting mime player is disturbed in his peace by a student fraternity. His response is unexpected: by using the fourth wall, he turns their world on its head; literally. However, his powers are useless to achieve romance. MIND OVER MATTER (UK) Directed by Paul Cheung Mind Over Matter is a short film set in the not-too-distant future that pays homage to the art scene… warts and all. We join the opening night of an anonymous Artist’s new exhibition of work as he unveils his most daring collection of art to date. What price would you pay for art? MINIATURE (US) Directed by Samuel Gonzalez Jr. A young woman discovers the strange reality of the town where her best friend disappeared. Now they must get out before it’s too late. MOURN (Canada) Directed by Joanna Tsanis A grief counselor is visited by a very disturbed man. MURDER FOR DUMMIES (US) Directed by Meredith Red One body, two low rent strippers and a seismic “Chaingazism” of blood, guts and Splatstick fun is Murder for Dummies. After Kandy Kane kills her abusive dickhead of a husband, she recruits her BFF and fellow three dollar stripper Misty May to rid themselves of the body. As his lifeless corpse goes from trailer park to trailer park Kandy & Misty’s friendship is tested. Hiding a decomposing body is harder then red panty night at Wet Willies. “Murder for Dummies” is a guide to killing your husband without breaking a nail! MY MOTHER MARY (US) Directed by David Lee & Alex Pappas A young boy begins to suspect his mother may be possessed by a demonic entity. MY VICTIMS OF TRUE CRIME (Canada) Directed by Ryan Curtis When two women search for vigilante justice, they are blind to the fact that they don’t really know the woman offering the answer to their prayers NECRO-MAN (Israel) Directed by Tal Shmunis A con-artist Duo, one’s a Jewish the other’s Muslim, performs (false) exorcisms and rituals for the religiosity naive, comes across a real live Dybbuk that confronts them with their most private sins. A NIGHT AT CAMP HEEBIE JEEBIE (US) Directed by Dylan Chase During a stormy night in Camp Heebie Jeebie, 5 girls realize the ghost stories they are telling each other might not be just stories. OUT OF ORDER (US) Directed by Brandon & Cameron Laventure In 1946 New York City, three total strangers board their first-ever automatic elevator. When it lowers them into a strange world of darkness and danger, they must find a way to escape. THE POPPING (US) Directed by Shelby Pogue A popcorn character from the “Let’s All go to The Lobby” advertisement accidentally runs off his film strip and into the world of the movie playing next, a slasher horror film. As Popcorn explores this new world he comes face to face with the villain of the story and the horrors he has left lying around. After seeing the slasher villain murder someone in a bedroom, Popcorn is frightened and runs for his life. Popcorn is able to find momentary safety in the bathroom of the house until the slasher villain breaks in the door and has popcorn in his clutches. Popcorn is able to escape the hands of the slasher by shoving his popcorn in the slasher’s mouth and choking him. As the slasher villain is choking and struggling to breathe popcorn steals his sickle off the floor and breaks through the film strip, jumping out. Popcorn is free falling on the outside of the film strip until he sees the lobby world again, and he jumps back in. Traumatized from the situation Popcorn is gasping for breath back in the advertisement. As the snacks walk back in singing “Let’s All Go to The Lobby” one of them accidentally bumps into Popcorn. This startles Popcorn greatly, and the other snacks run off in fear after seeing him with a sickle, covered in blood, and screaming. In a panicked fear Popcorn takes his sickle and slashes at the film revealing the end. PSYCHO THERAPY (US) Directed by Scott O’Hara When a hot-headed therapist loses control of a group session, the newest member reveals an alarming secret that will make heads roll. RAINY SEASON (Austria) Directed by Patrick Haischberger A couple rents a summer house in a small village. Residents ignore all warnings from local people about upcoming mysterious things and are drawn into a story that repeats itself every seven years, claiming its victims. REGRET (Canada) Directed by Santiago Menghini Following the death of his father, a man must survive the manifestations of his inner demons over the course of a dreary night. THE RULE OF THREE (US) Directed by Elwood Quincy Walker A woman haunted by her OCD and intrusive thoughts must overcome herself and face her inner demons to survive the night in the event of a terrifying home invasion by three masked slashers. SCLERA ABSENTIA (US) Directed by James Furlong A young married couple’s evening takes a terrifying turn when they invite a very strange 12 year-old boy in from the rain. SINS OF A WEREWOLF (Ireland) Directed by David Prendeville When a seasoned parish priest is bitten on the arse by a mysterious animal, he begins transforming into a werewolf every full moon. The ensuing bloodshed leads to a resurgence in Mass attendances from fearful locals, much to the delight of his senior colleagues. SOUND OF SILENCE (Italy) Directed by Alessandro Antonaci, Stefano Mandalà, & Daniel Lascar (“T3”) An old radio turns on and brings much more than just a classic song… Dare to turn it on? STALKERS (US) Directed by Dongjun Kim A story about two stalkers stalking each other for different purposes. A STRANGE CALM (US) Directed by Austin Rourke When 12-year-old Rosie and Miles encounter a strange man on the 4th of July, their journey to the watch the fireworks on the outskirts of town becomes an unexpected fight for survival. A STRANGER FROM THE PAST (Netherlands) Directed by Jan Verdijk When a mechanic opens the hood of a car, he accidentally awakens a dark force of nature. THE TEACHERS (US) Directed by Jaclyn Blythe A new elementary school teacher is just trying to fit in. He’s about to learn just how dark he’ll have to go to join the cool crowd. TEETHING (Canada) Directed by Glen Matthews John, an anti social janitor, works the night shift at the local orphanage. One night he discovers something feeding on one of the children, a colicky baby named Bethany. John attempts to save her but his failure results in a more challenging problem, how will he face the new monster she has become. A TEMPORARY VOID OF REASON (France) Directed by Quarxx Chloé, a young and beautiful teenager, is getting bullied in school. Julia, her mother, won’t be able to face the consequences of her daughter’s despair. . TEN SHOTS (US) Directed by Gordon Shoemaker – A hunter hidden up in his tree stand chances upon gunmen executing hostages. He jumps into action, using his rifle and limited ammo to save the victims. But unfortunately for our hunter, he soon discovers he may not have been intervening on the right side… THEOURGIA (US) Directed by Jorge Jaramillo God was defeated before history by the prince of darkness, and defeated, committed as alleged devil he is doubly disprestiged given that he is attributed this calamitous universe. THINGS WE DIG (US) Directed by Pia Thrasher Lucretia, Kuni, Helge and Brynn are vampires living together under one roof and seem to be settled in rather nicely, each pursuing their hobbies and other undead pleasures. However, in order to function in today’s society and pass as mere mortals, they want to earn an honest living by offering a unique ‘cleaning and disposal’ service. Hoping to boost their struggling business, they hire a small film crew to make a commercial for the dark net. Naturally, it doesn’t take long for human and vampire cooperation to dissolve over bloody creative differences. Will the commercial ever see the light of day and will it please the vampires? VIKAARI (Sri Lanka) Directed by Sandun Seneviratne and Charlie Bray The widespread birth of babies with similar deformities triggers a worldwide panic. Disease is ruled out but the actual cause could be something more terrifying. The children, nicknamed Vikaari, all share a remarkable set of characteristics and may even possess, if rumors are to be believed, paranormal abilities. In Sri Lanka, a multicultural island nation, their arrival creates an atmosphere of political and cultural unrest. Some factions want to eliminate the Vikaari while others want to use them for their own purposes. Among them three key individuals, a professor of evolutionary biology, a social activist and the leader of an extremist right wing group try to take control of the destiny of these remarkable children. In Sanskrit Vikaari means ‘change’ or an ‘entity that can change’. The Vikaari are here and the world is about to change. WARM BLOOD (US) Directed by Marc Van Holt While in solitary confinement, a female prisoner is taunted with photos of her crime. She reminisces about her violent gruesome acts. She clings to those treasured moments to remain in bliss during isolation. WE ALL SCREAM (US) Directed by Chris Lofing and Travis Cluff A young boy with a sweet tooth is visited by a malicious entity in the form of a chilling ice cream man. WOODLAND CEMETERY (Netherlands) Directed by Niels Bourgonje While on assignment a photographer sees an old woman placing a lantern on a grave. When the photographer shoots a picture of this very private moment, she soon finds out that this haunting image is more haunted than she bargained for. YOU AND ME (US) Directed by David Willner & John Willner A young man notices something ominous about his mirror as he prepares for a night out with his beloved. YOU WOULDN’T UNDERSTAND (US) Directed by Trish Harnetiaux An idyllic picnic of one is upended after the arrival of a stranger. ZWART (Netherlands) Directed by Tommie Geraedts When a slightly naïve cosplay-fan gives up a tad too much personal information during verification questions on his computer, he receives a fully customised invitation from his OS in return. After accepting the offer his OS takes over his computer, forcing Ronnie to do everything in his power to keep his dark desires a secret for his approaching wife. |
| ABOUT SCREAMFEST HORROR FILM FESTIVAL Formed in August 2001 by film producer Rachel Belofsky, Screamfest Horror Film Festival is a female-run 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that gives filmmakers and screenwriters in the horror and science fiction genres a venue to have their work showcased in the film industry. Among the numerous films that have been discovered and/or premiered at the festival include “Tigers Are Not Afraid.”, “The Wretched”, “We Summons the Darkness”, “Pledge”, “The Master Cleanse’, “Tragedy Girls”, “American Mary”, Paranormal Activity,” “30 Days of Night,” “Trick ‘r Treat” and “The Human Centipede.” Screamfest hosts monthly screenings year-round such films include “Mom and Dad” starring Nicolas Cage and Selma Blair and many retrospective screenings. ABOUT 2020 SCREAMFEST PARTNERS Screamfest is sponsored by Birns & Sawyer, ELMA, HorrorPack, Deadly Grounds, Simple DCP, Screenplay.com and InkTip. Screamfest is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts and Culture. Screamfest is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs. This activity is supported in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov. For more information or the latest news, visit screamfestla.com SOCIALS Hashtag: #ScreamfestLA Twitter: @screamfest Instagram: @screamfestla Facebook: /Screamfest YouTube: /Screamfestla Among the numerous films that have been discovered and/or premiered at the festival include Tigers Are Not Afraid, The Wretched, We Summons the Darkness, Pledge, The Master Cleanse, Tragedy Girls, American Mary, Paranormal Activity, 30 Days of Night, Trick ‘r Treat, and The Human Centipede. A launchpad for careers, many of the festival’s filmmakers have garnered distribution and representation, including Paranormal Activity, which was discovered and premiered at the festival in 2007. Screamfest has launched the careers of many filmmakers, most notably, the director of Paranormal Activity. Due to Screamfest, director Oren Peli was signed by CAA, who in return sold his film to Stephen Spielberg as a result. The rest is box office history. Filmmakers have garnered managers and agency representation with William Morris Endeavor, CAA, UTA, Paradigm etc. Numerous feature films have garnered distribution with companies such as Lionsgate, IFC Midnight, Epic Pictures, Dimension and more. Director Thomas Aske Berg said the best thing to ever happen to his indie film (Norway’s Vidar the Vampire) was coming to Screamfest, because that’s where they saw it and bought it. In past festivals, Screamfest has hosted 2 days of free screenings and educational workshops for underserved youth (4th grade – 12th grade students). Screamfest selects award winners at the close of the festival. Film entries are accepted in the categories of Best Feature, Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Special Effects and Musical Score. In addition, there are special categories for Best Animation, Best Short, Best Documentary and Best Student Film as well as a Screenplay competition. |
Are you a fan of Screamfest? Are you planning to attend in 2020? Which films and shorts are you most looking forward to screening? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also carry on the convo with me personally on Twitter @josh_millican.
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