Hebrew horror, killer santas, carrot-wielding maniacs, demented descents, a Werewolf musical, the end of the world and Troll Hunters – it can only be Film4 FrightFest, back for a terrifying twelfth year. Everyone’s favourite U.K. genre film festival is back to present a total of 37 spine-tinglers in two screens. This is Sound On Sight’s third year in partnership with FrightFest, and every year John McEntee and Al White provide some killer film reviews from the fest. Check out the list of films below.
From Thurs 25 August to Monday 29 August the UK’s premiere event for horror fans will be at the Empire Cinema in London’s Leicester Square to present 37 films in two screens. Empire 1 will house the main event while the Discovery strand will play in Empire 4. There are eleven countries represented, with seven world premieres and a record-equalling twenty UK or European premieres.
This year’s line-up reflects a healthy resurgence of home grown talent, with a record ten Brit titles in the line-up, including Ben Wheatley’s brutal chiller KILL LIST (pictured left), Cristian Solimeno’s psychological twister THE GLASS MAN, THE WICKER TREE (the eagerly awaited companion piece to ‘The Wicker Man’) and cyber-space shocker PANIC BUTTON. Then there’s Alex Chandon’s riotously gore-soaked INBRED, Susan Jacobson’s sinister thriller THE HOLDING, trippy terror GUINEA PIGS, directed by Ian Clarke and the closing night film A LONELY PLACE TO DIE. Plus, in the Discovery Screen, we have Sean Hogan’s dread-ridden gem THE DEVIL’S BUSINESS and Dan Turner’s nerve-shredding thriller STORMHOUSE.
From America there are a plethora of exciting titles including the eagerly-awaited TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL, which is well worth the wait, as is the zombie comedy DEADHEADS. DETENTION is the movie Scream 4 should have been and Lucky McKee’s THE WOMAN and Ti West’s THE INNKEEPERS are further prime examples of American contemporary horror at its very best. Also, from the depraved minds of Adam Rifkin, Tim Sullivan, Adam Green and Joe Lynch we have the anthology CHILLERAMA. Plus, FrightFesters will be one of the first audiences in the world to see the blockbusters FINAL DESTINATION 5 3D and FRIGHT NIGHT 3D.
Two countries to have never ever made a horror film before are represented this year – Switzerland’s stunning SENNENTUNTSCHI: CURSE OF THE ALPS and Israel’s remarkable RABIES (pictured below). From Europe there is also the Dutch sensation SAINT and the German subterranean shocker URBAN EXPLORERS. From Australia we have the opening night film DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK.
This year’s Discovery strand offers twelve titles, including the gripping, twisty A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE, the Swedish fear-freezer BLOOD RUNS COLD, the vampire indie MIDNIGHT SON. the fantastic Paul Naschy documentary THE MAN WHO SAW FRANKENSTEIN CRY and the intense home-invasion movie KIDNAPPED
Other special events in the main auditorium include our usual bestselling attraction – The International Short Film Showcase, which this year, is sponsored by The Horror Channel, the line-up for which will be announced soon. This terrifying treat is double-billed with the clamoured for return of ‘ANDY NYMAN’S QUIZ FROM HELL 2.
Total Film Magazine will be presenting LARRY FASSENDEN IN CONVERSATION WITH JAMIE GRAHAM, plus AMERICAN HORROR: A PANEL DISCUSSION where Larry Fessenden will be joined on stage by Ti West, Lucky McKee, Adam Green, Joe Lynch and Andrew van den Houten to discuss the US scare scene. This is your chance to get the inside track on where American horror is right now.
Plus there’s a free screening of THE DEAD accompanied by a live commentary by the Ford brothers. One of the hits of last year’s festival, this is a chance to get the low-down on what really happened behind the scenes.
Julia Wrigley, Head of Film4 Channel, said: ‘We are delighted to be the headline sponsor of Film4 FrightFest for the fifth successive year. It is bigger and better than ever, and we are particularly excited by the record amount of British films in the line-up, including the thrillingly inventive Film4 Production, Kill List. The FrightFest fortnight on the channel is always one of our most popular recurring seasons, and this year promises to be more terrifying than ever.’
Although this year’s guest list is still to be finalised, we can reveal that, alongside those joining the panel discussion, are Dick Maas, director of SAINT, Michael Steiner, director of SENNENTUNTSCHI, Robin Hardy, director of THE WICKER TREE, Emily Hagins, director of MY SUCKY TEEN ROMANCE, Buddy Giovinazzo, Karim Hussein and David Gregory, directors of THE THEATRE BIZARRE, and the cast and crews from Ben Wheatley’s KILL LIST, Alex Chandon’s INBRED, Cristian Solimeno’s THE GLASS MAN, The Pierce Brothers’ DEADHEADS, Susan Jacobson’s THE HOLDING, Chris Crow’s PANIC BUTTON, Julian Gilbey’s A LONELY PLACE TO DIE and Sean Hogan’s THE DEVIL’S BUSINESS. Plus there will be plenty of surprise guests – in the true FrightFest fashion.
Festival & day passes go on sale from 2nd July. Tickets for Individual films on sale from 1st August.
Bookings: 08 714 714 714 or www.empirecinemas.co.uk
