News

The Chattanooga Film Festival returns for its 12th annual edition from June 20–28, and its recently unveiled first wave of programming proves that this killer fest is showing absolutely zero signs of slowing down. Known for championing the offbeat, the terrifying, and the downright unclassifiable, Cff 2025 promises to be one of the year’s most exciting showcases of horror and genre.

Kicking things off with a splash, Cff’s 2025 Opening Night selection is the U.S. premiere of Hot Spring Shark Attack, a bonkers horror comedy from Japan presented in partnership with Utopia. The aquatic carnage continues post-screening with a full-blown indoor beach party featuring surf rockers Big Kahuna, tropical drinks courtesy of Cathead Distillery, and a karaoke clambake that promises everyone gets lei’d.

But as with anything great in life, sharks are just the beginning…

This year’s slate features an electrifying mix of world and U.S. premieres,...

Etheria Film Festival, the world’s leading showcase for horror, science fiction, and fantasy films directed by women, has announced the launch of its new feature film screening series, Etheria Presents, with the Los Angeles premiere of Izzy Lee’s House of Ashes! The prescient film tackles the ever-looming fears of women losing bodily auntomy as fascism rises both in the United States and around the world.

The premiere event will take place on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at the Los Feliz 3 Theater, presented in partnership with the American Cinematheque. Etheria Presents will continue with bi-monthly screenings of groundbreaking new genre features by women directors throughout 2025 and 2026.

In House of Ashes:

Still reeling from a miscarriage, Mia grieves her husband Adam, found dead at the veterinary clinic they owned. She’s been acquitted of Adam’s death, but is under public scrutiny and must serve a house arrest sentence due to...

A few years ago, the idea of a woman being prosecuted for having a miscarriage or stillbirth sounded like something out of a dystopian horror movie. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, this scenario has become a horrifying reality. Filmmaker Izzy Lee’s debut horror feature film, House of Ashes, cleverly utilizes the powerful combination of grief, loss of bodily autonomy, and toxic masculinity to tell a story that is contemporary and remarkably effective, led by a powerhouse performance from Fayna Sanchez.

House of Ashes was written by Izzy Lee and Steve Johanson (Meat Friend) and directed by Lee. Producers include C. Robert Cargill, Jenn Wexler, and Kyle Edward Ball (Skinamarink), and filmmaker Joe Lynch even has a cameo.

The film follows a woman named Mia (Fayna Sanchez), who is living in a nightmare she can’t wake up from. Mia and her husband Adam (Mason Conrad) run a...

Salem Horror Fest has announced the initial wave of programming for its 8th annual event, running April 30-May 4 in nine venues across Salem, Massachusetts.

Over 60 Official Selections — shorts, interludes (15-60 minutes), and feature length — will screen, in addition to repertory screenings, live podcasts, and other special events.

The annual opening night celebration at the Peabody Essex Museum will feature a Q&a with horror icon Ashley Laurence moderated by Rue Morgue‘s Andrea Subissati; a screening of Hellbound: Hellraiser II; keynote speaker Professor Tananarive Due, author of The Reformatory and executive producer of Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror; announcement of jury prizes; and a screening of the winning short.

Special Events

Local Mass Hysteria – A collection of shorts from New England filmmakers (April 30) Opening night with Ashley Laurence, Tananarive Due, and a screening of Hellbound: Hellraiser II (May 1) Book signing and panel with five horror authors including Tananarive...

Exonerated of the murder of her husband Adam, Mia Sheldon (Fayna Sanchez) still finds herself under house arrest and for twelve months as the result of her being the first woman convicted courtesy of a draconian update of the law, which now considers miscarriage a criminal act. Sharing her enforced living space with boyfriend – or is he? – Marc (Vincent Stalba), Mia tries to deal with her grief while being bullied by her boorish Probation Officer Davis (Lee Boxleitner) and hassled by online media celebrity pest Lexi ShokToks (Laura Dromerick) who’s trying to get some juicy background on the woman she disgracefully refers to as a “miscarriage killer.”

If Mia and Marc’s relationship wasn’t being tested enough, a series of strange occurrences plague the house. Mia suspects supernatural forces are at work but Marc thinks someone human must be targeting them because of Mia’s current profile and...

Acclaimed filmmaker, writer, and festival favourite Izzy Lee makes a triumphant return to Pigeon Shrine FrightFest Glasgow with the International Premiere of her highly anticipated debut feature, House of Ashes. No stranger to the FrightFest crowd, Lee has long been a celebrated alum of the festival with her provocative and genre-pushing short films. Now, she steps into the feature film spotlight with a haunting, socially charged horror that’s already generating major buzz.

Following a sold-out world premiere at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, House of Ashes brings its phantasmagoric chills and politically charged terror to Scotland’s most prestigious horror showcase. The film stars Fayna Sanchez as Mia, a woman under house arrest after suffering a miscarriage in a dystopian world where bodily autonomy is criminalised. But as she struggles to reclaim her life, strange and violent occurrences blur the line between supernatural terror and human malevolence. Featuring a stellar supporting cast,...

The 13th annual Panic Fest runs from March 27 – April 6, 2025, and we’ve got the exclusive info on some exciting new additions today along with the festival’s full lineup.

Presented by IFC Films, for starters, Clown in a Cornfield and The Ugly Stepsister will close out the in-person festival on Wednesday, April 2nd.

Also joining the lineup; Roadside Attractions’ new Nicolas Cage beach thriller The Surfer; Psychosexual horror-comedy from Addison Heimann, Touch Me; Soul Reaper, an Indonesian horror that flirts with being a modern-day Dream Warriors; director Izzy Lee’s nightmare trip, House of Ashes; a twisty found footage film from director Steven Hugh Nelson, Old Wounds; and Hungarian psychological thriller Tomorrow I Die directed by Nikol Cibulya.

Panic Fest will also be bringing back well-loved events like its signature Friday Filmmaker Mixer and Saturday Night Karaoke in Rewind Video and Dive, presented by Shudder.

The hybrid festival kicks off...

Be prepared for mayhem, menace and monstrosity as this year’s FrightFest three-day event, housed at the iconic Glasgow Film Theatre, presents a curated programme of new features and shorts which showcases the vibrant mix of talented filmmakers currently bursting onto the genre scene. The programme includes four world premiere features, while the short film showcase – a regular fixture at Frightfest London taking place for the first time in Glasgow – highlights filmmakers exclusively from the UK and Ireland, including two from Scotland.

FrightFest kicks off in mind-bending style with a special screening of Psyche, directed by Stephon Stewart (Bigfoot County). This thought-provoking sci-fi thriller boasts a riveting performance by Sarah Ritter, as Mara, who, with the aid of a vintage 1980s computer, embarks on a surreal journey where nothing is as it seems. Stephen will be attending the screening.

FrightFest’s traditional two-day pass event kicks off on Friday 7 March...

Pigeon Shrine FrightFest returns to the Glasgow Film Festival from 6–8 March 2025, celebrating its 20th anniversary with a thrilling line-up of horror, fantasy, and sci-fi. Hosted at the iconic Glasgow Film Theatre, the three-day event is set to deliver world premieres, UK debuts, and an exciting showcase of rising talent, reaffirming its status as a cornerstone of genre cinema.

Over the years, FrightFest has established itself as a powerhouse for horror and fantasy filmmaking, playing a key role in launching the careers of visionary directors such as Neil Marshall and Eli Roth. This year’s edition continues that legacy, boasting four world premieres and a spotlight on fresh talent from the UK and Ireland through an exclusive short film showcase.

FrightFest co-director Alan Jones praised the Glasgow audience’s unique energy, calling them “vibrant and welcoming,” and expressed excitement about sharing this year’s dynamic programme. Featuring a blend of unsettling tales,...

The world premiere of David Luke Rees’ UK horror thrillerByThe Throat andPedro Kos’ feature debut In Our Blood are among the 11 features in the line-up for UK horror and fantasy festival Glasgow FrightFest.

It will take place as part of the Glasgow Film Festivall from March 6-8.

By The Throattells the story of a housekeeper who is haunted by evil forces and stars Patricia Allison, whose credits includeSex Education.

Further world premieres areAdam Marcus’ documentary Hearts Of Darkness: The Making Of The Final Friday;Jack Lawrence McHenry’s 1940sThe Doom Busters; andAndy Edwards’ version of the Brothers Grimm fairytale,Rumplestiltskin.

Head north for your fill of screams this March.

Pigeon Shrine Frightfest Announces 2025 Glasgow Film Festival Line-up

FrightFest, the UK’s No.1 horror & fantasy film event, is back at the renowned Glasgow Film Festival for its 20th year, running from Thurs 6 March to Sat 8 March 2025.

Be prepared for mayhem, menace and monstrosity as this year’s FrightFest three-day event, housed at the iconic Glasgow Film Theatre, presents a curated programme of new features and shorts which showcases the vibrant mix of talented filmmakers currently bursting onto the genre scene. The programme includes four world premiere features, while the short film showcase highlights filmmakers exclusively from the UK and Ireland, including two from Scotland.

FrightFest co-director Alan Jones said:

There has never been a better time to be a fan of the horror, fantasy and science fiction genre and FrightFest, the UK’s biggest and most influential event, plays its vital...

By all accounts the premiere of Izzy Lee's debut supernatural and topical horror flick, House of Ashes, was a rip-roaring success. Word from our friend and fellow Anarchist, Lee, is that the screening at Brooklyn Horror went very well. No one left after the screening and stuck around for a Q&a that spilled out into the lobby of the cinema after their time was up. Reviews are coming in hot --- far more eloquent than mine --- and the love is real.    Our mission today is two-fold. One, Izzy gave us an exclusive clip to share with you today. Two, remind everyone else on the festival circuit and for distributors out there who you should talk to if you want a slice of this...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Larry Fessenden’s career in horror films will be honored at the 2024 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival (Bhff).

The indie filmmaker, who launched his career with a Frankenstein story in 1991’s “No Telling,” will be celebrated with the Leviathan Award to mark his cinematic achievements. A special screening of Fessenden’s 1996 film “Habit” will also be part of the ceremony. Fessenden will participate in a Q&a with Bhff alum Jenn Wexler.

The Leviathan Award, Brooklyn Horror’s first and only tribute award, was created in 2023 to honor the luminaries of horror and acknowledge their monstrous contributions to the genre.

Fessenden is credited by the festival for being an “irreplaceable” voice in filmmaking. Fessenden is the founder of Glass Eye Pix, which has sustained indie horror in New York for three decades and counting.

“Larry Fessenden is exactly the kind of trailblazing and enduring artist we want to celebrate, one whose...

The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival (Bhff) announced today the full program for its 2024 incarnation, running October 17-24 with all screenings held at Nitehawk Cinema’s Williamsburg and Prospect Park locations. Audiences are in for an unworldly lineup of films and events, including a special screening of Larry Fessenden’s Habit with the Leviathan Award Ceremony, honoring his film career, hypes the press release.

In addition, Bloody Disgusting’s Screambox Original Series “Tales From the Void” will be screening alongside Joe Begos’s newest grindhouse horror Jimmy & Stiggs!

Here are the full deets…

The Opening Night film is the NY premiere of Dead Mail from directors Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy. The 2024 festival boasts the North American Premieres of exciting new films: Tiago Teixeira’s unsettling body horror film Custom; a new documentary on horror at the turn of the millennium from Phillip Escott and Sarah Appleton, Generation Terror; and New...

The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival Announces Full 2024 Program: "The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival (Bhff) announces today the full program for its 2024 incarnation, running October 17-24 with all screenings held at Nitehawk Cinema’s Williamsburg and Prospect Park locations. Audiences are in for an unworldly lineup of films and events, including a special screening of Larry Fessenden’s Habit with the Leviathan Award Ceremony, honoring his film career.

The Opening Night film is the NY premiere of Dead Mail from directors Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy. The 2024 festival boasts the North American Premieres of exciting new films: Tiago Teixeira’s unsettling body horror film Custom; a new documentary on horror at the turn of the millennium from Phillip Escott and Sarah Appleton, Generation Terror; and New Zealand director Sasha Rainbow’s film Grafted.

The festival will feature the world premieres of Izzy Lee's first feature, House Of Ashes; the atmospheric ghost story,...

The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for its 2024 edition, which runs from Oct. 17-24. All films will be screened at Nitehawk Cinema’s Williamsburg and Prospect Park locations.

Opening with Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy’s crime thriller “Dead Mail,” Bhff will feature the North American premieres of Tiago Teixeira’s erotic body horror “Custom,” Phillip Escott and Sarah Appleton’s late ’90s horror documentary “Generation Terror” and Sasha Rainbow’s “Grafted” starring Jess Hong.

Films receiving their world premieres at Bhff include Izzy Lee’s directorial debut “House of Ashes,” the queer science fiction adventure “Psychonaut” and “Lilly Lives Alone” starring Jeffrey Combs.

“Fear in Focus” is set to return for Bhff 2024, with this year’s rendition centering around horror films from Spain. The sidebar program will feature a 35mm screening of “The Blood Spattered Bride” and a showing of the Spanish version of “Dracula” with...

After the Easter chocolate coma subsides April will have fooled us and we can turn our attention to the fine programming that the folks at Arrow Video Player have in store for us.    First, we want to draw attention to the short film, Meat Friend, that our own Izzy Lee made. It's awesome and available to watch on the player from April 12th.    Family business done there is programming related to 420, released on April 20th. Phantasm director Don Coscarelli is on board for this month's Selects program. The month caps off with a 4K release of cult classic Basket Case.    All the programming is in the full announcement below.   Arrow Astounds with April Additions to Streaming Service April 2024 Lineup...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

The Chattanooga Film Festival returns for its eleventh year, unleashing another summer camp for cinephiles from June 21-28, 2024. While the fest already teased exciting events for their 2024 event, the first wave of feature programming promises even more genre fun.

From the press release: “In filmmaker Michael Turney’s RetroTech Romance Video Vision, a woman unlocks a dark dimension through an old Vcr, combining romance, horror, and analog technology in unique and spellbinding ways.

“Video Vision in both vibes and execution perfectly embodies the genre-blending spirit of the Chattanooga Film Festival and serves as its opening night film selection for the year. Because of the festival’s ongoing commitment to accessibility for its 2024 edition, the Cff team endeavored to find filmmakers and partners who understand the importance of this issue, and audience members will have the option of tuning into this world premiere on-site and virtually (US residents only). This theme...

Izzy Lee has been a standout name in the indie horror scene, and with 24 award-winning short films to her name, it’s easy to see why. Now, she’s taking a bold step with her debut feature film House of Ashes, blending personal trials with eerie mysteries. And if the rapid success of her recent Kickstarter campaign is any indication (hitting its goal in under 3 days!), there’s a lot of anticipation building.

House of Ashes is the story of Mia, a grieving widow under house arrest for the crime of having a miscarriage. Shortly after her new boyfriend Marc moves in, things start going missing and tensions rise. But is their intruder human or spectral? Perhaps both…. We recently had the pleasure of chatting with Izzy Lee to discuss her journey from the world of short film to her first feature, the overwhelming crowdfunding support for the project, and...

Renfield: Bring Your OWN Blood: "Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood is a single-player bullet hell auto-roguelite that combines the simplicity of one-touch gameplay with frenetic, room-based action. With unique stages, dozens of enemies, diabolical bosses and enough weapons for a bug-powered bloody rampage, Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood shows you the ups and downs of being the lackey/employee of the most demanding boss in history - Dracula.

The 1.0 launch sees the addition of Dracula as both a boss fight And playable character, alongside a litany of new additions like other playable characters, levels, weapons, power-ups, and more!"

---

House Of Ashes: "After pitching for years and having helmed 24 shorts, prolific filmmaker Izzy Lee has launched the Kickstarter campaign for her first feature-length film, House of Ashes. In the middle of day three of the campaign, the first goal was reached. Now begins the climb towards doubling this...

Izzy Lee’S First Feature Kickstarter Blows Past First Goal In 2.5 Days;

Stretch Goals Released For Supernatural Horror Film

After pitching for years and having helmed 24 shorts, prolific filmmaker Izzy Lee has launched the Kickstarter campaign for her first feature-length film, House of Ashes. In the middle of day three of the campaign, the first goal was reached. Now begins the climb towards doubling this initial goal; pledges go toward additional production support like an Assistant Director and Assistant Camera crew positions, as well as towards enhanced special effects, shooting days, and more scenes.

Written by Lee and her Nihil Noctem Films partner Steve Johanson, House of Ashes is the story of Mia, a grieving widow under house arrest – for the crime of having a miscarriage. Shortly after her new boyfriend Marc moves in, things start going missing and tensions rise. But is their intruder human or spectral? Perhaps both.

This month on Let’s Scare Bryan to Death, we’re sinking our fangs into a vampire tale from director Neil Jordan. But no, I’m not talking about his classic adaptation of Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire. Rather, we are jumping forward almost two decades to 2012, when he revisited the vampire mythos through a mother-daughter lens in Byzantium. Joining me this month is one of the most compelling short horror film directors working today, Izzy Lee. With around two dozen short horror films to her name, Lee always brings a darkly playful, subversive sensibility to her work, and her delightfully demented short Meat Friend is nominated for Best Short at Fangoria’s 2023 Chainsaw Awards. For more information about her films, check out Lee’s website Nihil Noctem Films. You’ll be glad you did.

Lee’s pick this month follows Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan) and her mother, Clara...

2023 marks another year where the Academy Awards have shuttered horror from the competition, but genre fans know better than to expect anything less. Although there have always been exceptions in the past, such as "The Exorcist," "The Fly," and "Get Out," the Oscars' track record speaks for itself. But the truth is that horror folks don't really need the attention of the prestigious awards body when they have a better outlet to see their favorites receive some industry recognition.

If you're a horror nerd, then the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards is where you want to be paying attention. Although the famed magazine started this back in the '90s, it's only been in the past few years that they've started making it a yearly tradition. On top of that, the one-hour ceremony, which usually airs on Shudder, is curated for horror folks by horror folks. Where else are you going to...

With even most features struggling to get the big screen limelight they so often deserve these days, it’s harder still to get shorts played big and loud. Once again FrightFest delivers though, with another three feature-length showcases of short-form goodness, giving a platform to some of the most exciting up-and-coming genre filmmakers on the planet.

Here’s this writer’s stand-outs, from another densely packed year:

Kicking things off with Chris McInroy’s tonally perfect, and utterly disgusting workplace splatter comedy Guts; a bold and terrifically performed sketch about what it means to have guts (in every sense of the word) that milks a single joke for all it’s worth beautifully.

The same can be said for smartly devised and shot black comedy Cruise, from director Sam Rudykoff, a tight one room concept that builds wonderfully to a laugh-out-loud kicker of a punchline.

British comedy had a banner year too,...

Focusing on the positive impact that horror can have on people who live with mental illness, Mental Health & Horror: A Documentary is directed by Jonathan Barkan, and Daily Dead Editor-in-Chief Jonathan James has supported this project and will be credited as an associate producer. With the documentary in its final hours of its Indiegogo campaign, we've been provided with an exclusive clip and casting news to share with Daily Dead readers!

We're thrilled to exclusively share that in addition to its already impressive list of interviewees, Mental Health & Horror: A Documentary will also feature interviews with filmmaker and actor Larry Fessenden, filmmaker Ted Geoghegan, and filmmaker and horror host Blair Bathory (Fear Haus)!

Below, you can watch our exclusive clip featuring Fessenden, and to learn more about Mental Health & Horror: A Documentary, visit the documentary's Indiegogo page and official website!

Mental Health & Horror: A Documentary, the upcoming feature-length documentary discussing...

Here’s some free advice for producers and financiers working in the movie business: hire Izzy Lee to make your horror movie. A fierce and fiercely independent filmmaker and author with a whole bunch of wild and wildly different short films to her credit, Lee has been poised to make the leap into features for some time now. I, for one, can’t wait for the day that happens.

If you know Izzy Lee or are familiar with her work, you know she’s outspoken and doesn't take any shit. Those are qualities that definitely carry over into her films. Her shorts "Rites of Vengeance," "For a Good Time Call..." and "Innsmouth" (a reimagining of H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Shadow Over Innsmouth” with an all-woman cast) deal with sexual politics in one form or another, each one critical of whatever status quo on which it is commenting. Her films tend to be socially conscious,...

Hello, dear readers! As you probably already know, we’ve been celebrating Indie Horror Month here on Daily Dead for a few days already (you can catch up with our Ihm 2021 features Here). Today, we’re launching the first installment of the Indie Horror Month Marketplace where, each Saturday, we’ll be highlighting indie artists from the world of books, merchandising, artistry, and more. And for this first installment, we’re going to be celebrating a variety of talented independent authors out there whose work champions the worlds of horror and science fiction.

So, whether you’re in the mood for fiction or non-fiction, there’s definitely something here for every type of fan, so check out some killer books below—you can even treat it like your very own book fair!

Non-fiction:

1000 Women in Horror, 1895-2018

Blowing a kiss back through time and space from Aaliyah to Jill Rae Zurborg,...

Hello, readers! We’re finally back with a new installment of our Daily Dead Salutes Your Shorts series, and with the Christmas holiday quickly approaching, it only felt right to put the spotlight on a trio of Yuletide-themed frights. First up is Treevenge from Jason Eisener, a short film that he completed back in the late 2000s, but is Always enjoyable. Then, we have My Monster from Izzy Lee on tap, and then we’re wrapping up with the latest short film from the Midnight Video team, Jolly.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Treevenge (Directed by Jason Eisener)

Synopsis: "Ever thought about how bad it would suck to be a tree during the Christmas season? This wildly bloody and ingeniously insane short from Hobo With A Shotgun filmmakers Jason Eisener and Rob Cotterill shines a light on the forgotten victims of the holidays. Prepare to have your Yuletides yacked!"

My Monster...

Happy December, everyone! Now that we’re officially in the thick of the holiday season, today’s installment of the Daily Dead Holiday Gift Guide is focused on books for horror and sci-fi fans of all ages. Call me old fashioned, but I love finding a book or two under the tree every year, and in 2020, we had a ton of great books hit the shelves that would make for a great gift to give (or maybe you’re looking to spoil yourself a little bit).

Non-fiction:

Taking Shape II: The Lost Halloween Sequels

Authors Dustin McNeill and Travis Mullins are back to bring you an inside look at Twenty-four lost Halloween sequels you never saw on the big screen! Learn about these fascinating unmade visions direct from their creators, many of whom have never spoken publicly on the subject before. At 600 pages, Taking Shape II is brimming with untold franchise history.

With Clapboard Jungle, filmmaker Justin McConnell brings together two things I’m extremely passionate about: genre-driven documentaries and independent horror. Most people may not know this about me, but years (and years) ago, I created and spearheaded a movement known as Indie Horror Month as a means to help underrepresented content creators in the horror filmmaking community have an opportunity to get their moment in the spotlight. It’s been something I’ve wanted to resurrect, especially because it seems so hard these days for truly independent voices to be heard, but trying to carve out that time has been difficult.

That being said, when I read the description for Clapboard Jungle, I knew this was going to be something that would be extremely pertinent to my interests and McConnell didn’t let me down. The project is an enlightening look at the ups and downs that many indie filmmakers are constantly facing,...

One of those great moments I had when I was at a film festival was when I caught a live performance of the audio play, Tales From Beyond the Pale.    A who's who of horror talent and alumni graced the stage that night, regalling tales of terror and horror. Backed by a foley artist stabbing a watermelon and musicians providing a live score the event harkened back to the days when radio plays were the staple of entertainment in households every night.    Tales From Beyond the Pale has been going strong for eight years now, travelling to film festivals all over, enlisting the vocal styles of icons like Barbara Crampton, Tony Todd, Vincent D'onofrio and Doug Jones. Our own Izzy Lee has also...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

As the next Brooklyn Horror Film Festival draws near it is time once again to drop another wave of genre and horror goodness upon us. Of particular interest is the Canadian Indigenous Zombie flick Blood Quantum from Jeff Barnaby, Joe Begos' new horror Vfw and Carlo Mirabella-Davis' Swallow, which has been winning raves all along the circuit.    In the short film program I'm going to play favorites here and point out that our own Izzy Lee's The Obliteration of Chickens will play at the fest. Also, my friend Laura Sanchez Acosta's Caw (Spanish title La Solapa) will play at the fest after winning the Blood Window Award at the Panama Horror Film Festival.    All the feature and short flims are featured in the gallery...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Over thirty new shorts across three sold-out, big-screen showcases, and an entire weekend of horror and genre-themed fun – this year’s FrightFest was one of the biggest ever for short form content. From comedies to mood-pieces, stop-motion to flat-out slashers, it was a truly diverse bunch, covering a wide spectrum of filmmakers and countries of origin. Here’s the very best of them:

There’s an awful lot to love in Stefan Georgiou’s cockney-gothic chiller The Dead Ones – a clever spin on the ghost-world formula that I won’t spoil here. Packed out with four terrific performances and a tricky, brilliantly moody plot that more than earns its longer 20-minute run time.

Adele Vuko’s edgy Aussie comedy The Hitchhiker might sound a little genre bare-bones, running off its basic title and set-up – three best friends picking up a scary-looking hitcher while on a midnight drive to a music...

There’s almost no such thing as a perfect horror anthology. By definition, the quality of the stories is going to vary so that even in those beloved anthologies where every segment might be considered good—your Trick ’r Treats and Creepshows, for example—we tend to rank our favorites and least favorites. There’s an old maxim that states that any anthology is only as good as its worst segment, but that’s an ideology to which I’ve never subscribed. My experience has always been that the good segments tend to stand out, while the weaker ones melt away in my memory. The beauty of even an uneven anthology is that each new segment offers a blank slate: a chance to course correct after a weak entry or to build on a strong one.

All of this is to say that Shevenge, the new female-directed horror anthology that recently hit streaming services,...

From unseen forces to dangerous desires, from the remorseful living to the remorseless dead, from under the earth to creepy closed doors, Arrow Video FrightFest 2019 continues the festival’s fine tradition of showcasing the best in global genre short filmmaking. This year’s five continent selection unleashes the newest creations from both upcoming and established filmmakers and embraces a record fifteen UK films, seven spotlighted selections from Canada and a breakthrough entry from The United Arab Emirates.

Homegrown talent continues to energise the UK film industry, as reflected in this year’s entries. There’s Folk Horror and Body Horror, whilst lethal women lurk around every corner in Sleep Tight, Under The Parasol and Dog Skin. Katie Bonham returns with ticking terror thriller Midnight and Josefa Celestin is back with the darkly apocalyptic Tomorrow Might Be The Day. Another fearsome futuristic tale is Old Beginnings, while unseen danger lurks in...

One of our absolute favorite festivals has just announced their lineup and it is another doozy! Get ye to New Orleans May 30 to June 2 for the 2019 Overlook Film Festival, "A 4-Day Celebration of All Things Horror." The festival is opening up with Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Don't Die. Sundance horror The Lodge will close it out. In between there are a ton of great flicks from such names as Fessenden, Begos, Strickland, and Izzy Lee, special events with Robert Rodriguez, Grady Hendrix, and Elijah Wood, plus the always incredible immersive game. We've got the full lineup and press release below. Enjoy! The Overlook Film Festival Announces 2019 Film And Event Lineup Us Premiere of Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’T Die to Open the Festival Robert...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

The Boston Science Fiction Film Festival officially announced its lineup of short films the other day. Of nearly 300 films submitted, the festival programmers have whittled those down to a collection of a mere 45.    The lineup has been divided into seven programs that will play at least twice during the festival so there should be no fear of missing out on a particular grouping.    The Screen Anarchy family is also pleased as punch that once again our own Izzy Lee's My Monster continues to tear up the festival circuit with a hometown stop at the festival. Look for My Monster in the Apogee program, twice on February 10th then on February 15th.    The full lineup is below. Further down you will...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

At the end of the month in Berlin, Germany our friends at the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival will be hosting their fourth edition. Over the weekend the festival will host seven feature films screenings including hits like Cam, Tigers Are Not Afraid and Hounds of Love.   There are also eight short film programs where you will see that our own Izzy Lee's Tainted Love is the very first film mentioned in that list, huzzah!   Apart from that there will also be a number of talks ranging in topics on demonic possession, gender, slasher tropes and reproduction. There will also be a workshop on self defence which is pretty awesome.    All feature films and short film programs are presented in the gallery...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Seeing is believing, but hearing can be too. The newest season of Larry Fessenden and Glenn McQuaid’s “Tales From Beyond the Pale” has delivered audio tales about spooky goings on in such far-flung locales as the Stanley Hotel and the film industry itself, with this week’s two new episodes — which IndieWire can exclusively premiere — taking place in rural Pennsylvania and Montreal, respectively.

Read More:Celebrate Friday the 13th With ‘Tales From Beyond the Pale,’ New Horror Stories From Some of the Genre’s Best Filmmakers — Exclusive

“Barricade” finds a just-married couple on their honeymoon, where the aftereffects of nearby fracking unleash something chthonic from the ground; Fessenden wrote the 23-minute tale, which features the voice talents of Roxanne Benjamin, Jeremy Gardner, Tony Todd, Samuel Zimmerman. It’s like a short film in sonic form, with the details of just what those beings look like left to the listener’s imagination.

February is known as Women in Horror Month, when the spotlight is put on female filmmakers working inside our favorite genre, and many horror sites run pieces about movies directed by women. And that’s great! But there’s no reason why that spotlight should be limited to only one month, particularly when there are so many brilliant and talented female filmmakers working in the genre. Why not use this October to hit up these titles on Shudder and get to know some of the most exciting female voices in horror right now?

Prevenge (2016, dir. Alice Lowe) Alice Lowe writes, directs, and stars in this darkly comic, twisted fantasy about a woman who is very, very pregnant (Lowe herself was pregnant during shooting) and goes on a killing spree when her unborn baby talks to her and tells her to take revenge for a past tragedy. The film never fully transcends its gimmick,...

Yesterday our friends at Morbido announced the lineup of films for this year's festival. Not included was the bounty of short films that will also be playing. That will be rectified today as we can announce all 109 short films, from 17 countries, that will play in 14 fourteen programs during the festivities.    We already knew that Screen Anarchy's Izzy Lee (For a Good time Call and Rites of Vengance) and Shelagh Rowan-Legg (Flow) had their short films in the fest and soon we noticed that some of our friends were also touting laurels after the lineup was announced.    Apart from the short films our fam have at the fest we also see that a handful of our other friends have their short...

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The sophomore year of the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival is shaping up to be a good one. With a first wave of titles that boasted Can Evrenol's Housewife and Tragedy Girls even more cinematic magic has been added to this year's festival.    Coming to Brooklyn on the second weekend in October are additions like Joe Lynch's Mayhem, German flick Cold Hell, Erlingur Thoroddson has followed up Child Eater with his new flick Rift. Simon Rumley's reunion with his Red, White & Blue star Amanda Fuller Fashionista pays a visit to the festival as well.    In the selection of short films there are some familiar names as well. Our own Izzy Lee has her latest short film For a Good Time Call... in the fest. Gus Cooper's...

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Simon Brew Aug 10, 2017

26 short genre films are heading to London at the end of the month - and we've got the full list here...

One of the many treats – well, 26 of the many treats – awaiting attendees of Horror Channel FrightFest in London at the end of the month is the short film showcase, that’s just been announced.

Across three days, 26 short genre movies will be screened, including 12 from the UK. Den Of Geek alumnus James Moran’s Blood Shed, starring Shaun Dooley, Sally Phillips and a garden shed, is screening. As is Katie Bonham’s Mab, Sean Healy’s Judgement and Stefano Nurro’s Hum.

The full line up is at the bottom of this post. Meanwhile, if you’re after tickets, Horror Channel FrightFest runs from 24th to the 28th of August in London. You can buy single tickets and passes here: http://www.frightfest.co.uk/tickets.

It all came to an end last night in Montreal as the Fantasia International Film Festival came to a close with the closing film A Taxi Driver. After three long weeks the festival has wrapped up and notions like a good night's sleep and nutritional meals will slowly come back to the staff and volunteers who took care of attendees and guests during that long haul.    Screen Anarchy was out in full force with what was likely our biggest group yet. Even better, other than just mooching off the grub at various cocktails and functions throughout the festival two of our family members, Izzy Lee and Shelagh Rowan-Legg also had short films in the festival. Shelagh and Jason Gorber were also on jury duty....

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With twenty-six films over three days, including ten World, four European and seven UK premieres, Horror Channel FrightFest’s short film showcase unleashes this year’s eclectic mix of the bold, brave, bloody and barmy with films programmed to entertain, frighten, enlighten and simply amaze.

From the press release:

There are twelve films from the United Kingdom, forming the centerpiece of this year’s line-up. These include James Moran’s Blood Shed, starring Shaun Dooley and Sally Phillips, where a man’s love of his garden shed takes a rather murderous turn. In Judgement, Neil Maskell stars as a single man looking for love in all the wrong places and Laurence R. Harvey shines as a mutated children’s’ toy in Teddy Bear’S Picnic. Then there’s Katie Bonham’s Mab, about a girl who turns to witchcraft to teach someone a lesson.

The other home-grown offerings see people...

What on Earth makes a man film a sex tape on a hidden camera, and post it on the Internet for all to see? Pride? Vanity? Stupidity? In Izzy Lee's short film For a Good Time, Call... you don't get the answer to that question. What you do get to see is such a scumbag, called Alex, who gets his comeuppance after being cursed by his victim. Alex (Sean Carmichael) tries to trivialize what happened, and doesn't understand why his victim is so upset with him. Then he spots a woman walking alone into some woods and decides to follow her... with interesting results. At eleven minutes, don't expect too much backstory or character development here, though Diana Porter does manage to bring a lot...

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19th Annual Boston Underground Film Festival Unveils Sumptuous Selection of Shorts Screening March 22nd through the 26th Titles Include Computer Fighters, The Bridge Partner and Izzy Lee’s Latest, Rites of Vengeance! Cambridge, Ma – The 19th annual Boston Underground Film Festival returns to Harvard Square to usher in New England’s direly-needed Spring season with …

The post Buff 19 Unveils Sumptuous Selection of Shorts first appeared on Hnn | Horrornews.net 2017 - Official Horror News Site...

Dedicated to the discovery of new works by emerging and dynamic filmmaking talent, this year’s New Directors/New Films festival will screen 29 features and nine short films. This year’s lineup boasts nine North American premieres, seven U.S. premieres, and two world premieres, with features and shorts from 32 countries across five continents.

The opening, centerpiece, and closing night selections showcase three exciting new voices in American independent cinema that all recently debuted at Sundance: Geremy Jasper’s “Patti Cake$” is the opening night pick, while Eliza Hittman’s “Beach Rats” is the centerpiece selection and Dustin Guy Defa will close the festival with “Person to Person.”

Read More: 2017 New Directors/New Films Announces Full Lineup, Including ‘Patti Cake$,’ ‘Beach Rats,’ ‘Menashe’ and More

Now in its forty-sixth year, Nd/Nf has played home early films from such heavy hitters as Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Chantal Akerman, Pedro Almodovar,...

Thank you Izzy for taking the time to speak with me again about your upcoming shorts that will be part of this year’s Boston Underground Film Festival (Buff) at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, Ma. For A Good Time, Call… will be a part of the short form film block “Trigger Warning” on Friday March …

The post Less Than 2 Weeks Until The Boston Underground Film Fest As Filmmaker Izzy Lee Returns With New Short Films Of Terror first appeared on Hnn | Horrornews.net 2017 - Official Horror News Site...

Morbido is less than a couple weeks away. The festival unveiled their full lineup of feature films and short films today in Mexico City.   As you peruse the list below you can see that Morbido offers a truly international horror experience from around the world for the local people and the international guests that will be in attendance. Our own Izzy Lee will be reporting back to us on the fesitivities as well as presenting her own short film Innsmouth.    There are lots of great feature film titles there: Demon, The Wailing, The Void, A Dark Song, and of course An American Werewolf in London! And the list of short films is immense!    Every year Morbido always has an incredible poster and...

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