Horror Channel FrightFest 2017 announces Short Film Showcase

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.

Shaun Dooley & Sally Phillips in BLOOD SHED

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 haunted by ghostly figures in HELD DOWN BY A SHADOW and MAYFLOWER, while humans are the threat in THE WELCOMING and MISDIRECTION. Other dimensions hold secrets and sway in EVENT HORIZON and HUM, while the house down the lane holds horror in the Cannes-selected REAL GODS REQUIRE BLOOD. And finally, SMEAR will make you laugh all the way to the most uncomfortable procedure at the doctors’ surgery.

Neil Maskell in JUDGEMENT 

Horror from around the world will creep up on you, first as a cat with a deadly secret in MEOW, then as a woman out for revenge in FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL…Being alone in a strange house is no laughing matter in DRIP DROP and ROTARY, while one should be careful of what lurks behind the doors in CRESWICK and FEEDING TIME, which stars Stacy Snyder and Graham Skipper. And if you think butterflies are just cute flying insects, VOCABULARY 1 might change your mind.

Love can tear you apart or set you free in the gorgeous fantasies of BAD HEADS and NIMMER, while the loss and search for loved ones becomes an obsession in MAN IN THE MOON and AN ELDRITCH PLACE. And the lure of power is too much for some people when the realm of science fiction makes the unbelievable seem real, in KEPT and TETHER.

In addition to the showcases, there are two special short film screenings. Preceding our opening night film ‘Cult of Chucky’ is THE DOLLHOUSE, a loving tribute to growing up in the world of the psychokiller doll, directed by Kyra Gardner. And our very own short film programmer Shelagh Rowan-Legg’s new film FLOW will have its European premiere preceding the screening of DHOGS..

Shelagh said today: "This year Horror Channel FrightFest's short film selection will take you from the darkest reaches of space to the darkest corners of the bedroom closet. With babysitters who are just a bit too inquisitive, manipulative men getting their just desserts, mothers trying to help their video-game addicted sons, security guards confronted by other-worldly monsters: these shorts from the UK and around the world offer the new wave of fantastic genre cinema”.

The full line-up
FRIDAY 25 AUG – SPLICE MEDIA DISCOVERY SCREEN 1 from 13:20
(Prince Charles Cinema)

THE WELCOMING (World Premiere)
Director: Russ Gomm. Cast: Isabel Calder, Ben Shockley. UK 2017. 7 mins.
A little girl goes wandering in the woods. But some who wander might end up lost in darker places.

ROTARY (World Premiere)
Director: Lorenzo P. Adams. Cast: Emma Fawkes, David M. Goldberg. US 2017. 11 mins.
This babysitter’s childminding nights are usually uneventful. But not this evening…

BAD HEADS (London Premiere)
Director: Rebekah Fieschi. Cast: Alice Dessuant, Diako Diakoff. France 2015.  14 mins.
Jenny wants love so much she is willing to create it from scratch. But what she creates might not be what she wants.

MISDIRECTION (UK Premiere)
Director: Nic Alderton. Cast: Lucy Cudden, Daniel Caltagirone. UK 2017. 9 mins.
Steph, a married but lonely woman, meets an intriguing stranger at a bar. His charm might be more deadly than she imagines.

FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL…(European Premiere)
Director: Izzy Lee. Cast: Sean Carmichael, Tristan Risk. US 2017. 12 mins.
A man who uploads a homemade sex video taken in secret gets more than he bargained for when he makes a pit stop.

TETHER (International Premiere)
Director: Tim Reis. Cast: Mark Ashworth. US 2017. 12 mins.
A soldier in battle. A surgical team remotely repairing him. Warfare just hit a new level.

KEPT (World Premiere)
Director: Jaime Gonzalez. Cast: Jairo Camargo,  Manuel Sarmiento. Colombia 2017.m18 mins.
Scientists have discovered a way to record dreams, and those with ulterior motives waste no time exploiting those whose dreams are the most powerful.

MEOW (European Premiere)
Director: Chris Jopp. Cast: Eleonore Dendy, Charles Hubbell. US 2016. 13 mins.
Samantha has a new apartment, and a cat she must keep hidden from the landlord. But that might be hard with all the bodies that keep appearing.

SUNDAY 27 AUG – SPLICE MEDIA DISCOVERY SCREEN 2 from 11:15

EVENT HORIZON (UK Premiere)
Director: Joséfa Celestin. Cast: Kate McLaughlin, Lori Stott. UK 2016. 10 mins.
Julianne is reluctant to leave childhood behind. But her fear of the future manifests in a strange celestial object that she must confront.

MAN IN THE MOON (UK Premiere)
Director: Monique Mulcahy. Cast: Pauline Grace, JC Innamorati. Australia 2016. 13 mins.
A single mother is concerned about her son’s obsession with a homemade video game. But her obsession turns to fear when she intercepts a strange transmission.

MAYFLOWER (World Premiere)
Director: Christopher Goodman. Cast: Jason Ryall. UK 2017. 7 mins.
A young engineer wakes up from cryo-sleep during a routine deep space flight. Was it due to a false alarm, or something more sinister?

VOCABULARY 1 (London Premiere)
Director: Becky James. Cast: Emma Roselle. US 2016.
Snakes are dangerous, and butterflies are cute. But is that really the case?

NIMMER (London Premiere)
Director: Lieven Vanhove. Cast: Geert Vandyck, Sarah Eisa. Belgium 2016. 16 mins.
A lighthouse. Two lovers. A dangerous cliff and the turbulent sea. Time is running out.

FEEDING TIME (UK Premiere)
Director: Matt Mercer. Cast: Stacy Snyder, Graham Skipper. US 2016. 13 mins.
When a young woman fills in for her friend on a babysitting job, she begins to suspect things are not as they seem.

REAL GODS REQUIRE BLOOD (London Premiere)
Director: Moin Hussain. Cast: Anna Berentzen, Kirsty Doyle. UK 2017. 20 mins.
A young woman does her neighbour a favour and looks after her young children. But something is lurking in the shadows.

BLOOD SHED (World Premiere)
Director: James Moran. Cast: Shaun Dooley, Sally Phillips. UK 2017. 13 mins.
Jack loves a bargain. And he loves sheds. But when he gets his very own dream shed, it might be a little more than he bargained for.

MONDAY 28 AUG – SPLICE MEDIA DISCOVERY SCREEN 2 from 11:15

TEDDY BEARS PICNIC (World Premiere)
Director: Thomas Hodge. Cast: Abby Miller, Laurence R. Harvey. UK 2017. 5 mins.
When this young mother and her daughter go out in the woods today, they are definitely in for a big surprise.

MAB (World Premiere)
Director: Katie Bonham. Cast: Maria Teresa, Lucy Clements. UK 2017. 15 mins.
Rosie makes strange daily deliveries to an isolated woman in the woods. But one day Rosie needs the woman’s services, which she never imagined.

AN ELDRITCH PLACE (UK Premiere)
Director: Julien Jauniaux. Cast: Ludovic Philips, Habib Ben Tanfous. Belgium 2016. 16 mins.
When Abdel accepts a night watchman job for Francis, he'll soon discover his obscure secret.

HUM (London Premiere)
Director: Stefano Nurra. Cast: Adam Shaw, James Bryce. UK 2017. 15 mins.
A grieving plumber seeks out a disgraced quantum physicist to rid himself of a tormenting "Hum".

DRIP DROP (UK Premiere)
Director: Jonna Nilsson. Cast: Siham Shurafa. Sweden, 2016. 8 mins.
A woman returns home to find there is no water in the house. Later that night, the water returns in the form of a steady drip.

JUDGEMENT (World Premiere)
Director: Sean Healy. Cast: Neil Maskell, Sura Dohnke. UK 2017. 5 mins.
Tom is getting on well with Ann, so well that she introduces him to her son, Jed. But Tom might be in for more than he had in mind….

CRESWICK (London Premiere)
Director: Natalie Erika James. Cast: Dana Miltins, Chris Orchard. Australia, 2016. 9 mins.
While a woman helps her father pack up his house, they are both increasingly aware of the presence that they always knew was there.

HELD DOWN BY A SHADOW (UK Premiere)
Director: Alex Peace. Cast: May Kelly, Katie Marie-Carter. UK 2017. 18 mins.
Scarlett hasn't gone to bed with the light off in a very long time. But every night, she wakes up in the dark unable to move...and she's not alone.

SMEAR (World Premiere)
Director: Kate Herron. Cast: Sophia di Martino, Isabella Laughland. UK 2017. 4 mins.
Chloe has to get a pap smear. Things are going to get messy.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

THE DOLLHOUSE (World Premiere) Preceding CULT OF CHUCKY
Director: Kyra Gardner. Cast: Don Mancini, Brad Dourif. US 2017. 7 mins.
A filmmaker who grew up with the Chucky doll seeks out the other families surrounding the franchise to get their perspective on life with Chucky.

FLOW (European Premiere) preceding DHOGS
Director: Shelagh Rowan-Legg. Cast: Jamie Birkett, Lucy Clements. UK 2017. 5 mins.
When two women rebels are involved in a skirmish, they have more to argue about than the enemy...

Horror Channel FrightFest runs from 24th - 28th August 2017 at Cineworld Leicester Square and The Prince Charles Cinema.

Single tickets and passes are available to buy online:  http://www.frightfest.co.uk/tickets.html

For full programme details and timetables go to: www.frightfest.co.uk

Follow: @frightfest on Twitter.

FILM NEWS (UK): Horror Channel FrightFest 2017 reveals guest-list, kick-ass trailer and JACKALS joins the pack.

Kane Hodder, Joe Lynch, Adam Green, Don Mancini, Jennifer Tilly, Fiona Dourif, Barbara Crampton, Dominic Brunt, Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Annette Crosbie and Steven Berkoff amongst monster guest-list.

Official festival promo trailer

The 150 plus guest-list this year is as vibrant and eclectic as ever, with nearly 40 of the films represented. It is a year when fan favourites are reunited and the new wave of genre talent is firmly embraced within the FrightFest fold.

It’s been five years since Don Mancini and Fiona Dourif raised the Empire roof with CURSE OF CHUCKY and this year they are joined by the irrepressible Jennifer Tilly for the opening World Premiere of CULT OF CHUCKY.  Also attending five years after his previous appearance will be the one and only Kane Hodder, Together with director Derek Dennis Herbert, Kane will be launching his remarkably honest and moving documentary TO HELL AND BACK: THE KANE HODDER STORY as well as supporting another returning favourite, director Adam Green, who will be here to launch his HATCHET redux.

You can’t have Green without Lynch, and ten years since they first put FrightFest on the international map with their brilliant ‘Road to FrightFest’ shorts, they are in the building, with Joe Lynch in town to big up his uber-exciting MAYHEM. And the bad boys of horror have something special planned – a live edition of their famous Movie Crypt Podcast.

Hollywood horror royalty Barbara Crampton lit up FrightFest in 2015 when she presented a record four of her latest releases and the popular icon is back with REPLACE, alongside the film’s director Norbert Keil. Barbara is also one of the NEW BLOOD mentors, alongside prolific 68 KILL producer Travis Stevens and ATTACK OF THE ADULT BABIES director and TV star Dominic Brunt. He will be joined for the film’s World Premiere by producer and actress Joanne Mitchell, and lead actress Sally Dexter.

Attack of the Adult Babies

FrightFest has shown all of their previous movies, so it’s a special honour to welcome directors Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, who will be attending for the world premiere of their exceptional prequel LEATHERFACE, alongside cast members Vanessa Grasse, James Bloor and Jessica Madsen. Also welcome are director Tyler MacIntyre with his superb slasher satire TRAGEDY GIRLS and actor Graham Skipper with his directorial feature debut SEQUENCE BREAK. Another actor making his directorial debut is Jason Flemyng with his comedy horror EAT LOCALS, part of the ‘First Blood’ strand. Jason will introduce the film alongside the cast, including Annette Crosbie and Dexter Fletcher.

Homegrown talent will be present in abundance this year. Director Christian James will introduce the world premiere of FANGED UP with cast members including Stu Bennett, Dapper Laughs (aka Daniel O'Reilly), Steven Berkoff, Danielle Harold, Dan Palmer and Aaron Crascell, DOUBLE DATE has been making a real splash on the current festival circuit and we are delighted to say hello to director Benjamin Barfoot and stars Danny Morgan, Michael Socha, Georgia Groome, and Kelly Wenham. Director Simon Rumley will do the honours for FASHIONISTA, as will director Dominic Bridges and star Mim Shaikh for FREEHOLD, Director Matthew Heaven and lead actor Oliver Towner for ACCOUNTABLE and director Tom Paton with lead actor Mike Beckingham for REDWOOD. Plus, Jake West and Marc Morris will be introducing their lovingly restored version of proto-giallo DEATH LAID AN EGG.

Death Laid An Egg

The FIRST BLOOD strand goes from strength to strength and all the helmers will be around, supported by their cast and crews. Aside from Jason Flemyng, there will be Louis Melville for BOOTS ON THE GROUND, Peter Stray for CANARIES, Hendrik Faller for MOUNTAIN FEVER and Michaël Boucherie for WHERE THE SKIN LIES.

And the list goes on. Internationally, Horror Channel FrightFest welcomes DEAD SHACK director Peter Ricq, DIANE director Mike Mongillo, BAD MATCH director David Chirchirillo, GAME OF DEATH co-directors Sebastian Landry and Laurence Morais-Legace, IMITATION GIRL director Natasha Kermani and star Lauren Ashley Carter, KING COHEN; THE WILD WORLD OF FILMMAKER LARRY COHEN director Steve Mitchell, LOWLIFE director Ryan Prows, RUIN ME director Preston DeFrancis, RADIUS co-directors Caroline Labrèche and Steeve Léonard, THE TERROR OF HALLOWS EVE director Todd Tucker. 3RD NIGHT director Adam Graveley, THE END? director Daniele Misischia and producers the Manetti Brothers, THE GLASS COFFIN director Haritz Zubillaga, MINDHACK director Royce Gorsuch, FREDDY/EDDY director Tini Tüllmann, OUR EVIL director Samuel Galli and INCONTROL director Kurtis David Harder.

In addition, we will be welcoming many producers, writers, cinematographers, special/visual effects artists and composers who will also be supporting their screenings.

PLUS, we are pleased to announce that we will be showing JACKALS, Kevin Greutert’s potent blend of horror thriller, home invasion terror and murder cult chiller. Starring Stephen Dorff and Deborah Kara Unger, this is a tense and claustrophobic experience that will shatter your nerves to the bone. Thanks goes to Tommy Alastra Productions. The film is scheduled for Saturday 25th August, 4pm and 4.30pm in the main screens at the Cineworld Leicester Square.

And there’s more! Who will follow in the bloody footsteps of last year’s inaugural winner Alice Lowe? In its second year, The Screen International genre rising star award once again celebrates the work of an emerging UK genre talent, Hosted by film writer and Screen International contributing editor Nikki Baughan, this year’s five shortlisted nominees will be announced soon.

There’s also the launch of ‘The FrightFest Guide to Monster Movies’ by celebrated writer, editor & critic Michael Gingold, who will be present to sign copies of the book.  The book is exclusively on sale during the festival.

Horror Channel FrightFest runs from 24th -28th August 2016 at Cineworld Leicester Square and The Prince Charles Cinema.

Single tickets go on sale Sat 29 July at 9am and, alongside the few remaining Festival and day pass sales are available to buy online:  http://www.frightfest.co.uk/tickets.html

For full programme details and times go to: www.frightfest.co.uk
Follow: @frightfest @cloutcomcouk

Interview with Producer of WTF! - Steve Parker

From prolific producers Steve Parker and Jody Parker and director Peter Herro comes WTF!, a love letter to classic horror films arriving via Midnight Releasing on August 1.

Three years ago, twenty-two year old girl-next-door Rachel (Ott) barely survived a brutal massacre that left her friends in pieces. Time has passed, Rachel has moved on, but unfortunately history has a way of repeating itself. 

Her close friends are spending spring break in a secluded house in the woods, and they have cordially invited her to join. Little does she realize that another bloodbath will be showing up as plus one. Once Rachel and her friends arrive at the cabin, the partying, sex, and terror begins.

We caught up with Steve Parker to get the 411 on WTF!

How long of a journey has this been for the WTF! Producing team? How did it come about?

Over three years ago Peter brought us the script, and we sent him back to writing with a lot of notes. When he came back a year later, the script worked. Six months later we wrapped production, and then we spent two years in post. We were busy on major projects (Beverly Hills Lizard People, and the best-selling Belgian book series The Dark Numbers) and this was simple enough and Peter was going to do the line producing.

What was the appeal for you?

It was a cute little script, and had great potential.

Was it shot in your neck of the woods?

I’m the weirdo—I’m San Francisco-based. The production was in L.A., and even my business partner Jody Wheeler is based there.

Do you imagine a much different series had a major studio got hold of it?

I think they’d have re-written the details to fit marketing wisdom.

How would you describe the tone?

It’s a very Cabin in the Woods kind of setting where you gradually become aware how creepy and isolated a place you are.

Tell us about the cast….

We found a great cast of newcomers. Callie Ott (Rachel) has a previous feature credit, but for everyone else it was a first feature opportunity. They’re talented, attractive and you’ll be seeing more from the all. Andrea Hunt has a role in the up-coming Awaken the Shadowman, for example.

How has advances in technology opened up doors for filmmakers?

Shot on a RED Scarlet, there are really great cameras and the ability to do VFX and other post magic at low cost helps us make movies that look like a million dollars for a small fraction of that budget.

Can you tell us about your next film?

We’re planning to shoot Beverly Hills Lizard People in spring of next year in Vancouver. An extension of the L.A. subway into Beverly Hills disturbs the underground lair of the lizard people who live beneath it. It should be fun! Look for parodies of the current administration’s cabinet! Kelly-Ann lizard?

WTF! Is available August 1st on Cable VOD and Digital HD

Graham Humphreys' stunning artwork for Horror Channel FrightFest 2017

Horror Channel FrightFest is delighted to present Graham Humphreys’ stunning artwork for this year’s annual Bank Holiday event, the UK’s largest celebration of genre cinema, taking place at Cineworld Leicester Square and The Prince Charles Cinema between Thurs Aug 24 & Mon Aug 28, 2017.

Celebrating a return to one of FrightFest’s former homes (The Empire) and the revival of some familiar characters to the festival line up, such as Chucky, Victor Crowley & Leatherface. were inspirations behind the concept.

Graham reveals: “My image is an attempt to amalgamate the Gothic roots of horror with the 70s Monster revival that saturated the US and UK, inspiring generations of filmmakers that created some of the most successful film franchises and oddities of the last 40 years. Universal monsters meets 70s bubble gum pop. I also thought it would be fun to play with the idea of a FrightFest Phantom, the face behind the best in horror and added the scratches and dirt to make it look like old damaged film stock.”

Interview with Stephen Biro by David Kempf

Stephen Biro has been the President and founder of Unearthed Films Inc. A horror DVD label in the United States. He has written several novels, ghost writes on occasion and writes screenplays. Stephen has recently wrote the film adaptation for the underground comic book, "Bubba The Redneck Werewolf" and is working on the new American Guinea Pig Series. He directed the first film, "American Guinea Pig: Bouquet of Guts and Gore" and wrote and produced, "American Guinea Pig: Bloodshock", directed by Marcus Koch. AGP: The Song of Solomon is about to be unleashed as his second directed film. Stephen just moved to Los Angeles.

Interview with Stephen Biro by David Kempf

When did you first become interested in writing?

Back when I was in the 10th grade. I was atrocious at it though. Took me a long time to teach myself the ins and outs of writing. I will always need an editor though. 

How did you get your start in making independent movies?

Since I have distribution locked and handle international sales for a lot of other films and film makers. It is safer for me to make a movie then the average filmmaker. I have all the venues set in place and don't have to run around, sercing for distribution so it gives me a safer avenue to actually make this a business instead of an expensive hobby. 

How did you get involved in fantasy/horror?

I've always been a horror fan since I was under the age of five. I blame my mother for that. Instead of a quarter under my pillow when I lost a tooth, I would find a rubber frankenstein or monster instead.  I've always been attracted to the darker things in life but mostly I blame mom. 

Is horror a full time job?

Very much so. Handling Unearthed, distro, making my own films, writing books and screenplays all in the horror genre, I have little time to do anything else. 

How would you classify the genre you write?

Theological Horror is my bag. The afterlife, Heaven and Hell, demons, possession. I've been thru quite a lot of it. It's not often you talk to someone who admits they have met the Lord and the Devil and have been to Hell... but I can. So, i write from the heart and soul of my experiences. It's what Hellucination is all about. 

Why do you think horror and fantasy books remain so popular?

People need an escape or they need to have questions answered about who they are and why they exist, so I figure were all searching for something and horror and fantasy can make us ask those questions and keep it hidden within the confines or a fantasy story while horror can delve into our nightmares and show us who we really are as people. 

Why do you think people are so fascinated by the Devil?

The ultimate turn away from all that is Holy. The other side of good... everyone thinks they are good, but are we really? Lucifer is the opposite of the Lord and is used as a scapegoat many times over in this world but then again, the war between Heaven and Hell has been raging since the beginning of time and while we are stuck in the middle, pawns in the ultimate game of chess we don't see but can feel. He is a fascinating character and has been given many attributes, some false and others, on the nose. 

If you remember, “He Man and the Masters of the Universe”, everybody loved Skeletor... I didn't like He Man at all. I always wished Skeletor won, just once. Now this doesn't mean I want Lucifer to win the battle for Armegeddon because he does win his share of battles because the pawns, really don't know the arena they are stepping into. 

I could go on and on... 

Demonic possession. Are you a believer or a skeptic?

Believer, but it's totally different than what movies portray but yet, the same in many ways. That person who killed their family and said that the voices told them to do it... very much so. Some people have the Id and Superego, angel or demon on your shoulder. Some people do not. Psychologically there is the Id and Superego... so when science has a term for the angel and demons on our shoulders... that should give us all pause. 

What inspires your stories?

God, Satan, Heaven and Hell... My trip to Hell would change any man or woman. My dealings with things from the other side has changed my perspective and I cannot write about anything else now... Even my screenplay, Bubba the Redneck Werewolf, a goofy horror comedy has the Devil show up to down and begin his sheenanigans. So yeah, imbeded into my soul so to speak. 

What do you think the difference between American horror and British horror is?

British is more classy, gothic while American is more in your face. That could change but Hammer Horror really did change the landscape that I don't think you can ever get away from. 

What are your favorite horror books?

Early Clive Barker, early Poppy Z Brite, Dantes Inferno (You knew that was coming) Paradise Lost by Milton and Hp Lovecraft. Some King and of coarse, William Peter Blatty.

What are some of your favorite horror movies?

Guinea Pig Films, (Original) Hellraiser, Frontiers, A Serbian Film, Salo, Cannibal Holocaust, Opera and Tetsuo the Iron Man

What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as an author?

Getting that late night message from a reader who says they haven't been able to sleep well after reading one of my books. I actually get a lot of them since my books usually push the boundaries of what a book actually is. Their more of a thought experiemnt and I usually force the reader to answer questions in their own minds about what life is about, what do you believe and who you are as a person. Some people are not ready for those sort of questions when they pick up a book to escape from the normal realities, of our reality. 

              

Do you have any advice for new writers?

That's a hard one since the industry is flooded but this is my best advice. Write what you know. What affects you as a human being and make your voice stand strong and proud and allow the characters to envelop your mind and give them the room to grow so they can explore the boundaries of your own mind and don't ever stop them from going to places you don't want to go to. That is the magic of writing. 

      

What is your opinion of the new self-publishing trend?

Flooded the market and makes it hard to find the diamonds in the rough. I love it, since it gives everyone a voice but if everyone has a voice, it's hard to hear the actual ideas and novels you want to find and read. It just made everyone choosier so a lot of talent is falling to the wayside.  

What are your current projects?

Finalising the sound design on The Song of Solomon, working on A Serbian Documentary, working on the Extended cut of A Serbian Film, Working on The Unnamable full restoration, color correction and working on several releases thru Unearthed Films

Please in your own words, write a paragraph about yourself & your work. 

My name is Stephen Biro. I used to be a comic book collector and I am still a ravenous horror hound. I got to a point in my life as to were I had to search for God using anything I could to accomlish that goal. I have. I have used enough LSD and nitrous oxide to peel back the layers of reality to find the Lord, the Devil and I have been to Hell, and I have achived Salvation. Not all was drug induced mind you.  Since then, I have used films, books and visual interpretations to spell out the war between Heaven and Hell and I have done it in a way that has never turned anyone away. I'm a theologian and I am a gorehound and I understand what you must be thinking as you read this. Luckily, I am who I am and I no longer fear death and I will embrace it.

Stephen Biro Links

Unearthedfilms.com

Interview with Justin Price - Writer-director of ALIEN : REIGN OF MAN

Is it hard to write scares into a screenplay? We wanted to find out so we sat down with Justin Price, writer-director of ALIEN : REIGN OF MAN, out this August to find out.


Writing, directing and producing – quite a workload for one person.  But would you have it any other way?

Times they are a changing! What is so great about the times we are living in is people are more receptive to other ways of creative expression. That is exciting. I believe in order to break down barriers it takes a collective of people recognizing that they can be infinite. No borders or constraints on their creativity! That is what I have pieced together at my company Pikchure Zero Entertainment. The world is filled with people who have dreams and then decide for one reason or another that time has passed them bye and it has been a blessing to be able to discover great hidden talent.

We worked with a phenomenal actor who was spending most of his time running pageants and working in the medical field. All great things, but as an actor Johnny Llanes truly shines! It is because I am free to create that I am allowed to have my hands on all aspects of the vision. That is what is so liberating about wearing a lot of hats. I also think that if you have the talent to do it, then why not? I used to concern myself with being a jack of all trades and a master of none, but as time has progressed I think it’s far worse to be a phenomenal dreamer of ideas that end up in the graveyard. I am excited for my first foray into sci-fi with Alien Reign of Man which is releasing August 01, 2017 on VOD and all digital platforms!


Are these films easy to get up that you do? All privately financed I imagine? 

I don’t think any film is easy to do. All films are a collaborative effort and regardless of what people may assume, there aren’t many cheap films. It takes a lot of work to make a supposed “bad” film.  A lot of time and money. There are levels to this. We always begin with what we want to say and we check the temperature of the audiences. I may want to tell a story about a famous serial killer but if at the time the world is really in the mood for family and coming together, it wouldn’t be a good idea to create “the Jeffrey story”.  And then my producing partners KHU and Deanna Grace Congo and I sit and either look through scripts we have an affinity for or think of things we want to see made and weigh the DIGAD process. Which stands for “do I give a damn” because ultimately time is our most valuable resource. And then we go from there. Again no film that is released to the scale that we release them are just put out to youtube unchecked and at our convenience.

Just going through the QC process alone costs thousands. And those guys don’t put films out because they like them, there has to be technical things passed in order to ensure it even makes it through to the major outlets. So most of the time there are things cut and moved that may have changed what a film looked like.  What has happened with this great explosion of technology and access is people have come to learn only part of process and stages of things and in an attempt to sort of understand quickly, no one does research. Anyone that is in a position to release a film or interview talent, didn’t just wake up and hit enter and all things were easy. So for everyone reading just think about a movie taking eight months of multiple people’s lives to create and it was all for one hour and thirty minutes of entertainment for you. We do this because we love the craft. And no amount of money or budget will ever usurp that no matter what. A lot of people uplift people working with large budgets and studio resources and I would challenge you to bring those people to our playing field and see how long that mind set lasts. As in pound for pound I believe it takes just as much skill to figure out how to light talent in Iceland with limited resources as it would to build an Icelandic stage and VFX ect ect for 10 million.

Did the script change much before it went before the cameras?

 Yes, every time I write a story I have to be open to the possibility that things will change. Alien Reign Of Man started out as this shoot em up bang bang film with a creature lurking in the shadows. But it just felt formulaic and we thought it would be much more interesting to invest our time and money into actually exploring places not seen in film. To let it be more of a character driven film about discovery. I think it made the film more intimate.  There are locations in this movie that are just lensed beautifully.  And being able to have a company that sees beyond the normal paradigm in Uncork’d Entertainment has proven to be paramount in the success of this creative freedom.


How did you pick your cast? 

Angela Griffith and Mary Smith do a great job in finding talent for most of our projects. We are all multi-hyphenates so we sort of jump from behind the camera to in front of the camera as well. KHU does a great job as the lead in this film. As I mentioned up above, this creative freedom allows us to say to hell with stereotypes. This film is 80% female and there are African American people in space doing more than plotting courses or mapping out shuttle trajectory. I am excited to have that opportunity. Every movie we do it truly is about who fits the character and what makes the film better. It is my great joy to have the privilege to cast this way.

Is it hard to write scares into a movie? 

Yes! Again I have to make sure I say this twice. Movies are hard. Audiences are watching films as if they are preparing for a 401k retirement. There are stats and critic comments and IMDB ratings. You could surmise that every movie goer is there making a small investment into your future. So thank you! I mean it’s that hard to grab attention now a days, so I never take it for granted when someone wants an interview or people rent or buy our movies. That is amazing. There are over a billion films and somewhere around 50,000 films made this year and people are taking the time between t.v. and social media to watch something we created, then we must be on the right track. So yes its very difficult to try and “sneak in” a scare. The one thing I pride myself on with every film I have made is there aren’t any true rhyme or reasons for my tone and movement. In Alien Reign of Man, I promise you audiences wont watch it and go “next scene I bet they are surrounded by floating planets “.


You also have another movie coming out, a romantic comedy, can you tell us about it. Just how different was it working on that to Alien : Reign of Man? 

“Almost Amazing” comes out October 06, 2017 to all the digital platforms ITUNES, HULU, AMAZON PRIME, and VUDU. It was produced alongside Matthew Simmons and Eddy Herrero and Shaun Cairo. A Pikchure Zero Entertainment production, “Almost Amazing” follows three guys who are working for a breakup company and trying to come terms with the fact that they may be in love with the girls they were hired to break up with.  It was awesome working on a Romance. Taylor Carter and Alisondra Alexander are the two leads and they do a phenomenal job. Again just undiscovered dynamo’s! I can’t wait till their performances are on display in this film.

It was great working on this film because usually these films are labeled “black” or “urban” which is odd to me. So I made sure that I put a lot of people on the cover and made the most open story I could. I didn’t want anyone working at a music studio and somehow selling guns and ect. We actually were told that the film was lacking that “black” appeal by some major networks. To that we say thank you! Because there is a fine line between paying homage to the culture and also not seeing that there are ways to advance story telling beyond stereotypical troupes. So as with Alien Reign of Man, it was great to be able to challenge the cast and the audience to go on a different journey.


What’s the best horror film of all time, in your opinion? 

Ex Machina – I believe it was one of the greatest movies of this century. It was terrifying to me because what made it scary was the concept behind man’s inability to come to term with our own mortality and just the nuances and performances bring to light how far removed from reality we are. It was like holding a mirror up to society and saying –look! Anytime you can make people think without it being educational, then that’s scary. Melancholia was close second. That ending scene made me feel chills. Everytime I watch it I just put myself in there shoes. Where are you going? What would you do? The world is going to fkin end and none of the fancy linen and speeches can save you. Brilliant!

ALIEN : REIGN OF MAN out on VOD August 1, 2017.

Film News (UK): Horror Channel celebrates FrightFest 18th year with monstrous slate including UK premieres for DEATHGASM & THE GREEN INFERNO

To celebrate Horror Channel FrightFest 2017, taking place in London during the August Bank holiday, Horror Channel is dedicating thirteen nights to past festival favourites, including  six UK TV premieres: Luke Hyam’s beastly XMOOR, David Keating’s skin-crawling rural nightmare CHERRY TREE starring Anna Walton, Adam Mason’s blood-freezing home invasion thriller HANGMAN, Jason Lei Howden’s splatstick shocker DEATHGASM, Eli Roth’s notorious post-modern celebration of the Italian cannibal genre THE GREEN INFERNO and Gez Medinger’s & Robin Schmidt’s intriguing existential horror AFTERDEATH.

The double-bills, on every night from August 18th – 30th, starting from 9pm, also feature FrightFest crowd pleasing classics such as Matthias Hoene’s COCKNEYS VS ZOMBIES, Tommy Wirkola’s DEAD SNOW 2: RED VS DEAD, Vincenzo Natali’s HAUNTER, Ted Geoghegan’s WE ARE STILL HERE, Kyle Rankin’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEB and Tyler Shields’ FINAL GIRL.


Full details of season in transmission order:

Fri 18 Aug @ 21:00 – XMOOR (2014) * UK TV Premiere

With their sights set on a £25,000 reward promoted by a local newspaper, American documentarians Georgia (Melia Kreiling) and Matt (Nick Blood) head to Exmoor in North Devon to film the fabled beast supposedly slinking through the remote terrain. Setting up a forest camp with an old acquaintance, the trio fix cameras to the trees and rocks, linked back to a computer nerve centre where nothing should go unnoticed. But then they discover some putrefying body parts all neatly tied up and before long they realise they are in the lair of a beast right enough, but certainly not one of the four-legged variety.


Fri 18 Aug @ 22:40 - STUNG (2015)

Sat 19 Aug @ 21:00 - COCKNEYS VS ZOMBIES (2012)

Sat 19 Aug @ 22:50 - CHERRY TREE (2015) – *UK TV PREMIERE

Faith (Naomi Battrick) has her world turned upside down when she finds out her father is dying. When the mysteriously alluring Sissy Young (Anna Walton) becomes her field hockey coach, Faith finds a compassionate spirit and much-needed mother figure. Little does she know that Sissy is the head of a centuries-old witches' coven using the fruit of an ancient cherry tree in a secret ritual that restores life. And soon Sissy has enticed Faith into making a fateful bargain that is about to change everything…


Sun 20 Aug @ 21:00 - THE SIGNAL (2014)

Sun 20 Aug @ 22:55 - HANGMAN (2015) *UK TV PREMIERE

Arriving back from a two-week holiday, the Miller family unwittingly play host to a cold-hearted malevolent intruder who has broken into their home - and stayed there. Feeling violated, they have no idea he’s still watching their every move on surveillance cameras the meticulous interloper has secretly installed. Nor do they realise their true nightmares have only just begun.  Horrors of the everyday reach a terrifying crescendo in this disturbing twist on the home invasion thriller bound to make your skin crawl. Stars Jeremy Sisto, Kate Ashfield and Ryan Simpkins.


Mon 21 Aug @ 21:00 - THE DYATLOV PASS INCIDENT (2013)

Mon 21 Aug @ 23:05 - WAZ (2007)

Tues 22 Aug @ 21:00 - THE SAND (2015)

Tues 22 Aug @ 22:50 - CHAINED (2012)

Wed 23 Aug @ 21:00 - ADRIFT (2009)

Wed 23 Aug @ 22:55 - DEAD SNOW 2: RED VS DEAD (2014)

Thurs 24 Aug @ 21:00 - HAUNTER (2013)

Thurs 24 Aug @ 23:00 - BAD MILO! (2013)

Fri 25 Aug @ 21:00 - DEATHGASM (2015) *UK TV PREMIERE

When metal-thrashing outcast Brodie (Milo Cawthorne) meets a kindred spirit in Zakk (James Blake), they start their own band Deathgasm. Soon the duo’s resentment of the suburban wasteland leads them to sheet music said to grant the Ultimate Power to whoever plays it.  But the music also summons the ancient evil entity Aeloth The Blind One who threatens to tear apart existence itself. With their classmates and family inhabited by demonic forces that turns them into psycho killers, can the wicked force be stopped devouring all mankind?

Fri 25 Aug @ 22:45 - WE ARE STILL HERE (2015)

Sat 26 Aug @ 21:00 - TUCKER AND DALE VS EVIL (2011)

Sat 26 Aug @ 22:50 - THE GREEN INFERNO (2013) *UK TV PREMIERE

Eli Roth’s long-awaited return to the director’s chair after this six-year absence finds politically attuned NYC university student Justine (Lorenza Izzo) roped into a campus activist group’s idealistic plan to travel to Peru to halt the annihilation of an endangered tribe by a corrupt construction company. But after a horrific plane crash that leaves half the radicals dead, the survivors are caged by the very tribe they were trying to help. Worse, the mountain clan are cannibals and they are ravenous.


Sun 27 Aug @ 21:00 - AFTERDEATH (2015) *UK TV PREMIERE

Five young people wake up on a beach washed up by the tide. Where are they? What brought them there, and what are the strange creatures that surround them? All this and more will be revealed in this beautifully executed, award-winning first feature, chock full of exciting new acting talent from Gez Medinger and Robin Schmidt – future genre names to keep a sharp eye out for.

Sun 27 Aug @ 22:55 - I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE (2010)

Mon 28 Aug @ 21:00 - TRIANGLE (2009)

Mon 28 Aug @ 23:00 - SHROOMS (2007)

Tues 29 Aug @ 21:00 - NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEB (2014)

Tues 29 Aug @ 22:50 - NO ONE LIVES (2012)

Wed 30 Aug @ 21:00 - FINAL GIRL (2015)

Wed 30 Aug @ 22:50 - THE LAST EXORCISM (2010)

TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138 | Freeview 70
www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel | facebook.com/horrorchannel

Interview with P.J Starks Producer of Volumes of Blood : Horror Stories

Producer P.J Starks is back with another anthology of ridiculously fun horror with Volumes of Blood : Horror Stories, out August 1 from Dark Cuts. So we sat down with him for a chat.


When did you start making movies – not produced features but just for yourself. As a kid?

PJ: I started when I was around 12. My grandfather went out and bought me a VHS camcorder and that created a monster. I didn’t go anywhere without the camera. I was constantly taping something whether it a family event to hide and seek or skits with friends. It didn’t matter. If there was a possibility of drama or a story to be told, I was shooting it.


Do you remember what you’d shoot on?

It was an old RCA camcorder, which I still have to this day.


What genre did you gravitate towards?

I loved a lot of genre, but if it was something I was making with friends then it was almost always comedy. Comedy was always my second favorite genre so I was always renting things such as Spaceballs, Ghostbusters, Blazing Saddles and the like. My favorite genre was horror.


Always been a horror fan? Any particular type of horror?

Horror always has and always will be my first love. Oddly enough it was Ghostbusters that turned me on to the paranormal and after that I went renting and consuming horror every weekend. Some of the films I watched over and over was Return of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Rawhead Rex, Friday the 13th and Halloween. I’d have to say the slasher sub-genre is my absolute favorite. The stalk and slash by a masked killer with some kind twist have always been a go to for me. Even now when I’m bored I’ll pop in Madman, The Prowler or Black Christmas just to pass the time. I recently discovered Stage Fright and have fallen in love with it. I guess I just love seeing the different and creative ways the filmmakers come up with for dispatching their victims. Knowing what I do about special effects and having seen it first hands gives me an even deeper appreciation for what it takes to pull off that type of artistry.


Did your parents encourage you to partake in a career as a filmmaker?

Absolutely. My grandparents bought me the camera and my mom was always encouraging me to pursue what I loved most. I have to give credit to my grandmother Almeda, it’s because of her that I gravitated towards horror. Her and I became scary movie buddies a long time ago. You’d never know it looking at her, she’s like the classic Norman Rockwell apple pie grandmother. But beneath that beats the heart of a true horror fan. She instilled that love for the genre into me.


What was your first produced flick? 

The first film I produced that allowed me to get my feet wet was The Confession of Fred Krueger, but Volumes of Blood was the real test. That was the first time I was truly facilitating an entire feature production. I didn’t do it alone, I had some amazing help from my wife Katrina who served as production manager to my now producing partner Eric Huskisson. There were so many facets to that film and I literally had my hand in every single area from script to screen. It was a big learning experience.


And how did Volumes of Horror come along?

At the tail end of 2013 I created a program called Unscripted at the Daviess County Public Library and it became an overnight success. I’ve since stepped away but has become an annual event at the library. Which I never saw coming and is really awesome. This program led to the creation of the Unscripted Film School, which gave the community of Owensboro an opportunity to participate in the production of short indie films. After the continued success of Unscripted they asked me to come up with something “bigger and better”. I had been wanting to make an anthology film since 2012 and that opened the door for me to do so through this program. In about 8 hours I sat down and conceived Volumes of Blood, which would be a series of interconnected short horror films that would culminate to a feature anthology.


Is it wrong to say it’s reminiscent of some of those old school ‘80s horror films like Romero’s Creepshow? Was that an inspiration?

We never intended the film to be compared to something as incredible as Creepshow or even Tales from the Crypt. Which has happened in several reviews and is wholly flattering. Those films and series definitely had an influence on the ultimate creation, but the real goal was just a bunch of horror fans getting together and making a horror flick for the fans. When I wrote the scripts for the first film and Horror Stories, I infused a bunch of horror nuances and homages. We wanted to incorporate everything we loved about the genre, while taking the tropes and trying some new things with them. What honestly inspired me to make Volumes of Blood, was I was tired of watching anthologies that were nothing more than a bunch of random shorts found on YouTube and slapped together. I wanted something more. That’s where the initial idea came from and it has grown into so much more.

How important a marketing tool has the internet been for the film?

I’ve found that it’s the most important tool when marketing and promoting an independent project. I typically can’t afford the expenses of hiring an outside marketing firm to push my projects so I’ve had to take it upon myself to get the word out. In a lot of ways this led to helping other filmmakers and their projects by coming on as an Executive Producer to offer up my knowledge of marketing and advising in certain creative capacities. The horror community can be one of the most aggressive when it comes to criticisms, but I’ve found that is equally one of the most supportive when it comes to helping push a film. As a producer I do what I can to get myself and my projects out there, hope that others appreciate said films and then enjoy the ride while it lasts.

Links
https://www.volumesofblood.com/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3402067/
https://www.facebook.com/starks.pj

Eat Locals - Poster & Trailer - out in selected cinemas and digital download from September 1st 2017

12th July 2017: London, UK - The Movie Partnership are pleased to announce that their star-studded Horror/Comedy Eat Locals, will be having its UK Premiere at this year’s FrightFest at The Prince Charles Cinema on 26th August.

This will be the Directorial Debut for acclaimed actor, Jason Flemyng (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, X-Men: First Class), who unleashes an action-packed and darkly comic thriller of supernatural proportions. Effortlessly blending gut-busting laughs with blood-spattered shocks, Eat Locals is Assault On Precinct 13 meets Interview With A Vampire in the story of a coven of bloodsuckers whose bark is almost as bad as their bite.

The film boasts a whole host of acting talent including Charlie Cox (Stardust, Daredevil), Freema Agyeman (Dr. Who, Sense 8), Mackenzie Crook (Pirates Of The Caribbean, Game of Thrones), Tony Curran (Underworld: Evolution, League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen), Eve Myles (Torchwood), Ruth Jones (Gavin & Stacey, Stella), Annette Crosbie (One Foot In The Grave, Into The Woods) and Vincent Regan (300, Snow White & The Huntsman, Clash Of The Titans).

Flemyng also reunites the cast of Guy Ritchie’s crime comedy Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, with Nick Moran and Dexter Fletcher both starring and Jason Statham directing the fight scenes.

“No vampires were harmed during the filming of this movie!” Freema Agyeman

Synopsis: 
In a quiet country farmhouse, Britain's vampires gather. They come together once every 50 years to discuss territories, disputes, threats and food stocks, and the approval of new members. On this night, a new face will be meeting them for the first time, and – if the vote is unanimous – could be the latest member to join their fanged ranks.

This new face, however – local lad Sebastian Crockett – merely thinks he's on a promise with sexy cougar Vanessa.

Unluckily for all, Sebastian's not the only guest who'll be dropping in tonight. A detachment of Special Forces vampire killers led by Colonel Bingham has tracked the coven to this remote location, although they've bitten off far more than they can chew: they expected one vampire, not an entire coven.

With barely a handful of men ill-equipped to take down such a bloodthirsty clan, Bingham must keep the vampires pinned down while the fractious coven must put their own differences aside if they're to escape before dawn.

For Sebastian, the soldiers and the coven, it may not only be the worst night of their lives. It may be their last.

EAT LOCALS will have its UK Premiere at FrightFest 2017 on 26th August, and will be in Selected Cinemas and PVOD from 1st September (iTunes & Sky Store, Google Play, Amazon Instant Video & Xbox Video Store & VOD/DVD from 30th October @Eat_Locals_Film

FrightFest goes in search of 'New Blood'

HORROR CHANNEL FRIGHTFEST, MPI MEDIA GROUP, DARK SKY FILMS & SCREEN INTERNATIONAL JOIN FORCES IN TALENT SEARCH FOR GENRE SCREENWRITERS

Barbara Crampton, Dominic Brunt and Travis Stevens named as mentors.

Are you a writer concocting fiendishly fantastic ideas in the witching hours? Have you hidden away your script in the deepest darkest catacombs but are now ready to unleash it onto the unsuspecting world?

As an innovative addition to this year’s main event, which runs from Aug 24 - Aug 28, Horror Channel FrightFest has teamed up with international production and distribution company MPI Media and their sister production company Dark Sky Films to create NEW BLOOD, an initiative which aims to find new genre writers and nurture their projects from script to screen. This initiative has the support of the UK’s leading film industry magazine Screen international.

MPI/Dark Sky Films, with its proven track record in producing and distributing a wide array of genre features including THE INNKEEPERS, STARRY EYES, STAKE LAND and IT STAINS THE SANDS RED, is on the search for exciting new ideas to develop into feature films budgeted below $1m for an international market.

The successful shortlisted applicants will have the opportunity to explore their ideas and scripts in a group setting under the mentorship of top industry professionals and genre experts including Travis Stevens, acclaimed producer of Starry Eyes and We Are Still Here; actor, producer and horror icon Barbara Crampton, actor / director Dominic Brunt and Giles Edwards, MPI Media’s Head Of Acquisitions & Development.

The NEW BLOOD event will be held on Thursday 23rd August, the opening day of this year’s festival, at the Radisson Hampshire Hotel.

Giles Edwards, MPI Media’s Head of Acquisition and Development, said today: “We are looking for original scripts or treatments for feature films which would appeal both critically and commercially to a global audience hungry for bold, diverse new voices in the realm of daring, thrilling, fiercely entertaining genre cinema. We want to unearth the UK's Julie Ducournau or Ti West, Jennifer Kent or Simon Barrett, Jordan Peele, Ana Lily Amirpour or David Robert Mitchell. We know you're out there, so don’t hold back. If you think your idea is original the chances are we will too. Suckerpunch us with your brilliance.”

Applications are now open through submission forms. The deadline is Fri 4th August. All successful applicants will be notified by Mon 14th August. All participants are expected to pay for their own travel and accommodation.

For full application requirements and terms & conditions: frightfest.co.uk