Screamfest: Longest-Running American Horror Film Festival Unveils Its Line-Up
Since 2001, Screamfest Horror Film Festival has served as a launchpad for some of the genre’s top franchises and filmmakers. Films such as The Human Centipede, 30 Days of Night, Trick ‘r Treat, and even Paranormal Activity have gotten their start at this iconic fest, which prides itself in being the largest and longest-running horror festival in the United States.
Now, for their 21st edition, Screamfest has announced the first wave of their incredible line-up. Considered the “Sundance of Horror,” Screamfest is proud to showcase new work from independent filmmakers from across the globe.
Running October 12 through October 21 at the TCL Chinese Theater, Screamfest welcomes audiences back to the big screen for a collective experience they won’t soon forget.
Here’s What To Expect From Screamfest
Screamfest opens October 12 with the North American premiere of The Retaliators. The film follows a pastor who uncovers a dark underworld as he searches for answers surrounding his daughter’s brutal murder. Directed by Bridget Smith and Samuel Gonzalez Jr., The Retaliators also features a high-octane original soundtrack and cameos from some of the biggest names in rock music, including Five Finger Death Punch, Tommy Lee, Papa Roach, The Hu, Ice Nine Kills, and Escape The Fate. Marc Menchaca (Ozark), Michael Lombardi (Rescue Me), and Joseph Gatt (Game of Thrones) star in this horror-thriller which reveals a game of revenge played using a new set of rules.
Three other films will also be making their North American debuts at the festival. Richard Waters’s dark folk horror Bring Out The Fear traps its protagonists in an unsolvable maze where a sinister presence awaits. Clare Foley stars in the sci-fi horror The Changed where an alien presence takes possession of the hearts and minds of her city. Isolation depicts nine tales of terror which are woven together as remote people work to survive an increasingly deadly outbreak.
US premieres at the festival include Russia’s #Blue_Whale produced by Timur Bekmambetov, which follows Dana as she works to uncover the truth behind her sister’s suicide; Argentina’s fantasy horror film Nocturna: Side A- The Great Old Man’s Night which depicts one old man’s journey to rethink his past and present and question his reality; and Kratt by Rasmus Berivoo in which children stumble upon an instruction manual to create a supernatural being.
Related: FrightFest Review: In ‘The Retaliators,’ A Pastor Seeks Brutal Revenge
The festival will also feature a Special Presentation of Daniel Farrands’s Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeyman starring Peyton List and Lydia Hearst, which follows the notorious killer through a little-known chapter of her life in Deland, Florida. You can view the full line-up on their website.
“After a challenging year for cinema, we are excited to return to our home at the TCL Chinese Theatre for our latest lineup of frights,” says festival founder Rachel Belofsky. “While last year’s drive-ins allowed us to continue to celebrate horror films as a community, we have missed the magic of the traditional theatrical experience.”
Formed in August 2001 by film producer Rachel Belofsky, Screamfest Horror Film Festival is a female-run 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Their goal is to provide genre filmmakers and screenwriters a venue to have their work showcased in the film industry.
Tickets are still available for the festival and are available for purchase through their website.
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