Arrow Video FrightFest 2022 Announces Stacked Line-Up
Celebrating its 23rd edition with 32 world, 22 international, and 18 UK premieres, the world-renowned Arrow Video FrightFest is set to run from August 25-29 in London.
The festival opens with the world premiere of THE LAIR, an action-packed gore shocker from Neil Marshall, who calls his latest film “The Dirty Half Dozen meets THE THING”. Marshall will be attending with star Charlotte Kirk and will also introduce a special 4K restoration screening of his modern classic, DOG SOLDIERS.
The closing night film is the European premiere of Scott Mann’s FALL where two best friends, stranded at the top of a remote, abandoned 2000-feet high radio tower, fight for survival.
One of this year’s special guest is horror icon Dario Argento, introducing the UK premiere of his latest giallo DARK GLASSES, which compares to the extreme thrillers he pioneered in the 1970s with THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE and DEEP RED.
This year’s main screen line-up includes Ryûhei Kitamura’s THE PRICE WE PAY and John Swab’s CANDY LAND, the UK premiere of buzz title BARBARIAN, starring Georgina Campbell and Bill Skarsgård, Dominic Brunt’s WOLF MANOR, also a world premiere, the Sundance sensation PIGGY, Travis Steven’s Tribeca hit A WOUNDED FAWN, Cannes Film Festival opener FINAL CUT, the French remake of ONE CUT OF THE DEAD, and H4Z4RD, a turbo-charged, splatter action movie.
FrightFest will also feature Mali Elfman’s warm-hearted science fiction epic NEXT EXIT, the sensational sci-fi horror hybrid THE VISITOR FROM THE FUTURE, Quentin Dupieux’s quirky comedy time travel fantasy INCREDIBLE BUT TRUE and SOMETHING IN THE DIRT, Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead’s fusion of DIY science-fiction, pre-apocalyptic vibes, and overwhelming paranoia. .
Other main screen world premieres include TERRIFIER 2, continuing the gory misadventures of Art the Clown, MIDNIGHT PEEPSHOW, a twisted portmanteau threesome exploring the nightmare side of psychosexual fantasy, horror anthology sequel SCARE PACKAGE II: RAD CHAD’S REVENGE, Andy Mitton’s menacing supernatural horror, THE HARBINGER, Erik Bloomquist’s coming-of-age horror SHE CAME FROM THE WOODS, starring Cara Buono, and stylish psychological chiller MASTEMAH from director Didier Daarwin, who will be attending. Also attending is THE CHAMBER director Ben Parker, for his latest thriller BURIAL. He will be bringing along the cast, including Tom Felton,
The documentary strand is as bright and bold as ever and FrightFest welcomes French cult icon Brigitte Lahaie, who will introduce the fascinating in-depth Jean Rollin documentary ORCHESTRATOR OF STORMS. The subversive and explicit are also explored in CULT OF VHS, which takes a trip down Memorex lane to nostalgically relive the allure and passion for straight-to-video titles and Video Nasties. Another cult favorite is Chucky, who is the subject of Kyra Gardner’s LIVING WITH CHUCKY. Kyra, daughter of FX designer Tony Gardner, explores what it was like growing up amongst this creative family of stars, eccentrics, technicians, and a serial killing doll.
Brit horror hits a bloody sartorial vein this year with the World premiere of HOUNDED, starring Samantha Bond and Larry Lamb, Liam Regan’s EATING MISS CAMPBELL, Pat Higgins’ POWERTOOL CHEERLEADERS VS. THE BOYBAND OF THE SCREECHING DEAD and Paul W. Franklyn’s CROC! Also, there are outings for Paul Wilkins’ THE GHOST WRITER, Steve Johnson’s STALKER, and Christopher Hatton’s RAVEN’S HOLLOW.
Plus, Frightfest has the UK’s ‘First Blood’ class of 2022 – THE CREEPING, starring Sophie Thompson, Scott Lyus’s apocalyptic vision WALKING AGAINST THE RAIN, BITE a horror story of entrapment and cannibalism, Will Hugo’s THE GROUP and CEREBRUM starring Steve Oram.
FrightFest will also screen films as part of its Discovery Stand. From Luxembourg there is the savage thriller WOLFKIN, from Mexico and Peru is the much anticipated HUESERA from director Michelle Garza Cervera and FrightFest’s first entry from Cyprus is the World premiere of paranormal thriller THE GHOSTS OF MONDAY. Other World premieres in the Discovery strand include Japan’s bold, unique fantasy NEW RELIGION from director Keishi Kondo, the subversive mockumentary EVERYBODY DIES BY THE END, and DAUGHTER, which marks the feature film debut for Corey Deshon and stars Casper Van Dien.
Plus, there are UK premieres for erotic spookfest HYPOCHONDRIAC, real-time black comedy thriller HOLY S**T!, gruesome murder mystery THE BREACH, serial killer drama THE LAST CLIENT, SUPER Z, which injects new blood into the zombie genre, FAMILY DINNER, and THE ONCE AND FUTURE SMASH + END ZONE 2, Sophia Cacciola and Michael J. Epstein’s spoof documentary and END ZONE sequel.
FrightFest was one of the first festivals to focus on the fresh and delightful work of Austin-based director Emily Hagins when it premiered MY SUCKY TEEN ROMANCE in 2011. Now she’s back with SORRY ABOUT THE DEMON, a supernatural horror comedy that is movingly funny. The festival also welcomes back Patrick Rea with his haunting domestic abuse chiller THEY WAIT IN THE DARK, Eric Pennycoff with THE LEECH, starring FrightFest favorite Graham Skipper, BUTTBOY’s Tyler Cornackwith TINY CINEMA, a weird, fun and twisted look at humanity, and Alexis Bruchon with THE EYES BELOW, the second in his noir trilogy following THE WOMAN WITH LEOPARD SHOES,
The monstrous and macabre line-up of films goes on with a record entry of International and European premieres, which includes BITCH ASS, Bill Posley’s black exploitation horror, with Tony Todd, Tom Ryan’s award-winning frightener SPLINTER, kickass rocking gore-fest PUSSYCAKE, dark Faustian morality tale THE SUMMONED, home-invasion thriller, WHO INVITED THEM?, psychological family horror THE ONES YOU DIDN’T BURN, Spain’s EVERYONE WILL BURN, starring SEXY KILLER’s Macarena Gomez, John Ainslee’s human flesh-eating DO NOT DISTURB, new body horror SWALLOWED from Carter Smith (THE RUINS), Grégory Beghin’ssurvival horror DEEP FEAR, and packed shocker NIGHT OF THE BASTARD , from Erik Boccio and London May, creators of the multi-award winning BRUTAL REALITY, INC.
Plus, the live streaming age is given deadly digital treatment in Hannah Barlow’s SISSY, Joseph Winter’s DEADSTREAM and twisted social media thriller FOLLOW HER. Director Sylvia Caminer will be attending.
Festival co-director Paul McEvoy said today:
“We are absolutely delighted with this year’s fantastic Arrow Video FrightFest line-up. This is the wildest and most diverse selection we have ever assembled. The mix includes a stunning variety of the latest must-see SF, thriller, fantasy and horror titles from around the world. With a vast array of premiere screenings, special events and incredible guests the Cineworld Leicester Square and The Prince Charles Cinema will be the ONLY places for film lovers to be over the late August Bank Holiday weekend and we cannot wait to unleash our prime selections to our wonderful audience.”
Buy passes for FrightFest now. Single tickets go on sale Saturday, July 23.
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