Palm Springs Braces for the Inaugural Feartastic Horror Film Festival this Halloween
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Already known for its great weather, luxury hotels, and resort lifestyle, Palm Springs, California, is about to become known for something a bit more sinister: horror movies! Read on to learn about the city’s first Feartastic Film Festival.
From the Press Release:
Kicking off on Halloween night, the inaugural Feartastic Film Festival begins on Thursday, October 31, 2013, with BB’s Monster Rock Halloween Party at the Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs and includes five frightfully fantastic film screenings on November 1-2 at the Camelot Theaters, the desert’s premiere theaters. The fest’s intense, nail-biting films have been chosen for both their scare factor and their atypical plots and storylines. On deck to kick off the festival are: Contracted, Dead Weight, Delivery, Here Comes the Devil, and The Second Death. Ranging from dark to romantic to downright scary, each film has gained notoriety at festivals both in the U.S. and overseas, and all will bring their unique horrorific vision to Palm Springs for the very first time.
“Our mission is to create a film festival unlike any other. These are not just your typical horror genre films,” notes Kim Waltrip, Partner at Troupe Productions and Feartastic producer and creator. “We searched for films that would create a few good screams, as well as put a stamp on the Feartastic Film Festival as being unique and visionary.” Already buzz-worthy, the films at Feartastic take the genre into new directions. The films range from Contracted, which was nominated for the Chicago International Film Festival’s Q-Hugo Film Award for LGBTQ films, to Dead Weight, which took home awards at the Madison Horror Film Festival, to Delivery, a film that is being called creepy, fun, and scary, to The Second Death, which was a hit at overseas festivals, to Here Comes The Devil, which played at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival. Tying the five films together is a common thread…they each stretch the boundaries of fear and scare.
In addition to the screenings, Feartastic includes an excellent series of panel discussions and opportunities to meet and question the filmmakers. Tickets are available for individual events or via a special VIP All Access Pass, which includes VIP seating at all films, one ticket to BB’s Monster Rock Party, tickets to both panel discussions, and one ticket to the post event cocktail party. Individual tickets for each film and panel can be purchased for only $10, and individual tickets to BB’s Monster Rock Party cost $40. The VIP All Access Pass is just $99.
Envisioned by Palm Springs business leaders and locals Jim Casey, Kim Waltrip, and Trini Garza of Troupe Productions and programmed by Bradley Sullivan, filmmaker and festival producer, Feartastic will put the film spotlight on Palm Springs during the ghouls and ghosts season. “Our vision at Troupe Productions is to constantly bring new and exciting entertainment concepts to Palm Springs,” explains Jim Casey, president of Troupe Productions. “Kim, Trini, and I have always believed that Palm Springs can be home to a new type of film festival, and with Feartastic we have accomplished our mission.”
Tickets and more information can be found at Feartastic.com, on the Feartastic Facebook page, and on Twitter at @feartastic.
Feartastic Schedule:
October 31:
BB’s Monster Rock Party – BB’s infamous Halloween bash at the new Hard Rock Hotel. Multiple DJ’s, a live band, and live show by the pool. Food stations and bars.
November 1 – 5:00 p.m. – Camelot Theater:
Panel #1: Getting a Film Made – Getting your film made from start to finish. Raising the money, producing the film, and selling to foreign and domestic distributors. Guests include: Nick Ogiony (Creative Artists Agency), Don Mancini (director, Curse of Chucky), Danielle Bisutti (actress, Insidious Chapter 2, Curse of Chucky), Andreas Olivarria (Distributor, Level 33 Entertainment), Isaac Paul (Distributor, Crystal Sky Entertainment).
November 1 – 6:00 p.m. – Camelot Theater:
Kick-off Cocktail Party Sponsored by Level 33 Entertainment – Show your movie ticket or film badge for a hosted cocktail.
November 1 – 8:00 p.m. – Camelot Theater:
Opening Night: Contracted, written and directed by Eric Englund. Starring Najarra Townsend, Caroline Williams, and Alice Macdonald. Q&A following screening.
November 2 – 10:30 a.m. – Camelot Theater:
Panel #2: Indie Filmmakers Chat – Join Independent filmmakers as they talk about getting a film made. Guest speakers include: Adam Schindler (writer & producer, Delivery), Marc Manus (co-producer, Delivery), Adrian Garcia Bogliano (writer & director, Here Comes the Devil), John Pata (co-writer & co-director, Dead Weight), Eric Englund (writer & director, Contracted)
November 2 – 12:30 p.m. – Camelot Theater:
The Second Death, written and directed by Santiago Fernandez Calvete. Starring Evangelina Cueto, Maria Laura Cali, and Luz Kertz. Q&A following screening.
November 2 – 2:30 p.m. – Camelot Theater:
Dead Weight, written and directed by Adam Pata. Starring Joel Belknap, Mary Lindberg, and Michelle Courvais. Q&A following screening.
November 2 – 5:30 p.m. – Camelot Theater:
Delivery, directed by Brian Netto, written by Brian Netto and Adam Shindler. Starring Laurel Vail, Danny Barclay, and Rob Cobuzio. Q&A following screening.
November 2 – 8:00 p.m. – Camelot Theater:
Here Comes the Devil, written and directed by Adrian Garcia Bogliano. Starring Francisco Barreiro, Laura Caro, and Alan Martinez. Q&A following screening.
November 2 – 10:00 p.m.
Feartastic Cocktail Party hosted by Troupe Productions.
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