Round-Up: Shriekfest 2015 Lineup, THE CLEANSING HOUR Kickstarter, BALLET OF BLOOD World Premiere

The first wave of films to be shown at this year's Shriekfest International Horror/Sci-Fi Film Festival all look like they are going to be a bloody good time! Also: The Cleansing Hour's Kickstarter campaign and Ballet of Blood premiere details.

Shriekfest 2015: Press Release: "Los Angeles, CA - SHRIEKFEST INTERNATIONAL HORROR/SCI-FI FILM FESTIVAL is thrilled to announce its first surge of films for the FIFTEENTH annual festival!  Shriekfest brings you the BEST in independent horror and sci-fi! "We are so excited for our 15th year and this slate of films!" says festival director Denise Gossett. Shriekfest is Oct 1-4. www.shriekfest.com

GRANNY OF THE DEAD: Directed by Tudley James. In a small town unknowing and free from betrayal, an evil is looming to rewrite their tale. From deep within hell a curse rises up, to strike down the old and never give up. The elderly dead will smell blood in the air, eating the flesh of the young and the world will despair.

6:15: Directed by Ben and Oliver Samuels. A zombie film with a new twist! This one was shot in first-person POV and in one continuous take! Taking place in real time, the film features effects from three Face/Off contestants, and the movie stars Montana Marks (Camp Dread), Amy Rutledge (The Neighbor), Matt Riker (Splinter Cell: Extinction), Rosebud Baker (Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys), and Bradford How (MuchMusic VJ).

Landmine Goes Click: Directed by Lavan Bakhia. Three American tourists are backpacking through the countryside of European Georgia when one of them steps on an armed landmine. That is minor compared to the nightmare the rest of the afternoon brings. Landmine stars Sterling Knight (“Melissa & Joey”), Spencer Locke (Resident Evil) and Dean Geyer (“Glee”).

Hunting: Directed by Dutch Marich. Inspired by the real-life game of “geocaching”, this riveting, slow-burn psychological thriller stars Dani Colleen Michael Mena. She gets introduced to a real-life treasure hunting game that propels her out of the safety of her apartment. After a series of unsettling events, Casey begins to question if there is a real menace lurking in her presence. In a dramatic twist, her suspicions soon manifest into a waking hell that puts her face to face with her worst nightmare.

Chatter: Directed by Matthew Solomon. While monitoring Internet traffic for the Department of Homeland Security, Agent Martin Takagi comes across the intimate video chats of a couple, temporarily living in different parts of the world, who begin to discover their new home is haunted. Starring Richard Hatch (Battlestar Galactica), Alison Haislip (Mega Shark vs. Kolossus, Freshwater) and Tohoru Masamune (Inception, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)."

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The Cleansing Hour: Press Release: "The Cleansing Hour” is the story of two failed actors, Lance and Drew, who have found success running the internet’s ONLY webcast that streams live exorcisms. The catch? They’re just elaborately staged to look real to dupe a believing global audience. But when their latest subject turns out to actually be demon-possessed, Lance and Drew will be forced to reckon with their online charade– live in front of more than 20 million viewers.

KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

Pending a successful Kickstarter campaign, principal photography is set to begin in November on a short horror film directed by Damien LeVeck titled The Cleansing Hour, starring Sam Jaeger (Parenthood, American Sniper) and Heather Morris (Glee, Spring Breakers). Jaeger is playing a failed actor who has found success appearing as a fake priest on a popular webcast that streams exorcisms staged to look real. When Jaeger unknowingly hires an actress whose actually possessed (Morris), he'll be forced to reckon with his online charade in front of 20 million viewers worldwide.

LeVeck is seeking to raise $30,000 to fund the short film via Kickstarter at www.cleansinghourmovie.com/kickstarter. Kickstarter is a crowdfunding website that allows people to pledge money to films, products, and causes that are meaningful to them in exchange for a reward or “perk” for their participation in the project. Within five hours of his Kickstarter launch on Wednesday, LeVeck had raised over $5,000 and the film was featured on Kickstarter’s site as a “New and Noteworthy” project. Since its launch 10 days ago, the production has raised almost half its goal, with 12 days remaining in the campaign.

Some of the “perks” The Cleansing Hour is offering in exchange for contributions include props from the film signed by its cast members, skype calls with Jaeger and Morris, an opportunity to visit the set of the film, scripts signed by cast and crew, LeVeck’s prized motorcycle and a special edition Tales of the Crypt pinball shipped to any household in the US.

When asked about his reasoning for seeking funds via crowdfunding efforts instead of private investors, LeVeck explained “Making a movie is a collective and collaborative effort. It takes a village. Through Kickstarter, I am giving all backers an opportunity to participate in making a movie! I hope to have a large group of backers behind me, who will share in the process of filmmaking and be a valued member of The Cleansing Hour team.""

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Ballet of Blood: Press Release: "Jared Masters’ magnum opus, Ballet of Blood, has been selected to open the RIP Horror International Film Fest this year in Hollywood. The festival takes place over the Halloween weekend. RIP brings quality horror entertainment from indie filmmakers around the world. This year will include the "Bloody Doll Awards" to celebrate the empowerment of women working in the business for the advancement of the horror genre.

Ballet of Blood will have its world premiere on October 29^th, 2015, at 8 pm. See link for tickets below. Only $5 if purchased before September 11^th. $10 after. This ain’t The Nutcracker! Walk the red carpet and see this highly anticipated horror film.

Film synopsis: After a ballet school's prima ballerina (Mindy Robinson) gets shot at by beautifully psychotic fellow dancer, Nisa (Sydney Raye), the whole company's on edge. Classes continue, shrouded in fear, while Nisa remains at large. Her ditsy ballerina friend, Ria (Jessica Knopf), is being held in solitary confinement for suspicion of being involved. But Ria breaks out of the asylum, and after getting willingly drugged by Nisa, Ria is coerced into assisting her on a new mission, the ultimate assault (with a samurai sword and UZI machine gun from her father's secret room). All those who contributed to the many years of emotional and physical abuse and body shaming will be in harm's way. Meanwhile, a nerdy ballerina, Maren (Marla Martinez) starts writing a novel based on the events that transpired, deeply offending some for turning such sensitive material into a book, for young audiences. Soon, her and her sister, Saren (Rubi Garcia), realize every word being typed on Maren's typewriter is somehow altering real life. Will this strange and psychedelic parallel fantasy carry the sisters, along with anyone else, to a merciless blood-splattered doom?

The film stars Sydney Raye and Jessica Knopf, with Laura Amelia as the dance teacher, Delphine, and Julia Faye West as company co-owner. The film also features Mindy Robinson as the prima ballerina, with Walter Hochbrueckner, Vera R. Taylor, Rubi Garcia, Marla Martinez, Jacqueline Marie Alberto, Dawna Lee Heising, Dallas Chandler, Krystall Schott, Georgie Borchardt, Sky Patterson, Christopher Arias, Kimberly Cohen, Marylyn Brooks, Geo Sargent, Bob Evans and Garrett Morosky.

Produced by Julia Faye West, Sydney Raye, Vera R. Taylor, Walter Hochbrueckner, John Gonatos, Mikko Tervonen, Michael Anthony, and Bouvier. Production design by Mystic Marlow. Art Direction by Ryan Henneman. Sound by Jean-Paul Inesta, stills by Mark Rakocy, assistant producer Seth Metoyer, script supervision by Jonathan Weichsel, script editing by H. Raven Rose. Written and directed by Jared Masters.

Tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/checkout/view-event/id/25356/chk/be31/"