With the Halloween season around the corner, this year's Screamfest Horror Film Festival is almost upon us, and the first wave of films for the fest have now been announced, including Fear, Inc., Trash Fire, and The Master Cleanse (starring Johnny Galecki).

Press Release: "HOLLYWOOD – Sept. 7, 2016 – America’s largest and longest running horror film festival, Screamfest Horror Film Festival, announces the first wave of its official 2016 film line up. The festival, which will run from Oct. 18-27, 2016 at the TLC Chinese in Hollywood, has launched careers - providing a platform for filmmakers and actors to showcase their latest work to enthusiasts and general audiences. Actress Lydia Hearst (Condemned, #Horror) will serve as ambassador for the festival.

“We’re so thrilled to announce such a diverse group of films this year,” said Rachel Belofsky, Screamfest Founder and Festival Director. “Even in our 16th year, filmmakers continue to push the envelope and amaze us with their incredible imagination, creativity, passion and hard work.”

This year’s Screamfest Horror Film Festival will offer unique access to some of the most creative forces in the horror genre through film screenings, Q&A’s and conversations with some of the most captivating artists working in the industry today. Film festival badges are currently on sale to the general public at www.ScreamfestLA.com and individual film tickets will be available soon.

Screamfest Horror Film Festival is proud to announce that the following films have been admitted to the festival – the first wave of the 2016 line up.

THE MASTER CLEANSE (USA) 2016
Directed by Bobby Miller
Written by Bobby Miller
Produced by Jordan Horowitz, Johnny Galecki, Aaron L. Gilbert
Cast: Anna Friel, Johnny Galecki, Anjelica Huston, Oliver Platt
LA Premiere
Down, out, and heartbroken, Paul attends a spiritual retreat to cleanse himself and fix his broken life but soon discovers that the cleanse releases more than everyday toxins...a lot more. The feature debut from Bobby Miller (TUB), THE MASTER CLEANSE is a trippy and fantastic journey that examines how we deal with the things that weigh us down in life, ultimately asking the all-important question: given the opportunity to literally face your demons, what would you do?

TRASH FIRE (USA) 2016
Directed by Richard Bates, Jr.
Written by Richard Bates, Jr.
Produced by Lawrence Mattis, Matt Smith, David Lawson Jr.
Cast: Adrian Grenier, Angela Trimbur, Fionnula Flanagan, AnnaLynne McCord, Matthew Gray Gubler, Sally Kirkland, Ezra Buzzington, Ray Santiago, Molly McCook
LA Premiere
When Owen is forced to confront the past he's been running from his whole adult life, he and his girlfriend, Isabel, become entangled in a horrifying web of lies, deceit and murder. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll be scarred for life.

THE CRUCIFIXION (USA) 2016
Directed by Xavier Gens
Written by Carey Hayes, Chad Hayes
Produced by Leon Clarance, Ara Keshishian, Peter Safran
Cast: Sophie Cookson
LA Premiere
THE CRUCIFIXION is a supernatural thriller based on true events that touches on the universal themes of life vs. death and good vs. evil. The project stars Sophie Cookson (Kingsman: The Secret Service), is written by the Hayes Brothers (The Conjuring) and produced by Peter Safran with Xavier Gens (Hitman) directing.

MY FATHER DIE (USA) 2016
Directed by Sean Brosnan
Written by Sean Brosnan
Produced by Sanja Banic, Alma Bogdan-Turner, Orian Williams, Sean Brosnan, Pierce Brosnan
Cast: Joe Anderson, Gary Stretch, Candace Smith
LA Premiere
Deaf and mute since having his hearing knocked out at the age of 12, Asher has been training for almost two decades to avenge himself on Ivan, the man that killed his older brother 21 years ago. And now that his nemesis is out of prison, he gets his chance. But Asher’s target also happens to be his father.

FEAR, INC. (USA) 2016
Directed by Vincent Masciale
Written by Luke Barnett
Cast: Lucas Neff, Caitlin Stasey, Chris Marquette, Stephanie Drake, Mark Moses, Abigail Breslin
LA Premiere
Produced by Luke Barnett, Vincent Masciale, Natalie Rose Masciale, Heather Kasprzak
Fear, Inc. follows a company of degenerates who can be hired for a premium to bring your greatest fears to life. But when horror junkie Joe Foster’s customized scare seemingly begins, he and his friends must decide if this company is there to scare them, or make them pawns in their own sick game.

BEDEVILED (USA) 2016
Directed by The Vang Brothers (Berlee and Abel Vang)
Written by Berlee Vang, Abel Vang
Produced by Abel Vang, Burlee Vang, Leng Yang , Cheng Yang, Kirk Roos
Cast: Saxon Sharbino, Mitchell Edwards, Brandon Soo Hoo, Victory Van Tuyl, Carson Boatman, Alexis G. Zall, and Jordan Essoe
LA Premiere
Five teenagers receive an invite to download a Siri-like app. Once they accept this app which calls itself Mister Bedevil, it begins to torment each of them by tapping into their worst fears. To stop this malevolent force, the teens must learn to trust and depend on each other's wits and courage.

INICUO: THE BROTHERHOOD (MEXICO) 2016
Directed by Alejandro G. Alegre
Written by Alejandro G. Alegre
Produced by Alejandro G. Alegre, Victor Leycegui, Roberto G. Alegre, Enrique Villanueva
Cast: Isaac Pérez Calzada, Marcos Duarte, Verónica de Alba, Guillermo Jair, Rodrigo Ostap
LA Premiere
After a voyage of discovery FEDERICO creates a new religious cult. He kidnaps FERNANDO, a former collaborator, which will try to leave as heir of worship in the midst of a slaughter justified by their own past tragedies.

LAKE BODOM (FINLAND) 2016
Directed by Taneli Mustonen
Written by Aleksi Hyvärinen and Taneli Mustonen
Produced by Aleksi Hyvärinen, Sophie Holden, Callie McGregor, Claudia Troncoso
Cast: Nelly Hirst-Gee, Mikael Gabriel, Mimosa Willamo, Santeri Helinheimo Mäntylä
US Premiere
Every camper's worst nightmare came true at Lake Bodom in 1960 when four teenagers were stabbed to death while sleeping in their tent.

ABOUT SCREAMFEST HORROR FILM FESTIVAL
Formed in August 2001 by film producer Rachel Belofsky, Screamfest Horror Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that gives filmmakers and screenwriters in the horror and science fiction genres a venue to have their work showcased in the film industry. Among the numerous films that have been discovered and/or premiered at the festival include “Paranormal Activity,” “30 Days of Night,” “Trick ‘r Treat” and “The Human Centipede.”

Screamfest is sponsored by Shock Top, Birns & Sawyer, Crypt TV, Brickwork, and Dapper Cadaver. Screamfest is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Screamfest is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs.

  • Derek Anderson
    About the Author - Derek Anderson

    Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.

    When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.