As someone who hasn't been shy about sharing my undying love for the 2008 zombie horror comedy Dance of the Dead over the years, (I even had the pleasure of helping host 10th anniversary screenings for the film back in 2018), I'm always stoked to see what director Gregg Bishop is working on, so I'm especially thrilled and chilled that Bishop's new short film, Howl at the Dead, will have its Canadian premiere tonight at the Fantasia International Film Festival!
A haunted house short film told from the unique perspective of family pets, Howl at the Dead will screen tonight at Montreal's De Sève Theatre as part of the “Are You Afraid of Fantasia?” program at 9:30pm.
Below, we have the official press release with additional details, and to celebrate the short film's Canadian premiere, we also have a look at images from Howl at the Dead (and eagle-eyed Dance of the Dead fans may even notice Principal Castlemoody himself, Stephen Caudill)!
Press Release: Montreal, Quebec – Bishop Studios shares first images for its latest Award Winning film, HOWL AT THE DEAD, directed by Gregg Bishop (DANCE OF THE DEAD, SiREN, V/H/S 3), the horror short will have its Canadian premiere at the prestigious Fantasia International Film Festival.
LOGLINE: When a family moves into a haunted house, their loyal pet dog struggles to protect them from the malevolent ghosts that only animals can see.
THREE FUN FACTS ABOUT HOWL AT THE DEAD:
- Inspiration: The idea for HOWL AT THE DEAD was inspired by the director's childhood pets, who he believed had a sixth sense. This universal notion that pets can see ghosts evolved into a haunted house story from a dog's perspective. The film blends scares with the deep emotional connections between humans and their pets.
- Production Pivot: After a feature film project fell through at the last minute, the director borrowed film equipment, gathered some friends, and created this short proof-of-concept film instead with no money.
- Working with Animals: Despite the challenges of working with animals, the film succeeded thanks to dog trainer Laura Nativo and DJ, the superstar dog. Understanding that animals can't "act" but can only show real emotions, the production schedule was crafted around DJ's emotional needs, ensuring an authentic performance that was crucial to the film's success.
Screening Details:
- Date: Monday, July 29th
- Time: 9:30 pm
- Program: “Are You Afraid of Fantasia?”
- Venue: De Sève Theatre, Montreal, Quebec
- Program Link: Fantasia Festival Program
"We are incredibly honored to have the Canadian premiere of HOWL AT THE DEAD at the Fantasia International Film Festival. This festival is a beacon for genre filmmakers and fans alike, and we couldn’t be more excited to join such an esteemed roster of films.” – Gregg Bishop
The film stars Delilah Jane (DJ) Sassafras as Paws, Luke Speakman, Ashley Watkins, and Stephen Caudill. HOWL AT THE DEAD has already been selected for ScreamFest Horror Film Festival, Panic Fest, SoHo Horror Film Festival, and won Best Genre Short at the Mammoth Film Festival.
For more information, visit www.GreggBishop.com or follow him on Instagram @BishopGregg
About Gregg Bishop: Gregg Bishop’s passion for filmmaking began when he found his father’s Super 8mm film camera in the attic at 7 years old and started making scary movies to terrify his sister. After graduating from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Gregg directed the SLAMDANCE award-winning feature film THE OTHER SIDE; then followed it up with DANCE OF THE DEAD, which premiered at SXSW and was hand-picked by director SAM RAIMI for distribution through GHOST HOUSE PICTURES and LIONSGATE. He also wrote and directed a segment in the critically acclaimed horror anthology franchise V/H/S before directing SiREN for Chiller Films/UNIVERSAL. COLUMBIA PICTURES bought Gregg’s monster movie spec script LOCKDOWN AT FRANKLIN HIGH which will be produced by MICHAEL BAY. The next feature Gregg is set to direct is a new original horror film from the writers of the HELLRAISER reboot and the producers of FINAL DESTINATION. Gregg’s directing reel can be found at www.GreggBishop.com.
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.
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