Horror Highlights: AFI FEST 2018 Midnight Lineup, Exclusive Clip from BONEHILL ROAD, A71 Entertainment Acquires Canadian Home Video Rights to THE RANGER, Witch City Horror Film Festival

The creators behind AFI Fest 2018 have announced their Midnight lineup and it consists of films from all around the world. Also: an exclusive clip from Bonehill Road, A71 Entertainment's acquisition of the Canadian home video rights to The Ranger, and details on the Witch City Horror Film Fest in Salem, MA.

AFI Fest 2018 Midnight Lineup Revealed: "CAM – Lola (Madeline Brewer of THE HANDMAID’S TALE) is a modern-day camgirl who makes her living through online private chats, but her world is about to turn upside down. Written by former camgirl Isa Mazzei, this thriller is one of the most surprising and intelligent films of the year. DIR Daniel Goldhaber. SCR Isa Mazzei, Daniel Goldhaber. CAST Madeline Brewer, Patch Darragh, Melora Walters, David Druid, Imani Hakim, Michael Dempsey. USA

IN FABRIC – A demonic dress haunts the lives of all that come into contact with it in this sexually explicit, phantasmagoric fever dream. As the garment moves from person to person, it leaves death and destruction in its wake. DIR Peter Strickland. SCR Peter Strickland. CAST Gwendoline Christie, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hayley Squires, Leo Bill. UK

KNIFE+HEART (UN COUTEAU DANS LE COEUR) – A masked madman stalks across the world of a producer and her film company. What results is a psychosexual slasher set in the world of the 1970s gay porn scene in Paris, from visionary and boundary-pushing director Yann Gonzalez. DIR Yann Gonzalez. SCR Yann Gonzalez, Cristiano Mangione. CAST Vanessa Paradis, Nicolas Maury, Kate Moran, Jonathan Genet, Khaled Alouach, Félix Maritaud, Noé Hernandez, Thibault Servière, Bastien Waultier, Bertrand Mandico, Jules Ritmanic. France

PIERCING – In Nicolas Pesce's wicked and kinky black comedy PIERCING, Reed (Christopher Abbott) is a seemingly normal guy struggling to channel some dark urges involving an ice pick. But when he orders a call girl (Mia Wasikowska) with the secret intention of taking his violence out on her, things go disturbingly off-script. DIR Nicolas Pesce. SCR Nicolas Pesce, Ryû Murakami (novel). CAST Christopher Abbott, Mia Wasikowska, Olivia Bond, Laia Costa, Maria Dizzia, Marin Ireland, Dakota Lustick, Wendell Pierce. USA"

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Exclusive Clip from Bonehill Road: "From legendary underground filmmaker Todd Sheets comes a howlingly terrifying werewolf movie for Halloween!

Emily and Eden Stevens escape one violent situation only to dive head first into another. Terrified and alone they are stranded in the dark woods only to be chased into a horrific scene in a house or horrors. They must work together to get out alive. But what is worse? What is on the inside or out?

Linnea Quigley, Gary Kent, and David E. McMahon star in the film, out from Wild Eye Releasing."

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A71 Entertainment Acquires The Ranger Details: Press Release: "A71 Entertainment acquired the home video rights to genre festival favourite punk rock slasher THE RANGER following the film’s Toronto premiere at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. The deal was negotiated by Susan Curran A71 and 79th & Broadway Entertainment’s Andrew van den Houten, on behalf of the production companies Hood River Entertainment and Glass Eye Pix. Bluray and DVD to be released early January 2019,

In the spirit of RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD and CLASS OF 1984, THE RANGER follows a group of young punks who are forced to flee the city to lay low, only to run into a park ranger who shares a mysterious past with one of their own. The film has been lauded for its standout performances from Chloë Levine (THE TRANSFIGURATION, THE OA) as the pink-haired punk with a secret, and Jeremy Holm (HOUSE OF CARDS, MR. ROBOT) as the maniacal ranger, ready to get his hands bloody in defense of the woods. Granit Lahu (THE SINNER), Jeremy Pope, Bubba Weiler (PUZZLE), Amanda Grace Benitez (SCHOOL OF ROCK), Jeté Laurence (PET SEMATARY) and horror icon Larry Fessenden (HABIT, WE ARE STILL HERE) round out the cast.

THE RANGER marks the directorial debut of Jenn Wexler, a past Shudder Labs master, and producer of the SXSW Grand Jury Prize-winner, MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND. A co-production of Glass Eye Pix and Hood River Entertainment, THE RANGER was written by Wexler and Giaco Furino, and produced by Andrew van den Houten (BREAKING & EXITING, THE WOMAN), Larry Fessenden (MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND, THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL), Ashleigh Snead (THE BLOCK ISLAND SOUND), Heather Buckley and Wexler (LIKE ME, DARLING),

"We're absolutely thrilled to have A71 distribute THE RANGER on home video in Canada," says Wexler. "The film was born in Montreal's Frontieres Co-Production Market so it means so much to us that horror fans in Canada will be able to add the film to their collections."
“Love the movie, love the soundtrack, love the team! What more can I say?” A71 Entertainment’s Head of Marketing and Acquisitions Susan Curran adds, “the Home Video release will be a killer package coming January 2019.”

The Ranger came out swinging at 2018 SXSW Film Festival, where it world-premiered in the Midnighters section. The film was selected as opening night feature of this year’s FrightFest UK and has been an official selection at festivals around the world, including Fantasia International Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival and Toronto After Dark, among many others.

“Very excited our Canadian friends will be able to get a copy of THE RANGER. It was a blast to help make, to support Jenn’s vision and the movie is punk af—great soundtrack, candy colors; lots of fun. Thank you V71.” recognizes producer Heather Buckley.

“I am so excited to get this release out into the hands of fans.” says producer and Glass Eye Pix founder Larry Fessenden. “The extras are exhaustive, fun and lovingly crafted, and prove why physical media is still vital for true cinephiles.”

On the deal producer, Andrew van den Houten commented, “Susan Curran and A71 are the perfect partners for our Canadian home video release of “The Ranger.” Susan’s understanding and passion for the genre have led to many successful releases with our company in the past, I cannot wait for fans to be able to hold this film in their hands and take The Ranger home.”

About 79th & Broadway Entertainment
79th & Broadway Entertainment, founded in 2016, is a Los Angeles based film and media company. Specializing in film finance, sales, distribution and corporate consulting, 79th & Broadway Entertainment offer an exclusive group of clients with advisory services in every aspect of development and operations related to motion pictures. Learn more at 79thbroadway.com

About Glass Eye Pix
Glass Eye Pix (“one of the indie scene’s most productive and longest-running companies” —Filmmaker Magazine) is the fierce independent NYC-based production outfit headed by art-horror auteur Larry Fessenden (the upcoming DEPRAVED, THE LAST WINTER, WENDIGO, HABIT, NBC’s FEAR ITSELF). Fessenden has operated the company since 1985, with the mission of supporting individual voices in the arts.
About Hood River Entertainment
Hood River Entertainment, founded by producer Andrew van den Houten, is a Los Angeles-based production company dedicated to producing independent films. Learn more at hoodriverentertainment.com.

A71 ENTERTAINMENT INC. is a multi-faceted company that specializes in domestic distribution on all platforms. Previous releases include TULIPANI: LOVE, HONOUR AND A BICYCLE (2018), CHOKESLAM (2017), NUMB (2016), ACROSS THE LINE (2016) PRETEND WE’RE KISSING (2015), THE VALLEY BELOW (2015), BERKSHIRE COUNTY (2015), IN HER PLACE (2015), Founded by Chad Maker, David Miller and Kirk Comrie in 2013, A71 Entertainment is dedicated to bringing high-quality festival films to Canadian audiences. Upcoming releases include SHE NEVER DIED and The Soska Sister’s RABID."

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Witch City Horror Film Fest Lineup Announced: Press Release: "The Witch City Horror Film Festival (WCHFF) premieres at CinemaSalem for its first annual celebration of the independent horror film on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Sixteen films, including full-length features, documentaries, and shorts, will make their way to the silver screen on Halloween weekend to deliver the right amount of horror in one of the most widely celebrated and beloved cities surrounding the holiday.

Salem is no stranger to mainstream horror films, but many fans of the genre know that indie and underground films are just as important. Festival-going horror fans will appreciate the variety within the film lineup, seeing everything from monsters and body horror to psychological thrillers, paranormal and a documentary about cult film. Shorts will be divided into two separate programs during the festival.
Some directors will also be present for a Q&A following their film’s screening.

“With over 500,000 people descending upon Salem throughout October to experience all-things Halloween, we thought the city was deserving of having its own horror film festival showcasing the talents of independent New England horror filmmakers,” said Founder & Festival Director, Dominic Amenta. “What we didn’t anticipate was this overwhelming response of submissions coming in from filmmakers all over the country who felt the same way we did and see the Witch City Horror Film Festival as an ideal place to debut their films, docs, and shorts. Personally, I take great pride in launching this in Salem as it is the town my father grew up in, and I have fond memories of going to CinemaSalem
with my grandparents as a kid.”

The impressive features, short programs, and documentaries slated to show include:

• A headliner at the WCHFF, Long Lost, the debut feature written and directed by 2-time New England Emmy Winner, Erik Bloomquist of Connecticut. A psychological thriller that begins when the protagonist, Seth, receives a mysterious letter inviting him to spend the weekend at a secluded mansion in the country, he soon realizes the people inside the house may know him better than he knows himself. Bloomquist will hold a Q&A after the film.

• Survival of the Film Freaks, a documentary that explores the phenomenon of cult film in America and how it survives in the 21st Century. Directed by Bill Fulkerson and Kyle Kuchta, Wakefield and Lynn residents, Survival features industry names like Adam Green (Hatchet, Frozen) and Ted Raimi (Evil Dead, Xena), and has already earned two “Best Film” nominations and a win at recent festivals. Fulkerson and Kuchta will hold a Q&A after the film.

• Tabitha, Witch of the Order, which Director James Dailey calls “a cop show with witches.” Tabitha, Witch of the Order depicts a modern-day Seattle, where a rookie witch teams up with a grizzled priest to stop a coven of rogue witches and uncover the truth behind magic’s
reemergence. Dailey will hold a Q&A after the film.

• Witch Hunt, directed by the Boston Film Family’s Richard Chandler, is a true-grit horror film that exposes the darkness within us all. When a peaceful town is overrun by evil, an honest priest begins to struggle with his faith. Two ominous figures appear, igniting a path paved with the bones and blood of everything they touch.

• Scary Shorts I, featuring Order of the Hanged, directed by Salem’s own Luke St. Germaine; Wayward Nature, directed by Raymond Gerard Braza; C A U G H T, directed by Douglas Sullivan; Mirror Mirror – A Tale of Blood, directed by Rick Danford; The Merciless Beauty, directed by David Groom; and The Legend of Holcomb Road, directed by Matt Erman.

• Scary Shorts II, featuring Noise, directed by Steven Fox; Malacostraca, directed by Charles Pieper; Kill or Be Killed, directed by Robb Rokk; Are You Awake?, directed by Helena Karadimos; Hide in Sight, directed by Saugus native Keith Shorey; and Tell-Tale, directed by Ryan Cultrera. All-Day Festival Passes, granting access to every screening, are available for $45 and can be reserved by going to the Eventbrite link. Anticipated festivals goers can also access the Eventbrite ticket by going to the WCHFF site. Tickets for individual screenings range from $12 – $15 and can be reserved by going to the CinemaSalem “Film & Showtimes” page on their website.

To find the full schedule and more information about the films involved in the first inaugural Witch City Horror Film Festival please visit www.witchcityhorrorfilmfestival.com. You can also find the festival on Instagram and Facebook!"