NIGHT SHIFT: " While working her first night shift at a remote motel, a young woman, Gwen Taylor (Phoebe Tonkin), begins to suspect that she is being followed by a dangerous character from her past. As the night progresses, Gwen’s isolation and safety, however, are made all the more worse when she starts to realize that the motel might also be haunted."
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Queer Horror - A Film Guide: "From the beginning, horror has been part of the cinema landscape. Despite some of the earliest genre films with gay directors such as F.W. Murnau (Nosferatu) and James Whale (Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, Bride of Frankenstein), LGBTQIA characters have rarely been portrayed in full view. For decades, filmmakers have included “coded” content in their films with the homosexual experience translated into censor-friendly subtext for consumption by general audiences. Gradually, LGBTQIA characters and themes have moved from the background to the foreground as the horror genre has grown along with its audience’s tastes and attitudes. Likewise, more and more LGBTQIA writers and directors have begun to offer their queer-centric takes on scary movies and today, “queer horror” is a thriving film genre.
With more than 900 entries, this critical filmography is a comprehensive, critical, yet playful examination of the history of LGBTQIA content in horror films. Eight journalistic contributors dig into every era of scary movies, including the early silents, pre– and post–Hays Code content, grindhouse sleaze, LGBTQIA indies, and megaplex studio releases. From Whale’s The Old Dark House (1932) to Don Mancini’s Chucky films and everything in between, this collection explores what can be found at the intersection of “LGBTQIA” and “horror” in the film industry."
For more information or to pre-order, visit: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/queer-horror/
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Fantaspoa Unveils Poster and First Wave of Films for its Twentieth Edition: "Fantaspoa returns to the cinemas of Porto Alegre, Brazil from April 10 to 28 - celebrating twenty years and proudly becoming the longest-running film festival in the city's history.
In 2024, the festival will occupy four locations: Cinemateca Capitólio, Casa de Cultura Mário Quintana, Instituto Ling, and Cine Cult Vitória, a newcomer to this edition of the event. In addition, part of the programming will be available online, geo-blocked for Brazilian viewers.
The poster for this year's festival was conceived by filmmaker and illustrator Elizabeth Schuch, who, starting with this edition, has been formally appointed Fantaspoa's art director. For the twentieth Fantaspoa, Elizabeth has crafted a visual identity inspired by another 2024 milestone: the centenary of Fritz Lang’s The Nibelungs.
The twentieth anniversary celebration of Fantaspoa promises to offer one of the most comprehensive line-ups in the festival’s history, featuring the World Premieres of over 25 feature films and an array of events that will take place outside the walls of its cinemas.
The festival’s opening party will take place on April 12, featuring live Lucha Libre wrestling. The closing parties will take place over the course of two nights: Fantaspoa’s traditional costume party aboard the Cisne Branco, a three-story boat on April 27, and a special concert on April 28 at Bar Opinião, a staple of Porto Alegre that holds 2,000 attendees. The concert will feature performances by Demian Rugna’s Pasco 637 and the historic reunion of beloved local Porto Alegre musical group Damn Laser Vampires.
The festival will host three live-scored screenings at the beautiful Instituto Ling, featuring films that are all celebrating their 100th anniversaries. Robert Wiene’s The Hands of Orlac will kick of the festivities on April 10 and, the following week, will feature Die Nibelungen: Siegfried and Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge, Fritz Lang’s dual masterpieces that inspired this year’s festival artwork.
According to festival directors João Fleck and Nicolas Tonsho, “This is by far the most unique lineup we’ve ever put together. The 200+ films, comprising both shorts and features, were selected from over 1,000 entries submitted. We are proud of the fact that over 90% of the films selected were entries submitted on FilmFreeway, and could not be happier by the sheer amount of premieres that we are able to bring to the world.”
Among the confirmed guests attending Fantaspoa’s 2024 edition include Justin Hardy, Dominic Hardy, and Chris Nunn (Children of The Wicker Man), Boaz Yakin (Once Again [for the first time]), Lilis Soares (Mami Wata), Pablo Parés (Marisa y Gomoso), Junta Yamaguchi (River), Takeshi Kushida (My Mother’s Eyes), Alex Kahuam and Ted Raimi (Failure!), Tayo Cortés (Dome), Sebastian Perillo (Bionica), Augusto Sinay (The Horned Frog), Daniel M. Caneiro (Deviant), Diego Ortuño (Red Corn), Francisco Bouzas and Maria Laura Buslemen (Hidden City), Guile Branco (A Halloween Feast), Karl R. Hearne (The G), Neal Dhand, Neal Sampat and Sergio Uguet de Resayre (Dark My Light), Nick Gaglia (Pinkcity), Radim Špaček (Forest Killer), Edson da Conceição (Pariah), Megan Seely and Bryan Scary (Puddysticks), Devin Lawrence (The Disinvited), Carlos Ángel Luppi and Daniel Schäfer (Jeit), Miguel Azurmendi (Keratyna), Michael Pierro (Self Driver), Ryan Barton-Grimley (Listen Carefully), Austin Andrews and Andrew Holmes (The Island Between the Tides), Marc Schölermann (Bark), Sophie Colon (Endless Summer Syndrome), Michael Felker (Things Will Be Different), Carl Fry, Maxwell Nalevansky, and German Suane (Rats!), A.D. Calvo (Let the Moon be My Moon), Christopher Faust (Boyfriend Double), Petrus Cariry (Heavier Is the Sky), Mathew Freihet (Iconic), and Alec Bonk (Blind Cop 2).
The first 50 films being announced include fifteen World Premieres, five International Premieres, 23 Latin American Premieres, and five Brazilian Premieres. The films represent a total of 21 countries and have been showcased at such prestigious festivals as Venice, Sundance, SXSW, Independent Film Awards, Tribeca, Sitges, Fantastic Fest, Fantasporto, Tallinn Black Nights, Karlovy Vary, Calgary Film Festival, Palm Springs, Frightfest, and Fantasia."
Below are the first fifty films announced for the 2024 edition of Fantaspoa:
(ICONIC) (dir. Matthew Freiheit. 2024, United States, International Premiere)
A HALLOWEEN FEAST (dir. Guile Branco. 2024, United States, World Premiere)
ALL YOU NEED IS BLOOD (dir. Cooper Roberts. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
BARK (dir. Marc Schölermann. 2023, Germany, Latin American Premiere)
BIONICA (dir. Sebastian Perillo. 2024, Argentina, World Premiere)
BLIND COP 2 (dir. Alec Bonk. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
BOYFRIEND DOUBLE (dir. Christopher Faust. 2024, Brazil, World Premiere)
BRUTAL HEAT (dir. Albert Hospodarsky. 2023, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latin American Premiere)
CAT CALL (dir. Rozália Szeleczki. 2023, Hungary, Latin American Premiere)
CHILDREN OF THE WICKER MAN (dirs. Justin Hardy, Dominic Hardy, and Chris Nunn. 2024, United Kingdom, World Premiere)
DARK MY LIGHT (dir. Neal Dhand. 2024, United States, World Premiere)
DEVIANT (dir. Daniel M. Caneiro. 2024, Spain, World Premiere)
DOME (dir. Tayo Cortés. 2023, Colombia, Brazilian Premiere)
ENDLESS SUMMER SYNDROME (dir. Kaveh Daneshmand. 2023, Czech Republic, France, Latin American Premiere)
FACELESS AFTER DARK (dir. Raymond Wood. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
FAILURE! (dir. Alex Kahuam. 2023, Mexico, United States, Brazilian Premiere)
FOREST KILLER (dir. Radim Špaček. 2024, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Romania, World Premiere)
HARAKIRI SQUAD (dir. Ryosuke Kanesaki. 2024, Japan, World Premiere)
HAUNTED ULSTER LIVE (dir. Dominic O'Neill. 2023, United Kingdom, Latin American Premiere)
HEAVIER IS THE SKY (dir. Petrus Cariry. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
HIDDEN CITY (dir. Francisco Bouzas. 2024, Argentina, Latin American Premiere)
JEIT (dirs. Carlos Ángel Luppi and Daniel Schäfer. 2024, Argentina, Germany, World Premiere)
KERATYNA (dir. Miguel Azurmendi. 2023, Spain, Brazilian Premiere)
LET THE MOON BE MY MOON (dir. A.D. Calvo. 2024, United States, World Premiere)
LISTEN CAREFULLY (dir. Ryan Barton-Grimley. 2024, United States, World Premiere)
MAMI WATA (dir. C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi. 2023, Nigeria, France, United Kingdom, Regional Premiere)
MARISA Y GOMOSO (dir. Pablo Parés. 2023, Argentina, International Premiere)
MASTERGAME (dir. Barnabás Tóth. 2023, Hungary, Latin American Premiere)
MOTION PICTURE: CHOKE (dir. Gen Nagao. 2023, Japan, Latin American Premiere)
MUSHROOMS (dir. Paweł Borowski. 2023, Poland, Latin American Premiere)
MY MOTHER'S EYES (dir. Takeshi Kushida. 2023, Japan, Brazilian Premiere)
ONCE AGAIN (FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME) (dir. Boaz Yakin. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL (dir. Ellie Foumbi. 2022, France, United States, Latin American Premiere)
PARIAH (dir. Edson da Conceicao. 2024, Netherlands, Latin American Premiere)
PETROL (dir. Alena Lodkina. 2022, Australia, Latin American Premiere)
PINKCITY: A PSYCHEDELIC MEDITATION (dir. Nick Gaglia. 2024, United States, India, World Premiere)
PUDDYSTICKS (dir. Megan Seely. 2024, United States, International Premiere)
QUEEN OF BONES (dir. Robert Budreau. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
RATS! (dir. Carl Fry, Maxwell Nalevansky. United States, Latin American Premiere)
RED CORN (dir. Diego Ortuño. 2024, Ecuador, World Premiere)
RIVER (dir. Junta Yamaguchi. 2023, Japan, Latin American Premiere)
SELF DRIVER (dir. Michael Pierro. 2024, Canada, World Premiere)
SOMEWHERE QUIET (dir. Olivia West Lloyd. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
SUPPRESSED (dir. Tomas Masin. 2024, Czech Republic, Latin American Premiere)
THE DISINVITED (dir. Devin Lawrence. 2024, United States, World Premiere)
THE G (dir. Karl R. Hearne. 2023, Canada, Latin American Premiere)
THE HORNED FROG (dir. Augusto Sinay. 2023, Argentina)
THE ISLAND BETWEEN TIDES (dir. Austin Andrews, Andrew Holmes. 2024, United States, Latin American Premiere)
THE SLIT MOUTHED WOMAN RISES (dir. Yu Nakamoto. 2024, Japan, International Premiere)
THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT (dir. Michael Felker. 2024, United States, International Premiere)
WITH LOVE AND A MAJOR ORGAN (dir. Kim Albright. 2023, Canada, Latin American Premiere)
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The 24th Annual Boston Underground Film Festival Returns to Cambridge March 20th–24th With Incredible Line-Up Of Genre-Shattering Films: "Spring festival season is nigh as the 24th annual Boston Underground Film Festival returns to Harvard Square’s arthouse hub The Brattle Theatre with five days of eclectic cinemania from March 20th through the 24th. This year’s lineup is stacked with stone-cold killers, covetous cretins, nocturnal nuisances, and all manner of midnight madness."
BOSTON UNDERGROUND 2024 FEATURES LINEUP
BOY KILLS WORLD - Closing Night Film
Moritz Mohr | Germany, South Africa, USA | 2024
A dystopian fever dream action film that follows Boy, a deaf person with a vibrant imagination. When his family is murdered, he is trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish imagination and become an instrument of death.
FEMME - New England Premiere
Sam H. Freeman, Ng Choon Ping | UK | 2023
Follows Jules, who is targeted in a horrific homophobic attack, destroying his life and career. Some time after that event he encounters Preston, one of his attackers, in a gay sauna. He wants revenge.
HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON - New England Premiere
Ariane Louis-Seize | Canada | 2023
A young woman vampire is unable to kill to meet her need for blood, but may have found a solution in a young man with suicidal tendencies.
IMMACULATE - East Coast Premiere / Opening Night Film
Michael Mohan | USA | 2024
Cecilia, a woman of devout faith, is warmly welcomed to the picture-perfect Italian countryside where she is offered a new role at an illustrious convent. But it becomes clear to Cecilia that her new home harbors dark and horrifying secrets.
IN A VIOLENT NATURE - East Coast Premiere
Chris Nash | Canada | 2024
An ambient horror slasher that methodically depicts the enigmatic resurrection, rampage, and retribution of an undead monster in a remote wilderness.
INFESTED - New England Premiere
Sébastien Vaniček | France | 2023
Residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders.
OFF RAMP - East Coast Premiere
Nathan Tape | USA | 2023
A couple of lovable, degenerate Juggalos must sojourn through America's hellish underbelly to The Gathering of the Juggalos, the one place on earth they feel accepted.
OMEN - New England Premiere
Baloji | Belgium, Congo | 2023
After spending years in Belgium, a young Congolese man returns to his birthplace of Kinshasa to confront the intricacies of his family and culture.
SLEEP - New England Premiere
Jason Yu | South Korea | 2023
A young, expectant wife must figure out how to stop her husband's nightmarish sleepwalking habits before he harms himself or his family.
STRANGE KINDNESS - World Premiere
Joseph Mault | USA | 2024
Strange Kindness is a film about isolation, the shocking acts of violence that have come to punctuate our American dream, and what empathy might look like at its further limits. While the film's content is political its treatment of themes is far more mythological in nature.
THE BECOMERS - New England Premiere
Zach Clark | USA | 2023
A body-snatching alien comes to Earth, reconnects with their partner, and tries to find their way in modern America.
TIGER STRIPES - Massachusetts Premiere
Amanda Nell Eu | Malaysia | 2023
An 11-year-old girl who is carefree until she starts to experience horrifying physical changes to her body.
WITH LOVE AND A MAJOR ORGAN - New England Premiere
Kim Albright | Canada | 2023
In an alternate world where hearts are made of objects and suppressing emotions is self-care, a lonely woman rips out her own heart for the man she loves, only to discover that he has run away with it.
"A limited number of festival badges are available for purchase on the Brattle Theatre’s site.
Tickets will be on sale at www.brattlefilm.org and www.bostonunderground.org
Badgeholders will be able to make screening selections starting Friday March 8th, before tickets are released to the General Public on Monday March 11th."
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ROCK PAPER SCISSORS: "This taut thriller includes a stellar cast with Timothy Laurel Harrison (Out of My Hand), Jeff Riberdy (Finders Keepers), Gervase Peterson (Survivor), and Keith Collins (Jersey Devil). Bollinger, Harrison, and Collins previously collaborated on festival hit and streaming success, The Samaritans.
Award-winning filmmakerDoug Bollinger is excited to see his independent thriller now available to everyone that couldn’t catch it at one of the many festival screenings held across the country. Rock Paper Scissors is now currently on Amazon Prime for rental or purchase and Tubi for free with ads.
Bollinger co-wrote and co-produced the feature film with newcomer Josh Lee. The collaboration marks the first for this duo but Bollinger has had streaming success with titles like Mail Order Bride (with Danny Aiello), Waltzing Anna (Starring Emmanuelle Chriqui), and The Samaritans.
Rock Paper Scissors tells the tale of a suburban couple struggling to connect as they navigate their mediocre marriage. A horrific event forces them to confront their trauma and push back in order to prevent the cycle from continuing. In the process, they reignite their passion but the question remains: will they go too far?
Rock Paper Scissors earned awards at various festivals across the country, including Block Island Film Festival (BEST ACTRESS - Timothy Laurel Harrison & BEST SCREENPLAY - Bollinger & Lee), Jersey Shore Film Festival (BEST SUSPENSE THRILLER), Bergen International Film Festival (BEST DIRECTOR - Bollinger) & the We Regret to Inform You Fest (Best Editing - Cory Green). The film was also an Official Selection of the prestigious Garden State Film Festival."
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