The Phoenix International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival has officially unveiled its lineup for the 2nd Annual Horror Showcase, giving horror fans three big reasons to flock to Phoenix this October 18th–20th.

Press Release: Phoenix, Arizona (September 19th, 2016) – It’s that wonderful time of year again horror fans. The International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival is excited to announce the program of films for the 2nd Annual Horror Showcase taking place over three nights from October 18th-20th at Harkins Scottsdale 101 Theaters in Phoenix, Arizona.

The inaugural event in 2015 played host to three films, THE FINAL GIRLS, BITE, and BONE TOMAHAWK, offering eager horror fans a little something different every evening. The goal for the International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival is to provide events where unique, diverse, subversive, experimental, and artistic filmmakers and films can display their creations to an eager community of film enthusiasts.

“October is the favorite time of year for the horror fan. IHSFF has worked very hard to select three films to showcase at this event. We think that the Arizona horror community will be pleased with what we have to offer this year. We try to offer a little something different for every horror taste. Our goal is to try and find your next favorite scary movie” – Monte Yazzie (IHSFF Festival Director)

The 2nd Annual Horror Showcase brings the next horror offering from THE STRANGERS director Bryan Bertino, a return from IHSFF alumni filmmakers, and the J-Horror battle royale you’ve always dreamed of.

Program

Tuesday October 18th, 2016 / 7pm

The Monster (dir. Bryan Bertino)

Acclaimed horror filmmaker Bryan Bertino (THE STRANGERS) returns with a suspenseful, scary character film in which a divorced mother (Zoe Kazan) and her headstrong daughter must make an emergency late night road trip to see the young girl’s father. As they drive through the deserted country roads on a stormy night, they suddenly have a startling collision that leaves them stranded alone, without help in sight. They quickly realize that they are not alone as a terrifying evil is lurking in the woods surrounding them.

THE MONSTER ingeniously composes two powerful characters in a mother and daughter, placing them in a terrifying, emotional situation where they realize that they both need each other more than they would like to admit. Filmmaker Bryan Bertino takes a common horror theme and injects it with heartfelt emotion and unrelenting fear.

Wednesday October 19th, 2016 / 7p

Let Her Out (dir. Cody Calahan)

Production team, Black Fawn Films (BITE, THE SUBLET), return with another creative and ingenious horror contribution. A woman named Helen (Alanna LeVierge) is in an accident, suffering a traumatic head injury. She begins to experience blackouts, hallucinations, and strange voices. She discovers that she has a benign growth in her brain. As her symptoms get worse she begins to experience dark visions that manifest in the form of female stranger.

LET HER OUT boasts a strong female lead performance from Ms. LeVierge and continues the passionate filmmaking from a team of filmmakers that truly have an understanding and admiration of the horror genre.

Thursday October 20th, 2016 / 7pm

Sadako vs. Kayako (dir. Kōji Shiraishi)

Two of J-horror’s most iconic franchises meet in a battle royale that pits the house-haunting ghost Kayako from the JU-ON (THE GRUDGE) franchise against the VHS-haunting demon Sadako from the RINGU (The Ring) franchise. Two university students, Yuri (Mizuki Yamamoto) and Natsumi (Aimi Satsukawa), unwittingly buy a VCR to transfer home videos to DVD. However, inside the VCR they find a VHS tape. When the two play the VHS tape, Natsumi encounters a curse thought to be an urban legend. Meanwhile, a high school student named Suzuka (Tina Tamashiro) begins to have dreams about a forbidden house cursed by a family tragedy. The girls eventually realize that they can help one another by pitting the two evil entities against each other.

SADAKO VS. KAYAKO is completely aware of itself and the team understands exactly what the audience wants. The mash-up is a fun, clever, fright-filled time that will have audiences picking sides and cheering by the end of the film.

Tickets available here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2596951

Harkins Scottsdale 101 is located at 7000 East Mayo Blvd. at Scottsdale Road and Loop 101

  • 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.