That's a wrap on the Fall 2016 edition of Hamilton's Fright Night Theatre Film Festival!
After two days of horror, cult, and exploitation film celebration, the Fall edition of the Fright Night Theatre Film Festival in Hamilton, ON has officially concluded on the evening of October 1st. With seven fiendish feature films and 21 shocking shorts, the Fall 2016 edition of the Fright Night Theatre Film Festival offered something for every fan of fringe film-making -- from gut-wrenching horror dramas to outrageous horror-comedies. Highlights from this season's fest included the World Premiere of UK horror-drama Brackenmore, the North American Premiere of Attack of the Lederhosenzombies, the Hamilton Premiere of hand-drawn animated feature Nova Seed, and the Canadian Premiere of the gross-out Night of Something Strange, which whipped our audience up into a frenzy of stomach-churning hilarity.
To set the tone within the Staircase Theatre, SUBTLE IMPERFECTIONS provided some deadly decor from hand-crafted horror signs to a fan-favorite mock guillotine and a Jason meets Chucky "Your Face Here" carnival photo-op.
TIK-TIK director Larica Perera about to lose her head in front of her cast and crew
The Fright Night Theatre Film Festival would like to thank its community sponsors The Hamilton Film Festival, Black Fawn Distribution, Trash Palace, The Gifted, Haunted Hamilton, and Grim Details. We'd also like to thank all our Fall 2016 programmers and volunteers, especially Laurel Goertz , Riley Cranston, Jesse Gordon, and Jeff Watson.
Stay tuned for the announcement of the Fright Night Theatre Film Festival Awards later this week.
SEPTEMBER 30 - OCTOBER 01
The Staircase Theatre (27 Dundurn St. N, Hamilton, ON)
Admittance restricted to people 18 years of age or older unless otherwise noted
Fright fans, behold our full schedule for the Fall 2016 edition of the Fright Night Theatre Film Festival. With 7 features and 21 shorts over the course of two days of horror, cult, exploitation, and genre mayhem, the FNTFF offers thrills, chills, and kills for all tastes. Order your festival passes or advance tickets now before they sell out.
Be the first in Canada to experience this spine-tingling thriller from the UK that's Wicker Man meets Roesemary's Baby. After the untimely death of a relative, a young woman must return to her ancestral home in Ireland where she soon discovers that the suspicious townsfolk are harboring a dark and ancient secret. Trailer
A program of six acclaimed horror shorts that showcase the monsters that haunt our nightmares, stalk our streets, and lurk deep within the hearts of all of us.
A rag-tag group of cops tasked with transporting an unstoppable killing machine must survive a hellish pit stop: a cursed town where the dead rise from their graves!
Screens with short film NIGHTTIME IS COLD AND LONELY LIKE A MOTEL ALONGSIDE A DESOLATE ROAD
Beneath the decay of a dying world lives the Mad Doctor Mindskull. Using the planet’s power of creation he has created the ultimate Weapon. Can mankind find a way to stop this Evil before time runs out? The only answer lies within the Nova Seed.
A second block of unique horror shorts that will thrill you, chill you, and perhaps even kill you with nightmare creatures, creepy kids, gangster ghosts, and ultra violence.
A genre-defying mixture of horror, sci-fi, myth, mystery and thrills told through a collection of found footage videos that document the existence of ghosts, spirits, demons and more from the paranormal world.
Zombie action in the Alps: a group of young snowboarders is stuck at a remote mountain ski resort where an all-night aprés-ski party soon turns into a hellish nightmare of undead mayhem.
Teenage friends out for Spring Break get unexpectedly detoured to an isolated motel where a deadly STD virus now runs rampant, turning those infected into the living dead.
The Fright Night Theatre Film Fest returns this Fall to Hamilton, Ontario (September 30 - October 01) at the Staircase Theatre for two nights of horror, cult, and genre film mayhem - now offering more monsters, more maniacs, and more murder!
Poster art by Trevor Henderson
This Fall, the FNTFF will be pushing the boundaries of horror, imagination, and good taste with a premiere-studded festival featuring 7 feature films and 21 shorts by visionary creators, exciting independent talent, and emerging student filmmakers from seven different countries.
Check out all the horror, cult, and exploitation madness that awaits with our full feature film lineup!
FEATURE FILMS
BRACKENMORE
|| WORLD PREMIERE! ||
*Supernatural Suspense-Thriller* UK
The FNTFF is proud to host the world debut of directing duo Chris Kemble and J.P. Davidson's suspenseful thriller from the UK: BRACKENMORE
After the untimely death of an uncle she never knew she had, a young woman must return to her ancestral home on a tiny rural village in Ireland where she soon discovers that the suspicious townsfolk and secluded estate of her dead family is harboring a dark and ancient secret.
Set against the backdrop of one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world Brackenmore weaves together an exploration of occult ritual with the darkness of human drama.
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ATTACK OF THE LEDERHOSENZOMBIES
|| NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE! ||
*Alpine Action and Hilarious Zombie Comedy Gore* AUSTRIA
Strap on your skis and get ready to hit the slopes with the flesh-hungry undead in the hilarious, quirky, and blood-soaked zombie comedy ATTACK OF THE LEDERHOSENZOMBIES
A trio of young, professional stunt snowboarders are stuck at a remote mountain ski resort where an all-night aprés-ski party soon turns into a hellish nightmare after an ill-fated scientific experiment unleashes an epidemic of zombies and mutant wildlife. But who can tell the drunken partygoers apart from the zombie threat?
Dominik Hartl's Attack of the Lederhosenzombies is a gleefully gut-filled splatter comedy in the vein of Dead Alive and Evil Dead 2 where everything from snowboards to machine guns become weapons against the yodeling undead.
NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE
|| Canadian Premiere! ||
*Gross-Out Body Horror Comedy*
USA
Prepare to be offended! The FNTFF is bringing Jonathan Straiton's award-winning and fan-acclaimed teenage sex comedy / zombie gore fest NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE to Canada.
Five teenage friends set out for the beach on their Spring Break vacation. Good times are cut short when one of the group contracts a deadly sexual transmitted disease during a bathroom stop. But this is no ordinary STD! When they stop for the night at an isolated motel, the STD virus starts running rampant, turning those infected into sex-crazed and oozing living dead mutants.
Winner of Best SFX, Best Actor, and the Jury Award for Best Film at the Crimson Screen Horror Film Festival, NIGHT OF THE SOMETHING STRANGE is an uncomfortably hilarious and gleefully disgusting tour de force of comedy, action, and gross-out gore that takes the meaning of bad taste to a whole new level.
PLANK FACE
|| Canadian Premiere! ||
*Intense Survival Horror in the Woods* USA
Bandit Motion Pictures, Scott Schirmer and Brian Williams, the creators of HARVEST LAKE (winner of 10 FNTFF awards), unleash their wild sides with their latest crowdfunding indie-horror success: the violent and psychologically disturbing PLANK FACE.
While on a camping trip, a man is captured by a family of feral, wood-dwelling cannibals who want to make him one of their tribe. Can he successfully hold on to his humanity, or will he find their wild, depraved ways too enticing? Co-starring Ellie Church (Frankenstein Created Bikers, Harvest Lake)
Hot off the FNTFF Canadian Premiere of Harvest Lake earlier this year, we are just foaming at the mouth to showcase the latest from Bandit Motion Pictures.
BONEJANGLES
|| Canadian Premiere! ||
*B-Movie Horror Spoof* USA
In what would have been in another decade a straight-to-VHS B-movie, the brand new horror spoof BONEJANGLES makes its Canadian Premiere at the FNTFF and brings with it a gratuitous cameo from Phantasm's Reggie Bannister.
To safely deliver the unstoppable masked slasher-killer Bonejangles to a nearby asylum, a rag-tag group of police officers must first survive a hellish pit stop: a cursed town where the dead rise from their graves. Hometown boy turned cop, Doug, must find the courage to face Bonejangles, an undead horde, a succubus witch, and - worst of all - prove to his high school sweetheart that he has what it takes to be the hero.
Bonejangles is a goofy micro-budget homage to 80's horror sequels and cult trash cinema that's equal parts chuckles and chills.
THE DARK TAPES
|| Canadian Premiere! || *Radical Found Footage Horror Anthology* USA
Written, produced, and directed by Michael McQuown, THE DARK TAPESexemplifies the indie spirit of the FNTFF. It's a zero-budget film with 100% real scares and smarter twists than most big Hollywood blockbusters.
A genre-defying mixture of horror, sci-fi, and mystery told as an anthology of found footage tales. Ghosts, spirits, creatures, demons and more from the paranormal world collide with the rational lens of the found footage camera. Could the supernatural exist in our everyday lives and have a plausible, scientific basis? The Dark Tapes explores this and more with surprising, sometimes shocking results that will leave you questioning what could be real. Starring an up and coming ensemble group of actors such as Brittany Underwood (TV star of Hollywood Heights, One Life To Live & Youthful Daze), Cortney Palm (Sushi Girl, Zombeavers) and Emilia Ares Zoryan (Amazon's Bosch: Season 2).
Fans of horror anthologies and found footage films like Blair Witch, Grave Encounters, and Paranormal Activity will dig this latest foray into sinful cinéma vérité.
NOVA SEED
|| Hamilton Premiere! ||
*Animated Action/Fantasy/Sci-Fi Adventure* CANADA
From the gross to the gorgeous, the FNTFF is honoured to also host the Hamilton Premiere of NOVA SEED from Hamilton-born animator Nick DiLiberto.
Enter a fantasy world of pure imagination and exhilarating action. Deep below the surface of a desolated world, the Mad Doctor Mindskull has discovered a way to use the planet’s power of creation as a weapon. With humanity unable to fight back, they enlist the aid of an outlaw bio-engineered N.A.C (Neo Animal Combatant). But will the N.A.C turn against the humans who shun him, and what is the mystery of the Nova Seed's power?
Years in the making, NOVA SEED was produced in 2D and drawn by hand, frame by glorious frame. NOVA SEEDis a Heavy Metal meets Ralph Bakshi experience that embodies the true spirit of DIY independent film-making. Destined to be a cult classic, NOVA SEED has already reaped acclaim at Toronto's WTFilm Fest and the Toronto Animation Arts Festival International.
SHORT FILMS
The FNTFF is also thrilled to present 21 horror, sci-fi, and genre shorts as part of our fan-favorite short film program:
THE BIRCH (UK) || Director: Ben Franklin and Anthony Melton
A bullied schoolboy takes drastic measures against his tormentor, summoning an ancient being in the woods using a spellbound book passed down through the generations of his family.
At Salt’ n Sugar, a popcorn bar in the middle of nowhere, Lily, a bored waitress, is going to turn her life around when two fishy strangers show up in the bar.
BUNKER GAME (FRANCE) || Director: Lionel Compte
A man is holding a young girl prisoner in a bunker. He makes her play a game of Connect 4. If she wins, she is allowed to eat.
CARTAPHILUS (CANADA) || Ontario Premiere || Director: Luke Freeman
On the frontiers of the wild west, an immortal cowboy hunts a demon bandit.
GRAVEYARD SHIFT (CANADA) || North American Premiere || Director: Carlos Schvepper
In this comedic animated short, a gravedigger extremely committed to his work finds the body parts of people he has buried have suddenly gone missing. Freaky Frankenstein fun ensues.
HADA (SPAIN) || Director: Tony Morales
On the night Daniel loses his last baby tooth, he doesn't want to be left alone. He is afraid that his imaginary friend Sam will appear and he will be visited by Hada, the tooth fairy. As he clings to his flashlight, Daniel soon comes to realize that the things lurking at the edge of the dark are sometimes better left unseen.
HIDE: BLOODY MARY (USA) || Canadian Premiere || Director: Evan Sweet
Surrounded by the dark woods, a man plays a game of Bloody Mary within the confines of his lonely cabin.
INTO THE MUD (SPAIN) || Director: Pablo Pastor
A young woman wakes up naked in the middle of the woods. After the initial confusion and verifying that she's hurt, she discovers a fisherman and hunter who will not easily let his new prey escape. Let the hunt begin.
IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD (CANADA) || Director: Greg Jeffs
A bedtime story about the monster in the closet that's not what you expect.
Bree, a dishonest 9-year-old, receives a terrifying visitor after a parenting lesson goes horribly wrong.
THE MONSTER (UK) || Director: Bob Pipe
Trying to resurrect his washed up film career, an iconic monster takes a part in a modern day slasher film. A true gent, he finds the medium distasteful, but falls in love with his leading lady.
MONSTERS(USA) || Ontario Premiere || Director: Steve Desmond Jenn lives in an underground bunker with her family, protected from the monsters that now ravage the world. This is the day that she goes outside…
NASTY (UK) || Director: Prano Bailey-Bond
It's 1982. Twelve-year old Doug is drawn into the lurid world of VHS horror as he explores the mysterious disappearance of his father.
NEVER TEAR US APART (CANADA) || Hamilton Premiere || Director: Sid Zanforlin
When two friends approach a small cabin in the woods, the sweet-natured old folks they’re looking for turn out to be crazed back woods cannibal killers.
NIGHTTIME IS COLD AND LONELY LIKE A MOTEL ALONGSIDE A DESOLATE ROAD (CANADA) || Director: Aya Akl
Private dick Al Mackey needs to solve the case of Ms. Beverly's missing Maltese necklace while struggling to keep his sanity.
POLTERHEIST (UK) || Canadian Premiere || Director: David Gilbank
Two small time criminals kidnap a psychic medium and force her to contact the gang boss they murdered in an attempt to find a buried a stash of cash.
REDHEAD (USA) || Director: Joe Zerull
A dark comedy from the point of view of a recently decapitated head.
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE (USA) || Ontario Premiere || Director Bears Fonte
A mysterious woman stranded by the side of the road hitches a ride with a passing stranger – neither of them is who they seem.
SHELL(GERMANY) || Director: Daniel Ahrens
A fully animated experimental short film about the horrors of cancer.
THE STYLIST (USA) || Ontario Premiere || Director: Jill Gevargizian Claire is a lonely hairstylist with an unnerving desire to escape her disappointing reality. When her final client of the evening arrives with the request to look perfect, Claire has plans of her own.
TIK-TIK (CANADA) || Director: Larica Perera
Fearful villagers gather at the beside of a woman nearing labour as they prepare for the presence of a sinister creature.
