The world’s best and most scenic horror festival has released the first wave of programming for this their 10th anniversary. I can feel the brisk mountain air, and hear the creek of the theaters already!
The first wave includes horror host & drive-in film critic Joe Bob Briggs (MonsterVision, The Last Drive-In), who not only will be giving us his “How Rednecks Saved Hollywood” presentation, but will also host a Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil anniversary tribute. Director Eli Craig will be in attendance after the screening to answer questions from Joe Bob Briggs and the audience.
Do you think I could convince him to marry my Girlfriend & I? Anyway…
Thrilled to see friend of Frightday, Brandon Christensen (Still/Born) as well as his new film, Z, as well as the first film from the man behind Snowfort Pictures, Travis Stevens. Girl on the Third Floor looks like a haunted house film for those who are totally sick of that Wanre stuff.
Kelly Link will serve as this year’s Guest Author, leading “Creepy Campfire Tales” (the festival’s public reading), as well as participating in a book signing and conversation with returning Guest Author Jeremy Robert Johnson (Entropy in Bloom, In the River, Skullcrack City). Link is the author of the collections Stranger Things Happen, Magic for Beginners, Pretty Monsters, and Pulitzer finalist Get in Trouble.
Guest Artist Joshua Hoffine will share new work and will present a slideshow of his renowned horror photography, along with a teaser for his forthcoming film Night of the Hatchetman. (A limited number of signed prints will be available at the festival.)
Fangoria’s Meredith Borders rounds out the first wave of special guests, returning as a Guest Host.
Check out the line-up below, read our coverage from last year, and get your pass now. We’ll see you there!
1BR (Colorado Premiere)
United States
Director: David Marmor
After leaving behind a painful past to follow her dreams, Sarah scores the perfect Hollywood apartment. But something is not right. Unable to sleep, tormented by strange noises and threatening notes, her new life quickly starts to unravel. By the time she learns the horrifying truth, it’s too late. Caught in a waking nightmare, Sarah must find the strength to hold onto her crumbling sanity…or be trapped forever in an existential hell.
Girl on the Third Floor (Colorado Premiere)
United States
Director: Travis Stevens
Bursting pipes, rotting walls, and unidentifiable slime were not what Don Koch (WWE legend Phil “CM Punk” Brooks) expected when he convinced his wife Liz (Trieste Kelly Dunn) that he could rehab their new Victorian home himself. In over his head, under duress, and tempted by his old weaknesses, Don soon discovers that the house has its own dark, sordid history and won’t be so easy to renovate after all….
Making Monsters (Colorado Premiere)
Canada
Directors: Justin Harding & Rob Brunner
When a celebrity couple famed for their YouTube scare-prank channel are invited to a friend’s converted church in the countryside for a weekend getaway, a series of startling events unfold that spiral them into an inexplicable nightmare. Festival alum Justin Harding returns with his first feature film. His short films Point of View, Kookie, and Latched were all official Telluride Horror Show selections. In Person: Justin Harding (Director) and Alana Elmer (Lead Actor).
Mutant Blast (Colorado Premiere)
Portugal
Director: Fernando Alle
From Troma Entertainment: After a scientific experiment goes horribly wrong and results in a zombie apocalypse, a fearless soldier named Maria has to partner up with TS-347, a man with superhuman strength and Pedro, a survivor who battles zombies as hard as he’s battling his hangover. It’s up to Maria to lead a quest to a safe place before a nuclear bomb threatens to wipe out the entire city!
Sator (U.S. Premiere)
United States
Director: Jordan Graham
Secluded in a desolate forest, a broken family is observed by Sator, a supernatural entity who is attempting to claim them.
She Never Died (Colorado Premiere)
Canada
Director: Audrey Cummings
Lacey, a socially detached loner is cursed with immortality and a never-ending tedium of existence. In her attempts to keep her compulsions in check, she seeks out the darkest souls humanity has to offer. Lacey must now face her own inner demons while simultaneously finding her next meal. The female-driven follow-up to He Never Died, an official selection at the 2015 Telluride Horror Show.
The Wretched (Colorado Premiere)
United States
Directors: Brett Pierce & Drew Pierce (In Person)
A defiant teenage boy, struggling with his parents’ imminent divorce, faces off with a thousand-year-old witch, who is living beneath the skin of and posing as the woman next door. From the directors of Deadheads. Their short film Smush! A DeadHeads Short was an official Telluride Horror Show selection.
Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (10th Anniversary Screening)
United States
SPECIAL PRESENTATION WITH DIRECTOR ELI CRAIG AND JOE BOB BRIGGS!
Tucker and Dale are two best friends on vacation at their dilapidated mountain house, who are mistaken for murderous backwoods hillbillies by a group of obnoxious, preppy college kids. When one of the students gets separated from her friends, the boys try to lend a hand, but as the misunderstanding grows, so does the body count. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil was the closing night film at the inaugural Telluride Horror Show in 2010. In 2011, the film still hadn’t been released, so we showed it again at our 2nd Telluride Horror Show, simultaneously at two venues, to sold-out crowds. Tucker & Dale was a big part of our early years, so we had to bring it back to celebrate the festival’s 10th anniversary. But this time, director Eli Craig will join us for a special conversation following the film, hosted by the ultimate horror buff and redneck expert Joe Bob Briggs!
VFW (Colorado Premiere)
United States
Director: Joe Begos
Pitched as The Wild Bunch meets Night of the Living Dead, the story follows Fred and his military buddies as they must defend their local V.F.W. post – and an innocent teen – against a deranged drug dealer and his relentless army of punk mutants. These Vietnam vets have been to hell and back, but this will be the longest night of their lives. VFW is the fourth feature from festival alum Joe Begos and his first collaboration with FANGORIA. The cast of genre legends includes Stephen Lang, William Sadler, Fred Williamson, Martin Kove, David Patrick Kelly, George Wendt, Sierra McCormick, Travis Hammer, and Tom Williamson. Begos was previously at the Telluride Horror Show with The Mind’s Eye.
Z (Colorado Premiere)
Canada
Director: Brandon Christensen (In Person)
A family find themselves terrorized by their eight-year-old son’s imaginary friend.
SHORT FILMS / First Wave
Abyssus (Colorado Premiere)
Finland
Director: Kim Westerlund
A man regains consciousness as he is being buried alive. Overwhelmed by panic he tries to force his way out of the box he finds himself in, without success. Equipped with nothing but a single lighter he wallows in hopelessness until strange sounds approaches, and with it, true fear.
Bad Hair (Colorado Premiere)
Estonia
Director: Oskar Lehemaa
Insecure and balding Leo has closed himself in his apartment. A mysterious hair growth liquid arrives at his doorstep and Leo uses it to fix up his looks. The liquid causes a series of grotesque metamorphoses as Leo tries desperately to get bodily changes under control as the events of the evening quickly turn into chaos.
Bedtime Story (U.s. Premiere)
Spain
Directors: Lucas Paulino & Ángel Torres
A witch that is observing from the apartment across the street and a story no child should ever hear…
Call for a Good Time (Colorado Premiere)
United States
Directors: Jon Rhoads & Mike Marrero
A stoner finds out why you never call the numbers scrawled on the bathroom stall. (In Person: Jon Rhoads).
Hellevate (World Premiere)
United States
Director: Dusty Brown (In Person)
A man must deal with an elevator company’s incompetent customer service while stuck between floors.
Hopes (North American Premiere)
Spain
Director: Raúl Monge
An unexpected story of a little homeless girl and her hooded companion.
In Sound, We Live Forever (Colorado Premiere)
United States
Director: Joshua Giuliano
Something bad has(is) happened(happening).
It Crawled in Through the Window (Colorado Premiere)
United States
Directors: Isaac Ruth & Ali Petre
A couple has horrifying pillow-talk.
La Noria (Colorado Premiere)
Spain
Director: Carlos Baena
Darkness isn’t always what it seems.
Lili (Colorado Premiere)
The Netherlands
Director: Yfke van Berckelaer
A young actress’ (Lisa Smit) audition for an older man (Derek de Lint) grows increasingly less comfortable with every line read in this single-take horror for the #metoo era.
Most Steps Ever (Colorado Premiere)
United States
Directors: Nesib (CB) Shamah & James Allen Smith
A hiker, a smart watch and a maniac with a lawnmower blade.
Nest (Colorado Premiere)
United States
Director: Mike Fontaine
A genre author becomes obsessed with the vivid nightmares of his young son and turns to them for inspiration. In person: Mike Fontaine & Lukas Hassel (Lead Actor)
Night Crawl (North American Premiere)
United States
Director: Gregory Shultz
Two inmates tunnel through the walls of a hellish prison, only to find something more terrifying than death row.
O.I. (Colorado Premiere)
Canada
Director: N’cee van Heerden
Barry has a unique problem. He came up with a truly original idea. And sharing it has consequences.
Spasms
United States
Director: Todd Redenius
In a small town where not much happens a barrel of toxic waste is found leaking into a creek. No one notices that people everywhere are having uncontrollable spasms resulting in people dying in gory and outlandish ways due to the drinking water being contaminated.
The Burden (Colorado Premiere)
The Netherlands
Director: Nico van den Brink
A young woman visits her boyfriend’s family home and learns about a sinister history with his creepy neighbor. Soon, all kinds of skeletons come out of the closet.
The Dreamer (North American Premiere)
Norway
Director: Kenneth Karlstad
A mother struggles with her daughter’s violent sleeping disorder.
The Fortune Teller (World Premiere)
United States
Director: David Ferino (In person)
Things get freaky when a little girl finds an origami fortune teller.
The Procedure 2 (Colorado Premiere)
United States
Director: Calvin Reeder
A man is forced to endure another strange experiment.
Toe (Colorado Premiere)
United States
Directors: Neal O’Bryan & Chad Thurman (In person)
A starving boy eats a rotting toe he finds sticking out of the ground. Later that night, something dead comes to his bedroom wanting it back.
Wash (World Premiere)
Sweden
Director: Kiggs
A short horror film about the worst fear a parent can have.
Wild Love
France
Directors: Paul Autric, Quentin Camus, Léa Georges, Maryka Laudet, Zoé Sottiaux, Corentin Yvergniaux
While on a romantic getaway, Alan and Beverly cause a fatal accident. This crime won’t remain unpunished…
Wither (North American Premiere)
United Kingdom
Director: Ethan Evans
In a town acclaimed for honoring ancient folklore, a young girl finds herself vulnerable to a sinister mythological farmer after failing to contribute to the annual tradition.
SECOND WAVE COMING SOON!
Grab 3-Day Passes, 6-Packs, and Limited Festival Lodging Specials on the FESTIVAL WEBSITE.
