THE 11th ANNUAL SPOOKY MOVIE HORROR FILM FESTIVAL

Posted by Michael Parsons on September 23, 2016 in , / No Comments

 

THE 11th ANNUAL SPOOKY MOVIE INTERNATIONAL HORROR FILM FESTIVAL

 October 5-9, 2016

For ten years, October has belonged to the Spooky Movie International Horror Film Festival.

The festival that brought the DC area such films as THE BABADOOK, EXISTS, TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL, A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT, HE NEVER DIED, HOUSEBOUND, and THE FINAL GIRLS–-holds its 11th annual event in Washington, D.C. from October 5-9 at the AFI Silver Theatre.  The Opening Night film is the Sundance hit, TRASH FIRE, the latest from Festival favorite, who grew up in Northern Virginia, Richard Bates Jr, (EXCISION, SUBURBAN GOTHIC). Bates will be present for a post-screening Q&A.

As in past years, the Spooky Movie Festival showcases the best in new horror cinema from around the world, and again, the entire festival unspools at AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Also featured in this year’s festival is the East Coast Premiere of highly anticipated J-Horror demonic battle, SADAKO VS. KAYAKO; the North American Premiere of the horrifying new mini-series, BEYOND THE WALLS; the evocative and terrifying, THE EYES OF MY MOTHER; horror maestro Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s latest film, CREEPY; and the long awaited sequel PHANTASM: RAVAGER.

Additional highlights of the festival include the dark and gritty MY MOTHER DIE; a contemporary ghost story set in wartorn Afghanistan, NEITHER HEAVEN NOR EARTH; and three horror comedies, PEELERS, ANOTHER EVIL, and the first award winning “werefrog” film we can think of, the Fantasia Film Festival hit, BAD BLOOD: THE MOVIE.

Tickets are sold exclusively by the AFI Silver Theatre at the box office and online at AFI.com/Silver or through www.spookyfest.com

Founded in 2006, the Spooky Movie International Horror Film Festival is Washington, D.C’s original genre-based film festival. Recognized as one of D.C.’s premiere festival events, as well as “the world’s premiere horror film festival” (BadLit.com; Fangoria Magazine), Spooky Fest works closely with our partners to offer year round screenings of feature and short films, in addition to our signature festival event every October.

All Fest Pass: The Spooky Movie All Fest Pass grants the bearer access to all screenings in the 2016 Spooky Movie Film Festival.  All Fest Passes can be purchased at AFI Silver online for just $80. After purchase, passes can be picked up at AFI Silver Theatre beginning Oct.5.

Additional information on the Spooky Movie International Horror Film Festival can be found at www.spookyfest.com.

2016 FULL SCHEDULE

 

– M. Parsons

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Michael Parsons

Father. Realtor®. Movie nut. After pestering my parents for their commentary on “Star Wars” when I was four years old, my mind went into a creative frenzy. I’d imagined something entirely different than the actual film, which I didn’t end up seeing until its 1979 re-release at the Uptown Theater in Washington, DC. This was my formal introduction to the cinema.

During that long wait, which felt like an eternity to a child, my mind was being molded by more corrosive stuff like “Trilogy of Terror” and “Rosemary’s Baby”, most of which I’d conned various babysitters into letting me watch on television ( I convinced one poor lady that “Jaws” was actually “Moby Dick”).

The folks were pretty strict in that regard, so the less appropriate it was for a kid to watch, the more I was fascinated by it. Horror staples like “Halloween” and “Friday the 13th”, as well as lesser-known low-budget fare like “Madman”, “Sleepaway Camp” and “Pieces” all ended up sneaking their way into the VHS on a regular basis.

Since then, I’ve developed an obsession with the entire film industry. Even though I watch and review a wide breadth of films these days, my appreciation for the campy, poorly lit micro-budgeters still lends itself to my evolving perspective on movies just as much as the summer blockbusters and Oscar contenders. As I recall my trips to the movie theater, I realize that this stuff is about much more than just a fleeting piece of entertainment.

A couple years ago, I was finally given the opportunity to lend my opinion on films to a publication, The Rogers Revue, with a subsequent run at Reel Film News. It's been both a privilege and a gateway to what we’re doing now. Most of my experience has come from interviewing independent filmmakers, who consistently promote innovation. The filmmaking process is grueling and relatively unforgiving.

Fellow film enthusiast Eddie Pasa and I have created DC Filmdom as a medium for film reviews, discussion, and (inevitably) some debate. And so, the creative frenzy continues.

(Michael is a member of the Washington, DC Area Film Critics Association).

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