This spring, Salem, Massachusetts is going to get a whole lot creepier.
Kay Lynch’s Salem Horror Fest hits Cinema Salem this Thursday, April 20, and runs until Sunday, April 30. Featuring an explosive offering of gore-gushing, gut-wrenching terror, the fest strives to celebrate diversity, innovative filmmaking, and the brilliant creativity within the horror genre. SHF’s history and mission dictates:
“Salem Horror Fest was founded as a direct response to the 2016 election. As political hate and fear became increasingly weaponized against minority groups, we set out to create a safe and welcoming space for people to find truth and catharsis in the shadows of the horror genre.
Salem, Massachusetts is known around the world as a Halloween mecca, but it is important to remember how religion and greed were used to scapegoat vulnerable members of this community, mostly women, and sentenced them to death. It is a deeply horrific and shameful moment in our history — one that must not be forgotten.
Join us online and live in-person to experience all that Salem has to offer. Our history is more than witches. We are one of the oldest port cities in America with a rich history of cultural intrigue and diversity. Explore our cobblestone streets with ocean views of the Atlantic and you will discover that Salem is a Queer-friendly community bustling with artists, entrepreneurs, and weirdos alike.”
SHF, which is taking place in April for the first time, will include films and filmmakers from across the globe. Each picture selected features a diverse cast and crew with inventive and important stories to tell.
The menacing marathon kicks off Thursday night with an exclusive showing of Bernard Rose’s 1992 adaptation of Clive Barker’s CANDYMAN. Opening night will take place at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA and will feature CANDYMAN star Tony Todd and keynote speaker and Canadian filmmaker Kier-La Janisse. A conversation about the horror classic will be held prior to the screening and meet-and-greet packages are available.
Friday evening, the horror hits the big screens of Cinema Salem, with films like Satanic-panic-fueled feature SATAN WANTS YOU, cold case thriller WOLVES, and the spooky, coastal John Carpenter classic THE FOG.
Saturday’s programming is oozing with bloody fun and creepy flicks. SHF’s Wicked Shorts program starts the weekend madness, debuting a myriad of spine-tingling short films from up-and-coming filmmakers. While the entire program serves up raw, unrelenting, memorable terror, be sure not to miss shorts like François Ricard-Sheard’s SMILEY FACE, Brett Chapman’s KIDDO, Catherine Bonny’s MARKED, Robert Tiemstra’s THE OCTOBER MARTYR, Gabriela Staniszweska’s YUMMY MUMMY, and Brooke Cellar’s VIOLET BUTTERFIELD: MAKEUP ARTIST FOR THE DEAD.
Throughout the festival, SHF will offer highly anticipated feature films such as Spider One’s BURY THE BRIDE, Elise Finnerty’s THE ONES YOU DIDN’T BURN, Dane Elcar’s BRIGHTWOOD, Sylvia Caminer’s FOLLOW HER, and Keir-La Janisse’s WOODLAND DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED: A HISTORY OF FOLK HORROR. One of the biggest highlights of the festival is sure to be Scott Goldberg’s THE FOREST HILLS, which follows a young man that’s haunted by disturbing visions after experiencing a head injury in the Catskill mountains. THE FOREST HILLS will feature iconic actress and THE SHINING star Shelley Duvall, breaking her 21-year hiatus from the silver screen. This spooky flick also features two of the most famed female horror icons, Dee Wallace of THE HILLS HAVE EYES and THE HOWLING, and SLEEPAWAY CAMP star Felissa Rose.
The festival is brimming with celebrity appearances, such as DEMONS actress Geretta Geretta, NIGHT OF THE DEMONS star Amelia Kinkade, and scream queen Linnea Quigley. These terrifying ladies will be at the NIGHT OF THE DEMONS VIP fan event, as well as the Demon Night Party, held at Bit Bar Salem. Other celebrity appearances include the stars of the iconic vampire classic FRIGHT NIGHT, lead actor William Ragsdale, Stephen Geoffreys, and Amanda Bearse. The FRIGHT NIGHT trio will be at the FRIGHT NIGHT VIP fan event and Bit Bar Salem’s Fright Night Party.
Though SHF is offering new, exciting horror films, it’s important to note the festival’s live podcast streams. The Faculty of Horror will stream on Saturday, during the fest’s first week. The podcast conjures up all things horror-related, hosted by journalists Andrea Subissati and Alexandra West. The duo will chat about all things nightmarish, creepy, and otherworldly, backing their conversations with analysis and research. The second weekend of the fest will feature a livestream of Horror Queers, hosted by Joe Lipsett and Trace Thurman. The beloved podcast has our hosts analyzing and appreciating terrifying flicks with camp, LGBTQ+ themes, or both. They’ll be analyzing the Rutger Hauer classic THE HITCHER. SHF gives the finishing touches to its programming with classic horror screenings of MORGIANA, DEMONS, BAKENEKO: A VENEGEFUL SPIRIT, and THE PIED PIPER.
From eerie, impactful short films to gore-slick features, this year’s SHF is bound to be the grittiest, most frightening yet.
For ticket information and to learn more about Salem Horror Fest, click here.
Tags: Alexis den Boggende, Amanda Bearse, Amelia Kinkade, Bernard Rose, Brett Chapman, Brooke Cellar, Catherine Bonny, clive barker, Dane Elcar, Dee Wallace, Elise Finnerty, Felissa Rose, Film Festivals, François Ricard-Sheard, Gabriela Staniszweska, History, john carpenter, Kay Lynch, Kier-La Janisse, Linnea Quigley, Massachusetts, Robert Tiemstra, Rutger Hauer, Salem, Salem Horror Fest, Scott Goldberg, Shelley Duvall, Spider One, Stephen Geoffreys, Sylvia Caminer, Tony Todd, William Ragsdale
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