Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Announcing FEARnyc, New York's Newest and Biggest Horror Film Festival

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This Halloween, A Terrifying New Horror Film Festival 
Comes to New York City

FEARnyc

Featuring Screenings of 65+ New and Classic Horror Films, 
Cast Appearances, Special Events and a Tribute to Horror Icon Wes Craven

Psycho, Hocus Pocus, Night of the Living Dead, Halloween, 
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Exorcist and The Lost BoysAmong the Offerings

October 21 - 27, 2016 at Cinema Village


NEW YORK, NY, September 14, 2016 -- FEARnyc, New York City's biggest horror film festival, will be presented this Halloween season at Cinema Village. The new event, to be held October 21-27, 2016, will feature screenings of 65+ new and classic horror films, cast appearances, special events and a tribute to horror icon Wes Craven.

Among the highlights:

* Screenings of Night of the Living Dead, Psycho, Hocus Pocus, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Lost Boys and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3

* The premiere of Dead Awake, the new film from Final Destinationwriter Jeffrey Reddick

* A screening of The Exorcist which will begin with a seance with the audience led by a renowned psychic

* A screening of The Monster Squad with special appearances by cast members Duncan Regehr (Count Dracula) and Tom Noonan (Frankenstein's Monster)

* A screening of the original 1978 Halloween with a Halloween Party featuring candy bags and games for the audience

* Screenings of classic films including Nosferatu, Carnival of Souls, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, House on Haunted Hill, Plan 9 from Outer Space, Dementia 13, Silent Night Bloody Night, And Then There Were None, The Brain That Wouldn't Die and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

* Screenings of brand new horror films including Gedeon Burkhard's The Key, The Butcher Brothers' A Beginner's Guide to Snuff, Hannah Macpherson's Sickhouse, Shawn Burkett's Don't Fuck in the Woods, the anticipated remake of the splatter classic Blood Feast and new documentaries about Pet Semataryand Carrie

* Faust: The Live Event, a screening of the silent classic Faust accompanied by a live performance of a soundtrack by Ben Singer of Modern Robot

* An award ceremony honoring the year's best horror films

* For the complete lineup, visit www.FEARnyc.com

"This Halloween season, FEARnycaims to scare the pants off New York City as we present more than 65 new and classic horror films along with an array of cast appearances and special events," said John Capo, founder and director of FEARnyc. "We will also be honoring horror icon Wes Craven, creator of A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream, in a special tribute." 

Tickets ($12 general admission, $8 seniors) are available by visiting FEARnyc.com. A limited number of Festival Passes, which include admission to every screening in the festival as well as the award ceremony and Wes Craven tribute, are available for $125.

The Jury for FEARnyc includes Joshua Rothkopf (Film Editor, Time Out New York), Robert Eggers (Writer/Director, The Witch), Kate Siegel (Writer/Actress, Hush), Peter Phok (Producer, The House of the Devil, The Sacrament, Stake Land), Tuesday Knight (Actress, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, Wes Craven's New Nightmare), tomandandy (Composers, The Hill Have Eyes, The Strangers, The Mothman Prophecies), Liz Vastola(Costume Designer, The Purge: Election Year, The Innkeepers, V/H/S, We Are What We Are, Keep The Lights On, Cold in July), Brian Spears (Special Effects Artist, Jessica Jones, The Sacrament, I Sell the Dead, We Are What We Are), Johnny Recher (Assistant Director, The Purge: Election Year, Underworld: Awakening), James Reyes (Light Iron Post-Production Services), DJ Hesta PrynnJim Klock (Executive, Terror Films) and Lee Peterson (Indie Theater Programmer).

Cinema Village is located at 22 East 12th Street in NYC's Greenwich Village. 

Complete List of Screenings and Events

Classic and Iconic Films

American Gothic
Director: John Hough (1988)
On a lonely island in the Pacific Northwest, a group of travelers find themselves targeted by a crazed, homicidal family.

And Then There Were None
Director: Rene Clair (1945)
Based on Agatha Christie's bestselling novel, ten people are invited to an isolated island only to find that an unseen person is killing them one by one. Could one of them be the killer?

The Brain That Wouldn't Die
Director: Joseph Green (1962)
A doctor experimenting with transplant techniques keeps his girlfriend's head alive when she is decapitated in a car crash, then goes hunting for a new body.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Director: Robert Wiene (1920)
Hypnotist Dr. Caligari uses a somnambulist, Cesare, to commit murders.

Carnival of Souls
Director: Herk Harvey (1962)
After a traumatic accident, a woman becomes drawn to a mysterious abandoned carnival.

Dementia 13
Director: Francis Ford Coppola (1963)
A scheming young woman's plans are permanently interrupted by an axe-wielding lunatic who begins to stalk and murderously hack away at members of the family. Produced by Roger Corman.

The Exorcist
Director: William Friedkin (1973)
When a teenage girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her daughter. This special screening will begin with a terrifying séance with the audience led by celebrity psychic Jesse Bravo. Get there early!

Faust: The Live Event
A can't-miss screening of F. W. Murnau's 1926 classic Faust with a live soundtrack performed by Ben Singer of Modern Robot. In Faust, the demon Mephisto wagers with God that he can corrupt a mortal man's soul. In his live score, composer Ben Singer translates this emotionally charged story with a symphonic sensibility filled with demonic gallops, bubbling textures, breezy sambas, whistling winds, and an unrelenting drum beat. This unique work blends music, theater, film, and live performance to result in a mesmerizing experience.

Halloween
Director: John Carpenter (1978)
On Halloween night of 1963, six-year-old Michael Myers stabbed his sister to death. After sitting in a mental hospital for 15 years, Myers escapes and returns to Haddonfield to kill. This special screening will feature a Halloween Party before the movie! Get there early for candy bags, games and fun. Costumes preferred but optional.

Hocus Pocus
Director: Kenny Ortega (1993)
Join us for a hilarious Witch Party hosted by hysterical drag queen Shirley U. Jest featuring witch-themed games, performances and prizes! In Hocus Pocus, three witch sisters are resurrected in Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween night, and it is up to two teenagers, a young girl and an immortal cat to put an end to the witches' reign of terror once and for all. Dressing as a witch is preferred but not mandatory.

House on Haunted Hill
Director: William Castle (1959)
A millionaire (Vincent Price) offers ten thousand dollars to five people who agree to be locked in a large, spooky, rented house overnight with him and his wife.

The Lost Boys
Director: Joel Schumacher (1987)
After moving to a new town, two brothers discover that the area is a haven for vampires.

The Monster Squad
Director: Fred Dekker (1987)
A young group of monster fanatics attempt to save their hometown from Count Dracula and his monsters. Followed by a Q&A with cast members Duncan Regehr (Count Dracula) and Tom Noonan (Frankenstein's Monster) live and in person!

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Director: Chuck Russell (1987)
In what is widely considered one of horror's greatest sequels, survivors of undead serial killer Freddy Krueger -- who stalks his victims in their dreams -- learn to take control of their own dreams in order to fight back.

Night of the Living Dead
Director: George A. Romero (1968)
There is panic throughout the nation as the dead suddenly come back to life. The film follows a group of characters who barricade themselves in an old farmhouse in an attempt to remain safe from these flesh eating monsters.

Nosferatu
Director: F. W. Murnau (1922)
Vampire Count Orlok expresses interest in a new residence and real estate agent Hutter's wife.

Plan 9 from Outer Space
Director: Ed Wood (1959)
Aliens resurrect dead humans as zombies and vampires to stop humanity from creating the Solaranite, a sort of sun-driven bomb.

Psycho
Director: Alfred Hitchcock (1960)
A Phoenix secretary steals $40,000 from her employer's client, goes on the run and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother.

Reefer Madness
Director: Louis J. Gasnier (1936)
This legendary exploitation film features a fictionalized and highly exaggerated take on the use of marijuana. A trio of drug dealers lead innocent teenagers to become addicted to "reefer" cigarettes by holding wild parties with jazz music.

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Director: Nicholas Webster (1964)
In this rarely seen camp sci-fi classic, the Martians kidnap Santa Claus because there is nobody on Mars to give their children presents.

Silent Night, Bloody Night
Director: Theodore Gershuny (1972)
In the restored version of this classic film, a man inherits a mansion which once was a mental home. He visits the place and begins to investigate some crimes that happened in old times, scaring the people living in the region.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Director: Tobe Hooper (1974)
Two siblings visit their grandfather's grave in Texas along with three of their friends and are attacked by a family of cannibalistic psychopaths.

New Films

A Beginner's Guide to Snuff
Director: Mitchell Altieri
New York City Premiere
The new horror comedy from The Butcher Brothers (The Hamiltons, April Fool's Day, The Thompsons). When two aloof brothers decide to shoot a fake snuff film in order to gain fame and recognition, they kidnap a girl-next-door-type but get more than they bargained for when their starlet begins making her own rules.

Accursed
Director: Chris Kiley
World Premiere
In this original horror anthology, six groups of people have their fates doomed when a mysterious stranger drops off an ancient box at an antique shop, ushering in an evil chapter in everyone's lives.

Allhallowtide
Director: Tia Salisbury
U.S. Premiere
It's an important night for Molly, but her housemate Dan has totally forgotten. She's going to do everything in her power to remind him, but that's not easy when you've been dead for 180 years.

FEARnyc Opening Night Event: Atroz
Director: Lex Ortega
U.S. Premiere
Extreme, shocking, and relentlessly brutal, Atroz is the story of two serial killers who are arrested for causing a traffic accident. The police confiscate videotapes documenting their crimes. The tapes contain scenes of murders and tortures that demonstrate the appalling depths of human wickedness. "There are things that happen in Atroz that I cannot unsee." -- Screen Anarchy. Contains graphic scenes of severe brutality and violence. No one under the age of 18 will be admitted.

Awakenings
Director: Bhargav Saikia
Previously screened at Cannes, the line between dreams and reality is blurred when a young woman in charge of two children is haunted by mysterious entities.

Blood Feast
Director: Marcel Walz
New York City Premiere
The highly anticipated remake of the 1963 splatter flick, the first ever to appear on the video nasty list. Fuad Ramses and his family have moved from the United States to France, where they run an American diner. During one long, lonely night he is drawn to a statue of the seductive ancient goddess Ishtar, eventually succumbing to her deadly charms. Fuad starts to prepare a ritual feast to honor his new mistress, a lavish affair dripping with the blood, organs, and intestines of human victims. As butchered bodies are heaped upon the altar of Ishtar, Fuad slowly slips further into madness, eager to please Ishtar's blood-thirsty desires. Starring Robert Rusler (Sometimes They Come Back, Weird Science, Nightmare on Elm Street 2) and Caroline Williams (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Halloween II).

Blurred Vision
Director: Michael Giannantonio
New York City Premiere
Written and shot in just 24 hours, Blurred Vision focuses on copycat killer ZCD who is busy dismembering his latest victim in the style of his idol, the notorious KM Butcher. ZCD finds his session interrupted by a surprise visit from a detective who delivers some disturbing news. 

Boys Just Wanna Have Fun
Director: Devon Narine-Singh
World Premiere
A young man explores his sexuality in a mysterious cult.

Chateau Sauvignon: Terroir
Director: David E. Munz-Maire
World Premiere
Worst winery tour ever. When a doting woman and her indifferent son arrive seeking a tasting and tour of a winery, the owner's secretive murderous are unearthed.

Clowntown
Director: Tom Nagel
New York City Premiere
Called "a must-see for fans of killer clown movies" by Dread Central, Clowntown follows a group of friends who get stranded in a seemingly abandoned town and find themselves stalked by a gang of violent psychopaths dressed as clowns.  Produced by Jeff Miller (Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan) and Robert Kurtzman (From Dusk Till Dawn), with makeup effects by David H. Greathouse (Syfy's "Face/ Off," Tusk).

The Dark Tapes
Directors: Vincent J. Guastini, Michael McQuown
New York City Premiere
A genre-defying mixture of horror, sci-fi, myth, mystery, and thrills that's been taking the festival world by storm. Told as four interlocking tales in one intelligent anthology, The Dark Tapes features ghosts, spirits, creatures, demons, and more from the paranormal world.

Dead Awake
Director: Phillip Guzman
East Coast Premiere
Written by Jeffrey Reddick (Final Destination) and inspired by the work of Wes Craven. A young woman must save herself and her friends from an ancient evil that stalks its victims through the real-life phenomenon of sleep paralysis. The cast features Jesse Bradford (Hackers, Romeo + Juliet), Lori Petty (Bates Motel, Orange is the New Black), Brea Grant (Dexter, Halloween II) and James Eckhouse (Beverly Hills, 90210).

Do Not Disturb
Director: Pedro Tavares
U.S. Premiere
Tom and Meg wake up tied by ropes in a strange room. Each rope has a bell. If the bell rings, they die.

Don't Fuck in the Woods
Director: Shawn Burkett
World Premiere
After the stress and mental anguish of finals, Alex and her girlfriend Jane trek with a few friends into the woods for a little rest and relaxation. As the group begins to unwind, something in the dark has discovered a new and intoxicating scent. This modern-day creature feature includes sex, drugs, gore, and a monster that will haunt your nightmares.

Dry Blood
Director: Kelton Jones
New York City Premiere
In this blistering psychological thriller, Brian Barnes escapes to a remote cabin to sober up one final time. His plans are soon interrupted by the torments of a sadistic sheriff and ghastly visions. While pulling at the threads to this horrific mystery, it may be Brian's sanity that unravels first.

The Eve
Director: Luca Machnich
Something terrible unfolds on Christmas Eve when a precocious eight-year-old makes a mysterious request to Santa.

FEARnyc Award Ceremony and Wes Craven Tribute
Awards will be presented in the categories of Best Film, Director, Actor, Actress and more. Horror legend Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Last House on the Left, Scream) will receive the Legacy Honor, with an appearance by his widow, Iya Labunka, and other special guests. 

Girl #2
Director: David Jeffery
New York City Premiere
From the producer of Fox's hit series Bones. When a deranged killer sets his sights on an unsuspecting sorority, he realizes he's not the craziest one in the house.

Green Lake
Director: Derek Frey
From Tim Burton Productions' Derek Frey, producer of Frankenweenie and Corpse Bride. In Hawai'i, pockets of magic still exist. And so do those that protect them. A cross between Creature from the Black Lagoon and Picnic at Hanging Rock, Green Lakedraws inspiration from the beauty and mysticism of Hawai'i, b-horror, monster movies, and The X-Files. Shot entirely in remote areas on the Big Island of Hawai'i.

The Ghost of Madness
Director: Arturo Aquino
World Premiere
Haunted by a mysterious series of events, the life of a lonely man is suddenly shaken by what appears to be a sinister message from his past.

Head
Director: Jon Bristol
New York City Premiere
Performed by the Elmwood Puppets and presented as part of a fictional late-night B-movie public access show, this unique feature focuses on a group of twentysomethings on a weekend camping trip in remote New England who begin to uncover that the site of their getaway was host to a series of brutal mass murders, as their once fun vacation turns into a fight to survive.

Hidden Daylight
Director: Adrienne Lovette
New York City Premiere
Taut, compelling, and full of Hitchcockian suspense, Hidden Daylight follows a distraught businessman whose wife is abducted by the sadistic Hacksaw Killer. The man turns to a blind psychic who can see through the killer's eyes. As their strange meeting unfolds, the psychic provides clues to help solve the mystery, but the answers may come at a deadly price. 

Hindsight
Director: Randy Lao
World Premiere
A tormented and suicidal man with the ability to see horrific visions lures a murderer for his own demise.

Hunters for Metal
Director: Sergiy Pudich
World Premiere
Two guys in search of metal in the forest stumble upon an old spooky house and discover they are not alone.

The Intruder
Director: Francesco Roder
U.S. Premiere
Pregnancy generally brings lots of joy and happiness to a woman. Not this time.

The Key
Director: Gedeon Burkhard
New York City Premiere
A mind-bending tale of horror and revenge from Inglorious Bastards' Gedeon Burkhard and the special effects team behind Showtime's Homeland. A gang tortures and brutally slaughters a family. Forty years later, the demons of the past have returned and will stop at nothing to fulfill their bloody destiny.

The Last Letter
Director: David Leopold
World Premiere
In this experimental film that combines narrative, direct address, and archival footage of rarely seen East Village performance art, a killer is targeting bus riders talking on their cellphones. 

Lost Creek
Director: Colin Adams-Toomey
New York City Premiere
In the tradition of Stranger Thingsand Stand By Me, 11-year-old Peter moves with his mother to a new town and meets Maggie, a mysterious girl who quickly becomes Peter's new best friend. With this comes the realization that something in the town is wrong. Adults are disappearing and Peter's nightmares are becoming more real with each passing night. With Halloween approaching, Peter and Maggie must band together to face their fears and uncover the dark secrets of Lost Creek before it's too late.

Mexican Flamenco
Director: Nur Rubio
La Catrina, a fancy skeleton, and La Llorona, the most famous Mexican ghost who searches every night for her dead children, meet in this haunting exploration of flamenco dance.

Michael Myers: Absolute Evil
Director: Rick Gawel
Film Festival Premiere
A retelling of John Carpenter's Halloween in the style of a documentary that portrays the events of the film and its six sequels as events that actually happened. Featuring interviews with survivors like Lindsey Wallace, Haddonfield residents, authors, criminologists, and journalists, Michael Myers: Absolute Evil offers a chilling, real-world perspective on the legendary horror franchise.

Pool Party Massacre
Director: Drew Marvick
World Premiere
A new slasher film ripped straight out of the 1980s! What started out as a relaxing day by the pool for a group of high maintenance young socialites quickly becomes a nightmare when an unknown killer begins stalking and murdering them one by one.

The Possession Experiment
Director: Scott B. Hansen
World Premiere
Brandon has always been drawn to the supernatural. While investigating an exorcism gone horribly wrong, he becomes obsessed with conjuring the spirit world and begins to plan his own demonic possession. This terrifying tale features Bill Moseley (House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects, Repo! The Genetic Opera).

Resurrecting Carrie
Director: Michael Stever
New York City Premiere
Resurrecting Carrie is an engaging look at Carrie: The Musical, once dubbed the biggest flop in Broadway history. Stever's film examines the musical, Stephen King's iconic book, and Brian DePalma's legendary film and includes interviews with Piper Laurie and members of the creative team.

Sickhouse
Director: Hannah Mcpherson
New York City Premiere
In the world's first movie filmed completely on Snapchat, a group of social media obsessed friends journey into the woods to explore the lore of Sickhouse. Viewers are led on a ride that has unexpected consequences for all involved, including the audience.

The Smiling Man
Director: A.J. Briones
Directed by the visual effects designer of Avatar, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, this viral sensation centers on a little girl home alone who finds herself face-to-face with pure evil.

Squatters
Directors: James Coleman, Vince Coleman and Michael Del Rossa
World Premiere
When three small town paramedics receive a strange anonymous call from a seemingly abandoned house, a regular night on the job turns into a nightmare.  Special effects by Michael Del Rossa (300, Pirates of the Caribbean, Seed of Chucky).

Terror 2.0: A Space Oddity Collection
Director: Alex J. Mann, K. Adam Bloom
Film Festival Premiere
Seven viral short films by Space Oddity weave intricate tales of the horrors of social media, technology and the web.
3 Seconds: Allison wakes up to a Snapchat of her sleeping. Who sent it? 
Follower: A man sees a crime happening in the background of an Instagram photo. Can he stop it before it's too late? 
Engagement: Six friends have their relationships tested when they receive a mysterious text alert about a murder. 
ME2: Is the perfect selfie worth it? 
Cropped: Two BFFs learn the dangerous consequences of photo cropping. 
Green Dot: Mallory makes a shocking discovery while talking to her boyfriend on Gchat.
Runners: A couple starts using exercise bracelets to strengthen their relationship, but end up revealing their darkest secrets.

Unearthed and Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary
Directors: John Campopiano, Justin White
New York City Premiere
A seminal horror documentary about the making of Stephen King's Pet Sematary featuring people, places and stories that have previously been barely documented. This in-depth making-of includes interviews with the film's director, Mary Lambert, and nearly the entire cast. Taking the audience on a journey back to the original Maine filming locations, the film serves as not merely a tribute to Pet Sematary but a testament to power of horror filmmaking.