This August, Pigeon Shrine FrightFest celebrated its 25th anniversary. The festivities are set to continue this November with their annual two day Halloween event. Tickets will go on sale this Saturday (5th October) at noon, and today the festival have announced the nine films that will be making the line-up. Read on to find out which dark delights have made the cut.
Following the success of its spectacular 25th Anniversary August five-day event, the UK’s most popular genre film festival returns to the Odeon Luxe West End in Leicester Square. Taking over both screens on Friday 1st November and Saturday 2nd November, the Halloween special will feature nine premiere titles from six countries, spanning Europe, North America, South America and Asia, making it a truly spine-chilling display of global talent. Each film will be screened twice.
Opening the event is the UK premiere of Sam Yates’s MAGPIE, a darkly intense psychological thriller which thrives in its classic neo-noir atmosphere, eliciting tension that is seconds away from permanently snapping. Daisy Ridley delivers a tour de force performance as a neglected wife on the edge, and will be in attending the screening alongside her husband, actor Tom Bateman, writer/producer of Magpie.
The second film on the Friday is the UK premiere of PARVULOS, a thought-provoking, zombie ‘Lord of the Flies’, helmed by Mexican director Isaac Ezban, whose fantastic eye for gothic tableaux makes for a powerful and shocking treat.
The first day closes with the World premiere of Airell Hayles’ ADVENT, which charts one woman’s countdown decent into Xmas supernatural hell. Inspired by the terrifying true story of the blue whale game, this is a new kind of Christmas ghost story. Airell will be joined by the film’s stars including Nicholas Vince.
Saturday kicks off with the World premiere of THE BITTER TASTE, Guido Tölke’s outlandish tale of the undead. Watch out for full-bore gore, chainsaws, eye-grazing stunts and one of the best OTT scores by Clemens Damerau.
Then we have the UK premiere of ALIEN COUNTRY, a balls-to-the-wall, extra-terrestrial invasion comedy, directed by popular Youtubers Boston McConnaughey, Renny Grames, who are planning to attend.
Up next is the UK premiere of THE DRAFT! a fist-pumping Indonesian body count terror which delights in honouring horror cliches while subverting them totally into a gruesome gore-fest.
This is followed by the UK premiere of TIME TRAVEL IS DANGEROUS, the Meta-universe comedy fantasy of the year from acclaimed writer-producer duo, the Shakespeare Sisters and co-written and directed by Chris Reading. The film stars British comedy royalty in Johnny Vegas, Sophie Thompson, Jane Horrocks, Mark Heap, and is narrated by Stephen Fry. Many of the cast will be attending including Jane Horrocks, Brian Blessed, Laura Aikman, Guy Henry, Brian Bovell, Ruth Syratt, Tom Lenk and Simon Killick, alongside director Chris Reading and producers Hillary and Anna-Elizabeth Shakespeare.
Also attending is Teddy Grennan, the director of CATCH A KILLER, which will receive its International premiere. Grennan has fashioned one of the most exciting neo-noir serial killer thrillers of the year, featuring breakout performances from Sam Brooks and Tu Morrow.
Completing the line-up is the UK premiere of Emma Benestan’s Cannes Critics’ Week closer, ANIMALE, a shape-shifting horror drama that takes toxic masculinity by the horns.
Animale
Paul McEvoy, FrightFest co-director, said today: “What a perfect Halloween Treat we have lined-up for everyone this year. A wonderful movie mix-tape of nine exciting, exceptional, new and varied genre titles. There is something for every film fan along with an incredible list of guest attendees. This will be a sensational end to our 25th Anniversary banner year and we hope you all enjoy.”
Passes and Tickets go on sale for Pigeon Shrine FrightFest on Saturday 5th October at Noon. Prices: Two-day pass – £79 | Friday 1st day pass – £33 | Saturday 28th Day pass – £59. Single tickets – £14.99.
