The UK festival scene is strong, but one facet of it is stronger than all other – the horror festivals. We know the top of the totem pole is in central London, yet spotted up and down the country are all manner of weekend long events for the macabre genre. Here in the north there are two major events, one of which we’ll be covering remotely – the other is Celluloid Screams (23rd – 26th October), which we will be doing a series of articles, pieces and podcasts about after the fact. But enough about later, what about now, what does Sheffield’s Celluloid Screams have in store for its faithful at the Showroom Cinema this October?
The Opening Gala comes in the shape of Tina Romero’s feature directorial debuts (after shorts and TV shows), QUEENS OF THE DEAD. In which, “Drag queens and club kids battle zombies craving brains during a zombie outbreak at their drag show in Brooklyn, putting personal conflicts aside to utilize their distinct abilities against the undead threat”. The fun thing about Celluloid Screams and a few other festivals is the pairing with a Short Film, a small but huge gesture that validates and shows how important the short film is for independent film (horror or otherwise), and this is paired with Alastair Train’s PEARLS. Following that up is something described in the schedule as a live show – CRYPTID QUEERS: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DRAG. I wouldn’t like to suppose what that is but a horror themed drag show is all but a guarantee. Closing out proceedings on Thursday 23rd is a 40th Anniversary screening of RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD – while my horror hot take is that it is wrongfully characterised as a comedy horror, it’s much too bleak – one of the definitive zombie movies, in my humble opinion, right up there with the work of George A. Romero. That is paired with Nancy Joan Urich’s FEED & Andrew Appelle’s STRIP MALL.
Kicking off the Friday is a documentary, Sean Cisterna’s SILVER SCREAMERS, which sounds delightful. “A heart-warming and spine-tingling documentary that follows a group of spirited senior citizens as they embark on an extraordinary adventure far outside their comfort zones: creating a horror film”. Following that up is the inimitable MOTHER OF FLIES from the Adams Family, of which Lulu Adams and John Adams will there for a Q&A too. We reviewed at Frightfest, yet its always a delight to see the work of this filmmaking family on the big screen. It sees “a young woman faces a deadly diagnosis, she seeks dark magic from a witch in the woods. But every cure has its cost”. That is paired with Hoku Uchiyama’s WHITCH. Following that up is a big dog of the New French Extremity Cycle, MARTYRS. Where “a young woman’s quest for revenge against the people who kidnapped and tormented her as a child leads her and a friend, who is also a victim of child abuse, on a terrifying journey into a living hell of depravity, in Pascal Laugier’s infamous horror masterpiece”. Paired with Matt Benson’s LENNOX-FRIEDKIN TAPE #004.
Following that blast of hardcore horror is THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM. Kier-La Janisse’s movie sees “a schoolteacher’s late-night arrival at a hotel in the Alps without a reservation leaves him with no option but to accept the room of a missing hotel guest — leading to a sleepless night full of strange and uncanny occurrences. Based on the classic chiller by Algernon Blackwood”. The director will be doing a post-screening discussion of her work, including her Christmas Ghost Story influence. Up next will be Shane Brady’s HACKED: A DOUBLE ENTENDRE OF RAGE FUELED KARMA. Where, “in 2021, ordinary people Shane Brady and Emily Zercher were hacked. $20,000 stolen. This story begins based on those true events. The rest? What we wish we could have done to that bastard”. Shane Brady and Emily Zercher will be there too, for a post-screening Q&A. That’ll be twinned with Jordan Whippell’s OBEY! And closing the Friday is something that I can’t really say much about as it is a “secret film” – colour me interested, who knows what this might be?
Moving onto the Saturday, is Paul Gandersman & Peter S. Hall’s enigmatically titled MAN FINDS TAPE, in which “after finding mysterious video clips, siblings investigate the strange recordings and uncover a disturbing secret spreading through their Texas town”. That is paired with Amrita Acharai’s SLEEPEATER. Following that up is possibly the most compelling and unique sounding thing in the whole event, it’s called SCARED SAFE VOL. 2. Described as being “ten years after the first instalment, Celluloid Screams presents a second collection of horrifying and often unintentionally hilarious public information films to scare you into submission. The perils of careless driving, petty crime and the dangers of playing on farms are just some of the gruesome delights we have in store”. Interested? I know am. After which is Ten years after the first instalment, Celluloid Screams presents a second collection of horrifying and often unintentionally hilarious public information films to scare you into submission. The perils of careless driving, petty crime and the dangers of playing on farms are just some of the gruesome delights we have in store.
After that unique pallet-cleanser (I genuinely have no idea where Scared Safe Vol. 2 will go) is Stefan MacDonald-Labelle’s HEAD LIKE A HOLE. “In financial dire straits, a man accepts a strange, high-paying job where he must take up residence in a home and measure a hole in the wall of the basement to determine whether or not it’s growing in size”. That is Emma Ramsay’s POLY BAGGAGE. Another idiosyncrasy for Celluloid Screams is next, BLOOD AND GUTS: THE FILMS OF CHRIS MCINROY. “Celluloid Screams regulars will be familiar with the films of director Chris McInroy, and with two new short films in this year’s programme, we thought it was about time to resurrect our short film retrospective slot and welcome the man himself to Sheffield. Expect, blood guts, gore and plenty of laughs, plus a Q&A after the screening”. Following that is fan-favourite Steven Kostanski’s (Psycho Goreman) new movie, DEATHSTALKER. “A powerful swordsman known as Deathstalker recovers a cursed amulet from a corpse-strewn battlefield. Marked by dark magic and hunted by monstrous assassins, he must face the rising evil and break the curse”. Closing out the Saturday is IT ENDS. “Friends on a late-night food run become trapped on an infinite highway with otherworldly terrors lurking beyond. Confined in their Jeep Cherokee, they must decide whether to accept their fate or attempt escape”. Again, paired with a Short film, Nathan Mark Ginter’s STEAK DINNER. The shorts are what I am excited most about, horror shorts are one of the freest and most liberated avenues of horror storytelling, by my reckoning.
Closing the Saturday is a MYSTERY 35MM GRINDHOUSE SCREENING. I can say nothing about this mystery movie either, however, these secret showings have gone done in horror legend and lore – a recent showing of which is the notorious Iberian slasher, Pieces. Who knows what they have in store this year?
Onto the final day, Sunday, the opening film is Peter Cilella ‘s DESCENDENT, paired with Max Ward’s SKULK. Descendent sees a “troubled LA school guard, haunted by family tragedy, experiences strange visions after a mysterious light appears in the sky. As his wife’s due date approaches, he races to face his demons before his growing obsession consumes him”. Following that up is an absolute blast from the past, a true horror anthology classic in Freddie Francis’s 1972 movie, TALES FROM THE CRYPT. Continuing the theme of Asian horror that is lurking throughout “Cell” this year is Nobuhiro Yamashita’s CONFESSION. In which “Jiyong is seriously injured in a blizzard during a mountain trek with Asai, an old friend from college. Believing his injuries to be fatal, Jiyong makes a shocking deathbed confession to his friend, but when the wind suddenly weakens, the two find refuge in an empty hut nearby. Stranded in the isolated cabin by the blizzard, the two men struggle under the weight of Jiyong’s confession and are thrust into a deadly fight for survival as Jiyong goes to extreme lengths to ensure his dark secret remains untold”. That will be paired up with indie sci-fi icon’s, Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, new short JACQUES THE GIANT SLAYER, and Laotian director Mattie Do’s THE SLEEPING BEAUTY. Given those two are names I am familiar with, it only ups the excitement for the short film programme. Next is a movie I’ve seen prior but can’t wait to see again on a big screen, NOISE. “A woman with a hearing impediment is haunted by sounds linking to her sister’s disappearance and the presence of a malevolent spirit”. There’s a few late in the game jump scares that I can’t wait to see with a crowd, and that will be twinned with the Jed Shepard produced, Kris Carr directed GRANDMA IS THIRSTY and Jaron Henrie-McCrea’s HEY BABE.
And to close all of that out is a closing gala to end all closing gala’s. Celluloid Screams presents ALPHA, from Titane and Raw director Julia Ducournau. This massively anticipated movie sees “13, is a troubled teenager who lives alone with her mother. Their world comes crashing down the day she comes home from school with a tattoo on her arm”. Given how her previous work evolved, this could go literally anywhere. And to close out the finale is a Karaoke Party – with this being my first year at in-person film festivals, it really is surprising how ubiquitous those are. Fun way to end a stacked weekend, either way.
More details can be found at www.celluloidscreams.com
More details on the Short Films can be found here
To book your ticket visit: https://showroomcinema.org.uk/festivals/celluloid-screams-sheffield-horror-film-festival
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