Arrow Video FrightFest Announces Digital ‘Best of The Fest’ Line-Up
The Arrow Video FrightFest will return to the Cineworld Leicester Square from 26 to 30 August, 2021, The five day festival shows-off an eclectic mix of global genre cinema. Following on from the physical event, the festival is presenting a five-day online edition, which will take place between 1 and 5 September 2021. This ‘Best of the Fest’ will give audiences the opportunity to experience a selection of year’s movies at home.
There are also five ‘Digital only’ bonus presentations and Horror Channel will gain stand as a Digital sponsor, giving particular support to the First Blood strand for the second year running.
The line-up will be split between The Arrow Video and Horror Channel Digital screens, along with a third Discovery screen. Pass holders can select what to watch across the three screens, which will be streamed live – and only once. All the films will be geo-locked so they can only be viewed in the UK.
Passes and tickets go on sale Saturday 14 August. A full pass will be £80, while individual films will cost £8.50.
Check out the film details below:
Movies from the main screens that will be repeated in the digital line-up are: Alan Moore and Mitch Jenkins’ mystery fantasy THE SHOW, the South African fantasy GAIA, the shellshock creature feature CRABS!, Rodrigo Fiallega’s blood-drenched shocker, THE EXORCISM OF CARMEN FARIAS, BROADCAST SIGNAL INTRUSION, the first feature to emerge from FrightFest’s ‘New Blood’ initiative, electrifying thriller COMING HOME IN THE DARK, the German 70s nostalgia-fest DAWN BREAKS BEHIND THE EYES, Rob Schroeder’s startling puzzle box Sci-Fi mystery, ULTRASOUND, extreme comedy KING KNIGHT, the cruelly comic misadventure SWEETIE, YOU WON’T BELIEVE IT, and Dominic Brunt’s EVIE, a frighteningly sinister take on the shape-shifting Selkie myth, co-directed with Jamie Lundy and starring Michael Smiley and Holli Dempsey.
Most of the Discovery screen line-up will be given a digital home, including sinister isolation thriller MOTHERLY, AS IN HEAVEN, SO ON EARTH, Francesco Erba’s stunning Italian blend of live action and Gothic puppet animation, HOTEL POSEIDON, Belgium’s latest wildly inventive genre hit, Mel House’s metaphysical horror MYSTERY SPOT, director/writers/stars Glenn Payne and Casey Dillard new slasher, KILLER CONCEPT. Gonzalo Calzada’s astonishing tour de force NOCTURNA: SIDE A – THE GREAT OLD MAN’S NIGHT, José María Cicala’s SHADOW OF THE CAT, starring Danny Trejo as you’ve never seen him before, Alejandro Cohen Arazi’s cult hit THE UNBURIED and FORGIVENESS, a surreal, violent and revenge-laden horror thriller by new Mexploitation maestro Alex Kahuam.
Plus, there’s BAD CANDY, which has been hailed as the best Halloween portmanteau since TRICK ‘R’ TREAT, ANTIDOTE, which goes deep inside a horror hospital, Stephen King Simmons’ stunning black-and-white feature debut THE PARKER SESSIONS, GREYWOOD’S PLOT, a creature feature send-up for our times and the intense drama TOUCH – the winner of the NYC Independent Film Best Movie and Director awards.
The fearsome fun continues with RED SNOW, a bloodsucking spook-a-blast that puts a stake through the heart of comedy horror, the unique LAGUNA AVE. where metal fetishism goes the full John Waters route, Beau Ballinger’s SHE WATCHES FROM THE WOODS, a chilling walk between supernatural curses and mental health, the disturbing familial psychodrama CAPTIVE and the out of this world NIGHT DRIVE.
The three documentaries are also repeated – WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED: A HISTORY OF FOLK HORROR, a 3-HOUR PLUSenchantment that, explores the folk horror phenomenon from its roots, THE FOUND FOOTAGE PHENOMENON, which tells you everything you need to know about the origins and growth of the shaky-cam genre and POV Cinema, and Paul Hunt and Julie Kauffman’s obsessive THE BRILLIANT TERROR, is a totally absorbing delve into the Grassroots Horror movement.
Plus there are the First Blood selections, supported by Horror Channel : Seb Cox’s ARE WE MONSTERS, a unique werewolf coming-of-age saga, Ian Steele’s BOY #5, an innovative take on the vampire myth, Conor Buro’s WHEN THE SCREAMING STARTS, a spirited horror mockumentary, and Richard Waters’ BRING OUT THE FEAR, which explores a doomed relationship on its final day. Complementing the First Blood entries is the UK premiere of Adam Ethan Crow’s LAIR, a pitch-black supernatural tale of deception, demonic devastation and death.
Other Digital only bonus titles include the World premiere of Gerald Rascionato’s CLAW, a fun creature feature Jurassic Lark, the UK premiere of Chad Crawford Kinkle’s bold DEMENTER which represents the developmentally disabled while being a thrilling and disturbing chiller, and two vintage slashers, which will receive their Worldwide Arrow Restoration Premieres: PHANTOM OF THE MALL: ERIC’S REVENGE (1989) and DEADLY GAMES (1982).
Of course, FrightFest wouldn’t be the same without some sneak previews and tantalising trailers. Plus there will be plenty of guests popping up to introduce their films and the FrightFest directors will be hosting some Q & As.
Alan Jones. Co-director of FrightFest reflected: “FrightFest will always see the collective theatrical viewing experience as central to our mission. Nothing can replace the anticipatory buzz waiting for the house lights to dim in a crowded cinema, or catching up with festival friends from far-flung corners of the world. But now we relish the prospect of commitment to virtual programming and how it will complement, enhance, and expand the reach of our in-person programming. So, for the first time in FrightFest’s always forward-thinking history, we have embraced the newly minted hybrid format to satisfy our past, present and future community”.
