Following the success of its spectacular 26th year August five-day event, the UK’s most popular genre film festival returns to the ODEON Luxe West End in Leicester Square to present its annual 2-day Halloween event. Taking over both screens on Friday 31st October and Saturday 1st November, this spine-chilling line-up heralds nine premieres from five countries, spanning Europe, North America, Australia/Oceania and Asia. Each film will be screened twice. So be prepared as FrightFest takes you on a nerve-jangling journey featuring crazed animals, electrifying J-Horror, Heavy Metal mayhem, Turkish family terror, ancient Filipino monsters, maniac doll fetishists, timeless paranoia, and psychedelic serial killer thrills.
Opening the seasonal gates to ‘Helloween’ is the UK premiere of Paramount’s killer chimp horror PRIMATE, in which a group of friends’ tropical vacation turns into a terrifying, primal tale of horror and survival. Directed and co-written by FrightFest favourite Johannes Roberts, it stars Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander and Oscar winner Troy Kotsur. Following the screening there will be a specially recorded interview with Johannes hosted by Alan Jones. Be prepared for ‘Battle of the Bands’ carnage as Friday’s line-up continues with the UK premiere of DEATHGASM II: GOREMAGEDDON, the eagerly awaited sequel, directed by Jason Lei Howden, in which the fiery furnaces of Satan’s anus have brought forth nothing short of a ‘goremageddon’. The first day closes with the UK premiere of Mickey Reece’s EVERY HEAVY THING, a trippy comedic thriller revolving around a high-tech serial killer, which boasts an eclectic cast including Vera Drew, Barbara Crampton and Josh Fadem.
Saturday kicks off with the UK premiere of DOLLY, Rod Blackhurst’s twisted, woodland fairytale, which blends New French Extremity and 1970s American horror. The film introduces current NWA TV Champion Max The Impaler, aka The Non-Binary Nightmare, in the titular role of ‘Dolly’. Then we have the UK premiere of AFFECTION, in which Happy Death Day franchise Scream Queen Jessica Rothe star in B T Meza’s gripping, intriguing and ultimately devastating dark science fiction tale of terror. Up next is the World premiere of POSTHOUSE, an assured debut feature by editor and co-writer Nikolas Red, which is based on his own personal experience while editing his brother Mikhail Red’s 2018 shocker Eerie. This is followed by the UK premiere THE TURKISH COFFEE TABLE. One of the most unique movie-going experiences of 2022 was The Coffee Table, which became a festival sensation. Now comes the equally shocking Turkish remake by FrightFest alumnus Can Evrenol, director of Baskin and Housewife. Can and lead actor are planning to attend. Another FrightFest favourite is Colin Minihan (What Keeps You Alive, It Stains The Sand Red) who is back with the UK premiere of Signature’s COYOTES, a bite-filled fun eco-horror, which has a terrific cast including Justin Long, Kate Bosworth, Brittany Allen and Mila Harris. Completing the line-up is the UK premiere of supernatural chiller MAG MAG, the first film from K2 Pictures, founded by directors Takashi Miike, Hirokazu Koreeda and Miwa Nishikawa. This is a debut feature by Yuriyan Retriever, Japan's most popular comedian, and destined to reinterpret the J-horror genre with a fresh perspective.
Alan Jones, FrightFest co-director, said today: “FrightFest has become a dependable vanguard of the increasingly popular genre movement, it’s a position we take very seriously as our August and Halloween programmes reflect, and we are proud to play our part in the ever-burgeoning respect being shown to the genre. At long last!”
Passes and tickets go on sale at noon on Saturday 4th October
