Indie
‘Hellraiser’-Inspired Terror in ‘Needle’
From Crush co-director John V. Soto comes Lightning Entertainment’s Needle, a Hellraiser-inspired horror film starring Michael Dorman, Trilby Glover, Tahyna Tozzi, Jessica Marais, Travis Fimmel and John Jarrat. While there are no stills yet, beyond the break you’ll find the official sales art, along with a long synopsis. Watch for a trailer soon.
“Ben Rutherford, a young college student, inherits a small antique machine known as “La Vaudou Vaudou Mort” from his late father’s estate. He shows the mysterious machine off to a group of his close friends who are suitably impressed, but he returns to his dorm room one day to find that the machine has gone missing! He suspects that one of his friends has stolen it, but who? The next day his estranged older brother Marcus, a forensic photographer, turns up with some terrible news – Ben’s best friend, Ryan, has been gruesomely killed, ripped apart from the inside by some unexplainable force…
Professor Banyon, Ben’s archaeology teacher, informs him that La Vaudou Mort was built in the 1800’s by a man known only as “Rubinstein”, a brilliant but disturbed engineer who was a devout follower of the occult. He reveals that the machine was created as a tool for revenge, supposedly harnessing the supernatural powers of voodoo. It’s not long before more of his friends start being dispatched one-by-one by an unseen and vengeful killer. As the body count grows, Ben must reunite with Marcus in a race to uncover the killer’s motivation and identity before they too become victims!”
Her House of Horrors, the horror division of Independent Production House WOMXNOGRAPHY, has launched its Bite Size Short Grant Program, ahead of its film festival Dollhouse of Horror, which will take place in March 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.
The Bite Size Short Grant Program awards $2,000 film grants to female-identifying and queer horror filmmakers. Shorts must be able to be made for $2,000, with a minimum runtime of 8 minutes. Submissions are now open on Filmfreeway, and are being judged by a panel of horror lovers and content creators.
The 2024 Bite Size Short Grant Program judge lineup is as follows:
“James H. Carter II- A documentary director, film producer, podcaster, marketing specialist, and writer. James is the founder and co-owner of Creepy Kingdom. Creepy Kingdom was founded in 2011 and is a multimedia website, and production studio specializing in creepy content. Their primary focus lies at the intersection of childlike fantasy and the macabre, covering horror films, theme parks, haunts, and much more. Beyond their extensive media coverage, Creepy Kingdom hosts events, offers original merchandise, and engages in film production under the Creepy Kingdom Studios brand producing original films like “Foolish Mortals”, exploring Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” fan culture, and “Georgie”, featuring Tony Dakota from the original “It” miniseries.
“In addition to founding Creepy Kingdom, James has won awards for his documentary work, including the award-winning “Foolish Mortals,” which has earned him recognition. He has been featured on Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween special.
“Ashleeta Beauchamp is the editor-in-chief of Peek-A-Boo! Magazine, a cheeky horror magazine created to uplift marginalized writers, artists, models and other creators within the horror community. She also runs The Halloween Coalition, a community group to provide support and marketing for horror and Halloween events around the Southern California area.
“Titeanya Rodríguez is a multi-hyphenate creative, and the founder and owner of HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, home of DOLLHOUSE OF HORROR and the horror division of WOMXNOGRAPHY. As a fellow storyteller and a self-proclaimed artivist, Titeanya’s mission is to create opportunities for women of color and queer women, across film, tv, sports, music, and beyond. She is also the creator of the BITE SIZE SHORT grant program.”
Winners will have a one-night theatrical screening at Regal Cinemas. Submissions Close April 8 at Midnight. Winners will be announced on May 27, 2024. Shorts must be shot and through post-production by June 30, 2024. The screening will take place on July 8, 2024, in Los Angeles, CA.
WOMXNOGRAPHY, HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, and Rodriguez are represented by Azhar PR, Granderson Des Rochers, and Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir.
To submit your short to the Bite Size Short Grant Program, go to the FilmFreeway link here.
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