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IFC Center Launches What the Fest!? In New York!

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IFC Center announced an impressive slate for the upcoming film festival What the Fest!?, a four-day showcase of outrageous content — horror, sci-fi, documentary,  thrillers, and beyond — from March 29th through April 1st. What the Fest!? will feature exciting premieres, including one world premiere, one US premiere, many New York premieres and the world premiere of a new digital restoration of a film never before released in the U.S. What the Fest!? also boasts under the radar cinematic finds, film festival hits from Sundance, TIFF, and Rotterdam, as well as buzz-worthy talent in-person at screenings and post-screening events.

Opening night of What the Fest!? will feature the New York Premiere of Coralie Fargeat’s Revenge (read our review), a thriller about a mistress who exacts “revenge” on her married lover and his friends, turning their annual hunting trip into a decidedly deadlier adventure. The closing night film will be Jenn Wexler’s The Ranger, about a group of teen punks on the lam, who hide out from the cops in a remote cabin… only to run into bigger troubles. Wexler will appear at the Q&A, along with producer and co-star Larry Fessenden of Glass Eye Pix.

More What the Fest!? programming highlights include the World Premiere of Boiled Angels: The Trial of Mike Diana, a documentary chronicling the obscenity trail of the eponymous comic book artist Mike Diana, from cult favorite Frank Henenlotter (Basket Case); Henenlotter and Diana will appear in person. There will also be a sneak peek of an unseen episode from the new AMC series “The Terror,” with star Jared Harris of “Mad Men” in person for a Q&A, the critically lauded horror film Ghost Stories starring Martin Freeman, and the World Premiere restoration of the never-before-seen-in-the-U.S., Curse of Snakes Valley, a.k.a “The Soviet Indiana Jones.”

Below is the full list of films selected for What the Fest!?


REVENGE (NY Premiere)
Thursday, March 29th, 7:00PM

Synopsis: Three wealthy, married men learn the hard way that you should never bring your mistress along on a guys’ getaway, especially when there’s hunting involved. A Neon release.

Written & Directed by: Coralie Fargeat
Starring: Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Kevin Janssens, Vincent Colombe, & Guillaume Bouchède
TRT: 108 min.
Country: France
Language: English; French (with English subtitles)


VALLEY OF SHADOWS (U.S. Premiere)
Friday, March 30th, 7:00PM

Synopsis: In this mesmerizing Scandinavian Gothic fable shot on 35mm, a small boy sets out into the deep, dark woods in search of a mysterious creature. Filmmaker Jonas Matzow Gulbrandsen will appear in-person for a post-screening Q&A.

Directed by: Jonas Matzow Gulbrandsen
Written by: Jonas Matzow Gulbrandsen & Clement Tuffreau
Starring: Adam Ekeli, Kathrine Fagerland, Jørgen Langhelle, Jone Hope Larsen, & Lennard Salamon
TRT: 91 min.
Country: Norway
Language: Norwegian (with English subtitles)


THE ENDLESS
Friday, March 30th, 9:30PM

Synopsis: Two brothers (played by co-directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, of SPRING and RESOLUTION) return to the cult they fled years ago, only to discover that the group’s beliefs may make much more sense than they once thought. A Well Go USA release. Benson and Moorhead will appear in-person for a post-screening Q&A.

Directed by: Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead
Written by: Justin Benson
Starring: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Tate Ellington, Callie Hernandez, & Lew Temple
TRT: 112 min.
Country: U.S.
Language: English


BLUE MY MIND (NY Premiere)
Saturday, March 31st, 1:15PM

Synopsis: As if adapting to a new town and a new life weren’t enough, 15-year-old Mia faces an overwhelming transformation when her body starts to change radically.

Written & Directed by: Lisa Brühlmann
Starring: Luna Wedler, Zoë Pastelle Holthuizen, & Regula Grauwiller
TRT: 97 min.
Country: Switzerland
Language: Swiss German (with English subtitles)


BOILED ANGELS: THE TRIAL OF MIKE DIANA (World Premiere)
Saturday, March 31st, 4:00PM

Synopsis: Jailed for comics?! The true story of Mike Diana, the only American artist ever convicted of obscenity, directed by cult filmmaker Frank Henenlotter (BASKET CASE, BRAIN DAMAGE, FRANKENHOOKER). Henenlotter and Diana will appear in-person for a post-screening Q&A, along with producers Anthony Sneed and Mike Hunchback.

Directed by: Frank Henenlotter
Featuring: Mike Diana, George A. Romero, Neil Gaiman, Peter Bagge, Jay Lynch, Stephen Bissette, Peter Kuper, & more
TRT: 105 min.
Country: U.S.
Language: English


GHOST STORIES (NY Premiere)
Saturday, March 31st, 7:00PM

Synopsis: Arch-skeptic professor Phillip Goodman embarks upon a terror-filled quest when he stumbles across three long-lost cases of unexplainable “hauntings.” Filmmakers to appear in-person for post-screening Q&A.

Written & Directed by: Jeremy Dyson & Andy Nyman
Starring: Martin Freeman, Andy Nyman, Alex Lawther, & Paul Whitehouse
In-Person Talent: Jeremy Dyson
TRT: 98 min.
Country: U.K.
Language: English


SATAN’S SLAVES (NY Premiere)
Saturday, March 31st, 9:45PM

Synopsis: A hit at Rotterdam, acclaimed director Joko Anwar’s (MODUS ANOMALI, A COPY OF MY MIND) remake of a beloved 1982 Indonesian horror classic (reputedly itself inspired by PHANTASM) is a delightfully terrifying haunted house movie — and the country’s biggest box office smash of 2017.

Written & Directed by: Joko Anwar
Starring: Bront Palarae, Tara Basro, Endy Arfian, & Dimas Aditya
TRT: 106 min.
Country: Indonesia
Language: Indonesian (with English subtitles)


CURSE OF SNAKES VALLEY, a.k.a. “The Soviet Indiana Jones” (World Premiere Restoration)

Sunday, April 1st , 12:30PM

Synopsis: This unseen 1980s Eastern Bloc-buster presents the Soviet answer to Indiana Jones in a tale that combines snakes and jungle traps and the “classic weirdness” of Polish sci-fi! Never released in the U.S., CURSE OF SNAKES VALLEY screens in a beautiful new digital restoration by the Estonian Film Institute.

Directed by: Marek Piestrak
Written by: Wojciech Nizynski, Marek Piestrak, & Vladimir Valutskiy
Starring: Krzysztof Kolberger, Roman Wilhelmi, & Ewa Salacka
TRT: 94 min.
Country: Estonia, Poland
Language: Russian (with English subtitles)


LOWLIFE (NY Premiere)
Sunday, April 1st, 3:00PM

Synopsis: The sordid lives of an addict, an ex-con, and a luchador collide when an organ harvesting caper goes very, very wrong. An IFC Midnight release. Director Ryan Prows and co-star Mark Burnham will appear in-person for a post-screening Q&A.

Directed by: Ryan Prows
Written by: Tim Cairo, Jake Gibson, Shaye Ogbonna, Ryan Prows, & Maxwell Michael Towson
Starring: Jon Oswald, Nicki Micheaux, Mark Burnham, & Ricardo Adam Zarate
TRT: 96 min.
Country: U.S.
Language: English, Spanish (with English subtitles)


“The Terror” (Episode Sneak Preview)
Sunday, April 1st, 5:30PM

Synopsis: Join star Jared Harris for a sneak preview of AMC’s new series based on Dan Simmons’s 2007 bestseller, the true-life tale of a group of sailors confronting certain death at the frozen ends of the earth. Jared Harris and Executive Producers Soo Hugh and David Kajganich will appear in-person for a post-screening Q&A.

Starring: Jared Harris, Ciarán Hinds, & Tobias Menzies
TRT: 144 min (Episodes 1-3 of the first season)
Country: U.S.
Language: English


THE RANGER (NY Premiere)
Sunday, April 1st, 9:00PM

Synopsis: Teen punks on the run from the cops hide out in a remote cabin, only to find out that the forest has its own law. Writer/director Jenn Wexler and producer/co-star Larry Fessenden will appear in-person for a post-screening Q&A.

Directed by: Jenn Wexler
Written by: Giaco Furino & Jenn Wexler
Starring: Chloe Levine, Jeremy Holm, & Larry Fessenden
TRT: 80 min.
Country: U.S.
Language: English


Ticket pricing and information:
Opening night screening of REVENGE – Film and Opening Night Party: $25 ($20 IFC Center members), Film only: $15 ($10 IFC Center members)
Tickets for all other screenings are $15 adults, $10 IFC Center members
Tickets for all screenings are available online at WhatTheFestNYC.com, or in-person at the IFC Center box office, 323 Sixth Avenue (at West 3rd Street), open daily 10:30AM-10:00PM.

About WHAT THE FEST!?
Much of the most innovative and exciting cinema on screens today comes out of the universe of genre films – movies that are entertaining, surprising and sometimes shocking. Fantastic films that upend conventional limitations to help us escape reality and harbor deeper ambitions to thrill smart audiences. What The Fest!? is for the creative and curious looking for a community in which to share experiences and have a blast together. From cerebral shockers to singular cinematic experiences to unforgettable special events, What The Fest!? is more than just movies, it is an experience.

Horror movie fanatic who co-founded Bloody Disgusting in 2001. Producer on Southbound, V/H/S/2/3/94, SiREN, Under the Bed, and A Horrible Way to Die. Chicago-based. Horror, pizza and basketball connoisseur. Taco Bell daily. Franchise favs: Hellraiser, Child's Play, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Scream and Friday the 13th. Horror 365 days a year.

Indie

“Bite Size Short: Her House of Horrors” Announce Short Grant Program!

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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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