Not even a year has passed since The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival emerged as a must-attend genre festival, but year two is already looking to cement such talk. We Got This Covered reported from the trenches last October, where I served as one of the festival’s inaugural judges. The films were strong and the drinks stronger, only increasing excitement for year two. Fast-forward to September 2017 and the countdown clock has just about run out. Something we couldn’t be happier for.
Birth.Movies.Death. was lucky enough to announce Brooklyn Horror’s first wave, including buzzed-about highlights such as Tragedy Girls (one of my favorites from SXSW) and Sequence Break (a Fantasia Fest favorite for me). You’ve also got Housewife, Baskin director Can Evrenol’s sophomore feature, among other notable selections. Be sure to peruse Wave 1’s sacrificial offerings, but that’s old news – are you ready for Round 2? I know, how could it possibly get better. SCROLL DOWN AND YOU’LL FIND OUT.
The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival keeps the scream-machine churning with a dynamite second slate the includes two Shudder releases in the Centerpiece slot – Joe Lynch’s Mayhem (my favorite SXSW Midnighter) and Stefan Ruzowitzky’s Cold Hell (I haven’t seen you yet but I’m sure I’ll love you too). Do yourself a favor and seek out Mayhem. Imagine your worst day at the office meets a multi-teared fight through infected co-workers (rage virus infected, not zombies). Steven Yeun as an angry pencil-pusher, and an even angrier – and more badass – Samara Weaving. In Lynch I trusted and so should you.
Moving on, you’ve got Elizabeth E. Schuch’s The Book Of Birdie – a North American Premiere – slotted as the fest’s closing night film. Denise Castro’s Salvation – another North American Premiere – adds to the list. Two more films make their New York premiere – Simon Rumley’s Fashionista and Erlingur Thoroddsen’s Rift – with Thoroddsen returning to Brooklyn after closing last year’s festival (Child Eater). Is this a recurring theme? Will we get an Erlingur Thoroddsen movie every Brooklyn Horror Fest now? Only time will tell (get to work, sir).
Speaking of recurring themes, Baz Morais & Sebastien Landry’s Game Of Death continues the young Brooklyn Horror tradition of “films based on playable games.” Last year had Jackson Stewart’s Beyond The Gates, about a deadly VHS play-along, this year a goretastic kill-em-all romp that’ll blow your mind. Literally. Things get very head-explode-y. I gave Game Of Death a go at SXSW this year and showered immediately after.
Rounding out Wave 2’s feature presentations is Seth A Smith’s The Crescent (also playing TIFF Midnight Madness and Fantastic Fest), the East Coast premiere of Tyler Savage’s Inheritance (he’ll also be in attendance), a Kane Hodder documentary from Derek Dennis Herbert and Oskar Thór Axelsson’s I Remember You (IFC Midnight). Then you’ve got a whole host of sadistic shorts programming – Robin Comisar’s Great Choice won an award at Overlook Film Festival, for example – and some “Stage Frights” (non-film events) to keep audiences entertained. How about a midnight ghost hunt? Not all horrors are contained to the screen.
Enough from me – get excited and make sure you’re at this year’s Brooklyn Horror Film Festival from October 12th – 15th. Catch some flicks and let’s party until the witching hour. See you there!
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For the full press release, which details every single goodie that awaits, be sure to click to the next page. It’s a long one, too, so strap in!
