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Y’all – NIGHTSTREAM is finally here! ICYMI, this amazing festival is made up of five different genre festivals from around the US: Boston Underground, Brooklyn Horror, North Bend, Overlook, and Popcorn Frights.
This year has been … well, A YEAR. But I’m so thrilled we have some amazing virtual film fests to help us get through it. I checked out Fantastic Fest online, am in the midst of Salem Horror Fest, and now we have THIS BIG OLE MONSTER. From October 8-11 (with an on demand option to watch *most* films through 10/14 or 10/15), I’m gonna try to pack in as much as I possibly can.
Here are the details! Access to film screenings will be geo-locked to the US with ticket bundles on sale on the website — $65 for 5 features or short film programs and $99 with 10 features or short film programs, both bundles come with unlimited access to events and panels, while event-only badges will be made available worldwide ($25) and a virtual festival social hub will be freely accessible to all. You can also get single tix to screenings ($13-$18); just pay attention to those premieres! Some are only accessible for a few hours.
But here’s the COOLEST PART: all proceeds from NIGHTSTREAM will be shared with the filmmakers and artists involved, donated to charities and businesses locally owned and operated in each festival’s home city, and help the founding festivals recoup losses incurred by COVID-19. So you get to watch some awesome films AND support a multitude of people. I LOVE THAT SO MUCH.
The lineup is vast and awesome, but here’s what I’m planning to hit up:
THURSDAY OCTOBER 8
WORLD PREMIERE: RUN | Directed by Aneesh Chaganty
6:15 PM PT | Only available for scheduled showtime (+ 4 hours)
Listen, I will watch Sarah Paulson do literally anything because she is an amazing actress, but also this looks creepy and cool and I’m deliberately not reading too much about this movie and I’m just REALLY excited to see what happens here!
DETENTION | Directed by John Hsu
8:45PM | Available On Demand through 10/14
I missed this one at Fantasia Fest and unnngggggghhhh IT LOOKS SO GOOD:
Other titles screening starting Thursday that look good: HUNTED, directed by Vincent Paronnaud about a woman who meets a stranger who turns out to be a serial killer; THE RETURNED, directed by Laura Casabé, about a grieving mom who uses some dark magic to resurrect her stillborn son (eeessssh), and LEAP OF FAITH: WILLIAM FRIEDKIN ON THE EXORCIST, directed by Alexandre O. Phillippe – a deep dive into the making of Friedkin’s masterpiece via an interview with the man himself. And ALSO, hello! The 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF AMERICAN PSYCHO WITH MARY HARRON, a convo with Mary & Katie Rife (whom I ADORE); All of these are available to watch on demand through 10/15!
FRIDAY OCTOBER 8
HORROR QUEERS PODCAST | THE CELL
12pm PT | Available until 10/14
I loovvvvvveeeeee Joe Lipsett & Trace Thurman’s cast, so I can’t wait to see them tackle THE CELL, Tarsem Singh’s gorgeous, yet flawed, crime thriller. (It’s really worth a watch just for the costumes alone, though, and I am a longtime fan of D’onofrio — and of course, J-Lo).
JUMBO | Directed by Zoé Wittock
12:45 pm PT | Available until 10/14
I don’t even know how to explain this one, and since I couldn’t find an English sub trailer – this is what you get! It’s about a woman who falls in love with …. A carnival ride? I guess? ANYWAYS it starts Noémie Merlant from PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE, so I’m in.
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE: MY HEART CAN’T BEAT UNLESS YOU TELL IT TO | Directed by Jonathan Cuartas
4pm PT | Only available for scheduled showtime (+ 4 hours)
When was the last time I saw Patrick Fugit in anything?!?! Anyway, this is about a pair of siblings who do some pretty gross stuff to help their sick younger brother get …. BLOOD. WHY IS THERE NO TRAILER FOR THIS?!?!
EVENING RITUALS | VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR
5pm – 6pm PT | Only available for scheduled showtime
LIVE cocktails & conversation with some horror icons – this time it’s SpectreVision’s Elijah Wood, Lisa Whalen & Daniel Noah. All attendees will be emailed recipes for each guest’s beverage. The timing is not great given the film above, but I will figure out a way to make it work!
Other titles screening starting Friday that look good: ANYTHING FOR JACKSON (which I missed at Fantasia), directed by Justin G. Dyck — about a pair of inept satanists; HONEYDEW, directed by Devereux Milburn, about a couple on a backwoods road trip that descends into a hallucinatory hell; and FINAL EXAM TRIVIA which is a great genre trivia game run by Ted Geoghegan and Michael Gingold – and guys? THIS IS THE LAST EDITION OF IT so get in there. Films are available to watch on demand through 10/14; trivia is only available at 6:15pm PT.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10
US PREMIERE: DARKNESS | Directed by Emanuela Rossi
10:15am PT | Available until 10/14
This looks kind of like a mashup of DOGTOOTH & WE ARE WHAT WE ARE, and I’m here for it! In a post-apocalyptic world, a dad keeps his three kids locked up inside — until the eldest makes a startling discovery. Check the (not subtitled) trailer:
THE FUTURE OF HORROR IS FEMALE PRESENTED BY ARROW
2pm PT | Available until 10/14
YESSSSSSSS! A panel discussion about the future of horror films with women and non-binary filmmakers – omg. So stoked for this! Panelists: Laura Casabe (THE RETURNED), Mariama Diallo (HAIR WOLF), Nikyatu Jusu (SUICIDE BY SUNLIGHT), and Laura Moss (FRY DAY). With Special Guests: Ashlee Blackwell (Graveyard Shift Sisters) and Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (1000 Women In Horror). Moderated by Meredith Alloway (writer, producer, and filmmaker). Introduced by Caryn Coleman (The Future of Film is Female, Nitehawk Cinema).
LOPEZ & BENSON & MOORHEAD’S HOME MOVIES
3:15pm PT | Only available for scheduled showtime
Three of my fave filmmakers — Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead (SYNCHRONIC, THE ENDLESS, SPRING, RESOLUTION), and Issa Lopez (TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID) explore their very, very early work, with real-time commentary! Omg omg omg.
THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC | Directed by Kimo Stamboel
9pm PT | Only available for scheduled showtime (+ 4 hours)
A family journey to visit the terminally ill director of the orphanage where the father was raised as a child, only to encounter sinister and terrifying events. Why do I feel like I’m gonna be rooting for the Queen here?
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11
THE NEST | Directed by Roberto De Feo
10am PT | Available until 10/14
Three words: Italian. Gothic. Horror. That’s it! I’m sold. Again, no subtitles on this trailer – but you don’t need ‘em.
ROSE PLAYS JULIE | Directed by Christine Molloy & Joe Lawlor
12:15pm PT | Available until 10/14
THIS LOOKS INTENSE! A woman tracking down her birth mother also seeks out her father and plans out a twisted revenge for past traumas. Hey, Littlefinger, what’s up?
VIRTUAL FIRESIDE WITH NIA DACOSTA
12:30pm PT | Available until 10/15
AHHH! AHH! AHHH! So excited to see DaCosta talk about ALL THE THINGS, but most especially about CANDYMAN.
EVENING RITUALS | VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR
5pm – 6pm PT | Only available for scheduled showtime
LIVE cocktails & conversation with BARBARA FREAKING CRAMPTON & Larry Fessenden!
Also DO NOT MISS: BLEED WITH ME, directed by Amelia Moses – I saw this one at Fantasia Fest and loved, loved, loved it. And check out BLACK BEAR, directed by Lawrence Michael Levine about a filmmaker who arrives at a rural retreat and discovers that the unpredictable behavior of her hosts will be the source of her most inspired work yet. Both are available to watch on demand through 10/15!
I Love Splatter! 