Following the news that the Soska Sisters' Rabid remake would be screening at this year's Grimmfest in the UK, the festival, now in its 11th year, has announced its full line-up, which includes 6 European premieres, 17 UK premieres, 2 English premieres and 15 Northern UK premieres.
Grimmfest 2019 takes place at the Odeon Great Northern Cinema in Manchester, UK, from October 3rd to 6th.
European Premieres include Audrey Cummings’ laconically brutal She Never Died (the keenly awaited follow up to 2015 horror hit He Never Died), claustrophobic Argentinian thriller 4X4 and Australian WWII set creature feature, Blood Vessel. UK Premieres include Hollywood cultist horror 1BR, Canadian mind-bender Dead Dicks, existential revenge drama Every Time I Die and Russian sleep experiments in Quiet Comes the Dawn.
English Premieres include Irish comedy horror and festival darling, Extra Ordinary and UK director Adam Randall’s devious, perception-challenging thriller, I See You, starring Helen Hunt. Northern UK Premieres include British self-help-through-slaughter satire, A Serial Killer's Guide to Life and ferociously brutal Russian black comedy Why Don't You Just Die!
2019 sees the festival’s strongest ever line-up of films from women directors, screenwriters or driven by strong female characters. The opening night offers three female-helmed features: Audrey Cummings’ She Never Died, outrageous splatter-satire Satanic Panic, from debuting director Chelsea Stardust and Fangoria films, and Abigail Blackmore’s (FrightFest Screen Genre Rising Star Award winner 2019) droll UK comedy horror, Tales from the Lodge, with cast and crew including Abigail and actress Kelly Wenham expected in attendance.
The focus on women in horror continues with the guest line-up, which includes Pollyanna McIntosh (Jadis from "The Walking Dead"), who will be presenting her directorial debut, Darlin’ (read our review), follow up to the infamous The Woman, and the Soska Sisters (American Mary), hosting a screening of their much-anticipated reimagining of the Cronenberg classic, Rabid. More festival guests will be announced over the coming weeks.
There’s also some top talent making a welcome return to Grimmfest. Millennials and Baby Boomers battle for the soul of America in the UK Premiere of black comedy Tone-Deaf, from Richard Bates Jr. (Excision, Suburban Gothic), plus there’s witchcraft and teen alienation in the Northern Premiere of The Wretched from the Pierce Brothers (Deadheads) and trouble at sea in Canadian thriller Harpoon from Rob Grant (Mon Ami, Fake Blood, Alive).
And if classic monsters are your thing, there’s werewolves in the UK premiere of Loom, vampires in the UK premiere of The Shed and the European premiere of Blood Vessel, and to close the festival, Lupita Nyong’o (Us, Black Panther) takes on the zombie hordes in the regional premiere of Little Monsters.
As previously announced, this year all films in Grimmfest’s official selection will be competing for 14 awards including Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best Director, Best SFX and Best Cinematography, with prizes that include over £120,000 ($144,432 USD) worth of post – production support. The awards will be judged by a select jury headed up by actress and horror genre icon Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator, Castle Freak).
Full festival passes, day passes and individual film tickets will be on sale via the grimmfest.com website as of 9am on Monday, September 2nd.
