The Popcorn Frights Film Festival is roaring back with a vengeance next month for its eighth edition, and has today announced the second wave of programming for its most ambitious lineup yet, featuring 36 film premieres and embracing 20 countries, with industry sessions, rooftop parties, an under-the-stars movie night and Bruce Willis tribute, magic shows, horror trivia, live comedy, and more!
Running August 11th through 21st, this year’s cinematic mayhem is unleashed both online across the US and in-theater through South Florida. As the Southeast United States largest gathering of genre films and fans, Popcorn Frights is bringing the most electrifying and provocative genre cinema from around the globe to the Sunshine State.
Here's everything you need to know from the second wave press release:
First up, is the world premiere of the made-in-Miami, sensationally gory shocker Do Not Disturb, which will open the Festival’s inaugural "ALTER Screening Room" at the O Cinema South Beach, located right across from Ocean Drive. Setting an unprecedented record at this year’s Festival, more than 20 films are receiving their world premieres at Popcorn Frights, including Lucky McKee’s mysterious thriller Old Man starring Stephen Lang, the throwback retro slashers Time's Up with Felicia Rose and The Barn: Part II with Linnea Quigley, the audacious and subversive Bad Girl Boogey with Bill Moseley, and the made-in-Florida fever dream Breathing Happy, which will be complemented with a mind-melting live magic show by director Shane Bradley.
Other Festival highlights include the Icelandic visual marvel Fanga that reimagines the classic fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast," the North American Premiere of the claustrophobic nerve-wrecker The Eyes Below, the US Premiere of the transgressive splatter comedy All Jacked Up and Full of Worms, the one-of-a-kind experimental remix of Stephen King’s The Langoliers, The Timekeepers of Eternity, and the darkly funny serial killer mockumentary When the Screaming Starts.
Closing Popcorn Frights’ in-theater film program is the 35th anniversary of the made-in-Florida, international cult sensation Miami Connection that will be accompanied by a fun live commentary. Notable features exclusively playing as part of Popcorn Frights’ virtual program comprised of 22 feature films include the snow-streaked Northern Gothic heist thriller Peppergrass, the diabolical found footage thriller Malibu Horror Story that was ten years in the making, and the black magic horror Presence.
In tribute to Hollywood icon Bruce Willis and his legendary on-screen career, Popcorn Frights will host a special 25th anniversary, under the stars presentation of the sci-fi masterpiece The Fifth Element on Ocean Drive, Miami’s most famous stretch of sand and nightlife.
Beyond Popcorn Frights’ film experiences, there will be a night of Horror Movie Trivia hosted by ALTER and Fangoria, as well as industry dedicated sessions at the renowned The Betsy South Beach, which will host a continental breakfast for filmmakers at an industry panel moderated by ALTER representatives. At night, The Betsy will throw a rooftop party overlooking the beach with complimentary drinks provided.
Access to the "ALTER Screening Room’s" in-theater experience will be available for free, but priority access will be provided to Festival badge holders. Popcorn Frights’ all-access badge provides an all-inclusive experience for films and special events hosted at the Savor Cinema Fort Lauderdale and the "ALTER Screening Room," Popcorn Frights official host venues this year.
Separate virtual passes are also available and will provide access to every film streaming in the festival’s virtual program throughout the US. To order an In-Theater All-Access Badge, click here, to order a Virtual All-Access Pass, click here.
The eighth edition of the Popcorn Frights Film Festival is made possible with the support of its generous sponsors, including ALTER, The Betsy, Fangoria, Giggster, O Cinema, Savor Cinema, Screambox, Slasher Energy, Tubi, and its loyal fans. For more info about Popcorn Frights, visit PopcornFrights.com.
FEATURE FILM LINEUP
CLOSING NIGHT
Miami Connection 35th Anniversary Presentation United States | 1987 | 87 Min. | Dirs. Woo-sang Park, Y.K. Kim *Event features live commentary *In-Theater Exclusive
A martial arts rock band goes up against a band of motorcycle ninjas who have tightened their grip on Florida’s narcotics trade.
All Jacked Up and Full of Worms US Premiere United States | 2022 | 72 Min. | Dir. Alex Phillips
*Available in-theater and virtually
A maintenance man for a seedy motel discovers a hidden stash of powerful hallucinogenic worms that leads him to a path of self-destruction, sex, and violence.
Bad Girl Boogey World Premiere Australia | 2022 | 95 Min. | Dir. Alice Maio Mackay *Available in-theater and virtually
A group of teens must fight their fears to stop a killer wearing a parasitic mask cursed with black magic and bigotry, before he, or it, slaughters everyone they hold dear.
The Barn: Part II World Premiere United States | 2022 | 85 Min. | Dir. Justin M. Seaman *Director Justin M. Seaman expected in person
*In-Theater Exclusive
Takes place three years after the events of the first film, the sorority girls of Gamma Tau Psi place original final girl Michelle in charge of their annual haunted house. Unfortunately for Michelle, some uninvited trick-or-treaters from her past come knocking…
Breathing Happy Theatrical World Premiere United States | 2022 | 93 Min. | Dir. Shane Brady *Director Shane Brady expected in person to perform a live magic show *In-Theater Exclusive
In this mind-bending drama, a recovering drug addict can achieve one year of sobriety alone on Christmas day, but his demons tempt him to relapse.
Do Not Disturb World Premiere United States-Canada | 2022 | 93 Min. | Dir. John Ainslie *Director John Ainslie and actress Kimberly Lafferriere expected in person *Available In-theater and virtually
A honeymooning couple in Miami takes a peyote trip to strengthen their marriage which quickly turns into a narcotic nightmare.
The Eyes Below North American Premiere France | 2022 | 77 Min. | Dir. Alexis Bruchon *Available In-theater and virtually
Everything is calm and silent in the house as a man falls asleep, until he feels something creep up his legs, stomach, and then his chest, and soon realizes that the night won’t be as peaceful as he thought.
Fanga East Coast Premiere Iceland | 2022 | 94 Min. | Dir. Max Gold *Director Max Gold scheduled in person *Available In-theater and virtually
A farm girl becomes prisoner to a flesh-eating beast to cure her father’s illness in this reimagining of the classic fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast.”
The Fifth Element 25th Anniversary Presentation France-UK | 1997 | 126 Min. | Dir. Luc Besson *Outdoor Special Presentation
In the colorful future, a cab driver (Bruce Willis) unwittingly becomes the central figure in the search for a legendary cosmic weapon to keep evil at bay.
Malibu Horror Story Florida Premiere United States | 2021 | 93 Min. | Dir. Scott Slone *Virtual Exclusive
In this found footage film that was ten years in the making, a team of paranormal investigators search a sacred Native American cave for clues in the unsolved disappearance of four local teens.
Old Man World Premiere United States | 2022 | 97 Min. | Dir. Lucky McKee *In-Theater Exclusive
Set deep in the woods, the story follows a lost hiker (Marc Senter) who stumbles upon the cabin of an erratic and reclusive Old Man (Stephen Lang). What starts off as cordial conversation soon turns dangerous as it becomes clear that one or both of them might be hiding a terrifying secret.
Peppergrass East Coast Premiere Canada | 2022 | 98 Min. | Dir. Steven Garbas, Chantelle Han *Virtual Exclusive
In this stirring crime thriller, a pregnant restaurateur plans to steal a priceless truffle from a reclusive veteran.
Presence East Coast Premiere United States | 2022 | 98 Min. | Dir. Christian Schultz *Virtual Exclusive
After joining a weeklong yachting voyage with a potential investor, Jennifer begins to have strange dreams, and it becomes clear that she may have unknowingly brought something else with her.
The Timekeepers of Eternity Florida Premiere Greece-UK | 2021 | 64 Min. | Dir. Aristotelis Maragkos *Available in-theater and virtually
Stephen King’s television movie The Langoliers is compressed and transformed through hypnotic black and white collage animation that meticulously reconstructs and reshapes its supernatural drama to an eerie and profound effect.
Time’s Up World Premiere United States | 2022 | 82 Min. | Dir. L. C. Holt
*Director L.C. Holt and actress Kamarra Cole scheduled in person *In-Theater Exclusive
At a New Year’s Eve party, a group of teachers from an idyllic high school still reeling from the suicide of a bullied student suddenly find themselves stalked by an assailant disguised as the holiday figure Father Time.
When the Screaming Starts East Coast Premiere UK | 2021 | 89 Min. | Dir. Conor Boru *Available in-theater and virtually
When a struggling journalist is invited into the home of an aspiring serial killer, he believes he has the subject for the documentary that will make his career.
Horror Movie Trivia Presented by ALTER & Fangoria
Would you like to play a game? If you know your frightful facts, join ALTER & Fangoria as they cover on-screen mayhem and the darkness behind-the-screams. We promise you a terrifyingly terrific time at our horror movie quiz with bite. Expect some mind-benders and maybe some bone breakers, as we test the limits of your horror knowledge. See if you have what it takes to survive our fiendish horror trivia quiz and win special prizes!
ALTER Industry Sessions Hosted at The Betsy South Beach
Calling all creatives! Experience discovery, professional development, rooftop parties, and networking with other artists and filmmakers at Popcorn Frights’ industry sessions presented by ALTER, including its main event about “Finding Success with Your Short Film.” All industry events are exclusive to badgeholders and will take place at The Betsy, a beachfront gem honored by Travel + Leisure as one of the best hotels in the world located along Miami Beach’s iconic Ocean Drive.
In case you missed it, you can check out Popcorn Frights' first wave announcement here.
