News: 8th Annual South African HORRORFEST Halloween Event Update

September 29, 2012

The continent’s ultimate horror event, the annual South African HORRORFEST will hit its 8th anniversary (across 24 Oct – 2 Nov) in Cape Town.

Great news, the HorrorFest will have its first Johannesburg chapter at The Bioscope (Fox Street) with a Best Of event screening a selection of movies from the festival since its inception.

This all-encompassing event embraces all aspects of Horror / Chiller entertainment, its serious and lighter sides.

This year the theme is Frankenstein! Another stunner of an event poster was produced in conjunction with Dr-Benway (see above).

All info and updates at www.HORRORFEST.info

M O V I E S

A great range of movies are lined up, from brand new studio releases all the way through the spectrum to very low budget indies.

The festival will open on Wednesday 24 October with a special free sneak preview of TIM BURTON’s new stop-animated movie FRANKENWEENIE in 3D! Unlike the rest of the screenings happening at The Labia Theatre, this show will be at Ster Kinekor’s 3D cinema in Cavendish, Cape Twon. Seats are limited and in order to secure a set of double tickets, send the title of your favourite Tim Burton movie, and why you love the HorrorFest to: SAhorrorfest@gmail.com

This will be followed by another pre-release screening the night thereafter (Thur 25 Oct, at the Labia Theatre) – a paid sneak preview of the Sam Raimi produced movie THE POSSESSION.

With the event’s FRANKENSTEIN theme, naturally you can expect movies along that vein, but there will also be also vampire themes, zombies, serial killers and some cool documentaries. Besides these invigorating, scary, creepy and wild movies from around the globe, don’t forget the 4 feature film length collections of amazingly original, innovative and diverse short films (with a prizes for exceptional shorts from Visual Impact, Cosmesis & Masque, and Sound & Motion Studios).

Most of these motion pictures and shorts make their South African (and African) theatrical premiere.

Full line-up announced next week.

M U S I C

As one of the many event highlights, the The Makabra Ensemble performs new original soundtracks live to the screening classic silent films. They’ve done 7 of these over the years, incl. Metropolis, The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari, The Phantom Of The Opera, Haxan, Maciste In Hell and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. The group consists of members from Terminatryx, Lark, Mr. Sakitumi, as well as Matthjs Van Dijk, and utilize a wide range of electronic and acoustic instruments to breathe new life into the timeless films.

This year is the 90th anniversary of F.W. Murnau’s legendary vampire film, Nosferatu. To celebrate this on Halloween night (Wed 31 Oct), The Makabra Ensemble will perform their live soundtrack to this groundbreaking classic (and may be opening with the Frankenstein short, made in 1910). This is also the Halloween dress-up night (with prizes).

DVDs of the new Nosferatu version will also be on sale.

www.terminatryx.com/makabra

L I T E R A T U R E

The Bloody Parchment literary chapter has grown into a force of its own (overseen by Nerine Dorman). The Lounge Of Horror (with the promise of horrifically brilliant cupcakes and wine) will happen on Friday 25 Oct at The Book Lounge (Roeland Street, Cape Town) with a live fiction reading evening by local Horror / Fantasy / Thriller writers.

The short story competition is open for just about another month. Click Here for more info

Random House / Struik imprint eKhaya has picked up the next chapter in the Bloody Parchment collection, “Hidden Things, Lost Things And Other Stories”.

This exciting e-book is available at various retailers, and can be purchased from Amazon at this link. (Also available at Exclus1ves.co.za and Kalahari.com).

A print on demand version will be available soon.

The first Bloody Parchment Anthology was released last year - Download Here for FREE.

www.SHADOWREALMinc.com/bloodyparchment

H O R R O R F E S T E X P A N S I O N

With plans to extend the HorrorFest beyond Cape Town always on the agenda, this year it came to fruition with the event’s tentacles spreading to Johannesburg with an introductory Best Of HorrorFest screening at THE BIOSCOPE (286 Fox Street), from 26 – 31 Oct!

Line-up announced next week.

www.thebioscope.co.za

A L T E R N A T I V E M A R K E T

2011 saw the kick-start of the Alternative Market, featuring a range of exciting stalls.

This year it’s back!

Anyone with interesting, rare, strange, Halloween-related or simply super-cool merchandise or products, contact us.

D A R K A R T & P H O T O G R A P H Y E X H I B I T I O N

Due to the exhibition location becoming unavailable, plans for a full-scale dark art & photography exhibition is underway for 2013.

S H A D O W R E A L M S H O R T F I L M DVD C O L L E C T I O N

Another plan many years in the works is the DVD series featuring the best and most memorable short films screened at the Shadow Realm short film chapters across the festival history (since 2005).

The mammoth task of selecting from the vast library of great short films is currently underway, and ENT Entertainment is set to release it in conjunction with Flamedrop Productions and ShadowRealm, inc.

While it may not be ready for the HorrorFest a DVD launch event will be arranged.

H A L L O W E E N D R E S S – U P

What is Halloween without a dress-up get-together?

Each year the Halloween dress-up competition happens at the Makabra Ensemble live soundtrack performance (this year on Halloween night, Wed 31 Oct). Great prizes to be won.

Z O M B I E W A L K

The HorrorFest will link up with the Cape Town Zombie Walk again. This year it is being planned for Saturday 27 October on the Sea Point promenade.

http://www.facebook.com/events/269515323149643

S P O N S O R S / A F F I L I A T E S

Interested parties can contact us for info on how to get involved via sponsorship, advertising (print & on-line), trade deals etc.

Current partners include: Visual Impact, Altstadt Printing, Cosmesis Advanced Prosthetic Studio, Masque Make-Up FX Warehouse, Sound & Motion Studios, Point Blanc Event Tech Solutions, The Labia Theatre, Paul Bothner Music, Nerine Dorman, Dr-Benway, Wolf Clothing, WildFire Tattoos & Piercing, Global Discs, Something Wicked Magazine, Velocity Graphic, Penguin Books, Phoenix Fear Con.

E X T R A S

News on extra peripheral events are pending, as well as the plan for another extravagant addition to the HorrorFest, and a whole lot more.

Drink specials at the licensed Labia Theatre bar (drinks can be taken into the cinema).

All updates in due course.

P R I Z E S & G I V E – A W A Y S

Penguin Books, DVDs from Global Discs, Paranormal Activity prizes from UIP, Velocity Graphic Novels & more

H O R R O R F E S T T R A I L E R

Watch the S.A. HorrorFest trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFh62j-3IpI

Feel free to post and share.

L I N K S

HorrorFest:

www.HORRORFEST.info