Horror fan headed to San Diego Comic-Con? Theres a lot to be seen, from the first glimpses of Ash vs. Evil Dead and Krampus to whatever bloody cosplay is on the convention floor. Something you should make a point to hit is The Bold Voice of Contemporary Horror, an independent and festival focused panel with filmmakers, producers, programmers (and Shock!) on hand to discuss the very exciting up-and-coming wave of horror filmmakers and their work.
Featuring Elijah Wood, director Sarah Adina Smith (The Midnight Swim), directors Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead (Spring), producer Roxanne Benjamin (V/H/S, V/H/S/2), XYZ Films Mette-Marie Katz and Beyond Fests Christian Parkes and Ryan Turek, the panel is primed to talk the terrific horror in release and on the waylike Spring, The Witch, The Invitation and Goodnight Mommy), as well as the festivals playing these films. The folks on hand are sharp, creative and all on their way to making significant waves.
Itll all wrap up with a round of Horror Trivia from myself and Ryan, with festival passes up for grabs! Heres the full rundown:
Thanks to a bold new school of filmmakers and creative talent, independent horror and genre cinema is enjoying an unprecedented resurgence of critical and box office success. Kicked off by You’re Next in 2011, this new wave of independent genre film has continued to thrive and has broken through over the past year with The Babadook and It Follows. Hosted by the US’ leading genre film festivals, we discuss this convention-defying movement with the directors, producers, writers, production companies and programmers who are progressively shaping the brave evolution of cinematic terror. Scheduled panelists include Elijah Wood (Spectrevision /Cooties), director Sarah Adina Smith (The Midnight Swim), director/producerRoxanne Benjamin (V/H/S, V/H/S/2), Mette Marie Katz (XYZ Films –The Raid, The Raid 2),Christian Parkes (Founder/Director Beyond Fest), Ryan Turek (Programmer – Beyond Fest), and Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (directors of Spring) with more to be announced, featuring an exclusive sneak peek at Spectrevision’s Cooties and Radius’ Goodnight Mommy. Additional films to be discussed include The Invitation, The Witch, Cop Car and more! Added bonus: Join Turek and Shock Till You Drop Managing Editor Sam Zimmerman for a special round of Dead Rights Horror Trivia at the end of the panel for a chance to win passes to the renowned festivals hosting the panel! Moderated by The Daily Beast’s Jen Yamato.
The Bold Voice of Contemporary Horror gets underway Saturday evening at 6:45 p.m. in Room 6A. Be there!