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Launched in 2022, NorthwestFEARFest (“NWFEARFest”) is back this year with a full line up of 2023’s hottest new horror & thriller fare (along with some retro classics!).
Launched with a 2-night “sneak peek” last October, this year’s edition expands to 5 blood-curdling days & nights of gooey mayhem, with a lineup of over 20 feature and short films that includes some of 2023’s most BUZZ-worthy new genre films, and some beloved classics.
Festival Programmer Guy Lavallee says audiences are in for five days of non-stop chills. “From the moment we decided to start this festival, our number one focus was to bring the best new & retro horror and genre films to Edmonton audiences. There’s a huge appetite for horror here – including from our programming team – and we feel like we’ve got something incredibly special lined up for NWFEARFest audiences. I hope everyone is as stoked about this lineup as we are!”
Running exclusively at Metro Cinema at the Garneau from October 18 – 22, this year’s blood-soaked film lineup includes…
Kicking off on October 18th with the latest deranged masterpiece from Joe Lynch (“Mayhem”, “Wrong Turn 2: Dead End”), SUITABLE FLESH is an outrageously over the top tribute to both H.P. Lovecraft AND the late, great Stuart Gordon.
Riding a wave of deafening buzz ever since it wowed audiences at this year’s SXSW, and featuring a brilliant performance from David Dastmalchain, LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL “unearths” a lost 1977 live talk show broadcast that goes terribly awry.
Five years ago, filmmaker Jenn Wexler was a festival fixture with her throwback slasher, THE RANGER, and now she’s back with what’s sure to be a future holiday classic, THE SACRIFICE GAME.
Playing like “Assault on Precinct 13” as made by Dead Alive-era Peter Jackson, and never stopping once to take a breath over 85 gloriously gory minutes, Stewart Sparke’s Lovecraft-inspired crowd-pleaser HOW TO KILL MONSTERS simply has to be experienced to be believed!
From director Demián Rugna (the man who caused nightmares the world over with his previous shocker, “Terrified”), WHEN EVIL LURKS is a terrifying new vision of demonic horror that’s bound to cause more than a few sleepless nights.
And, closing out the festival on October 22, NWFEARFest presents the “hometown” premiere of Tim Rutherford & Cody Kennedy’s highly-anticipated THE LAST VIDEO STORE. With a hilarious performance by Kevin Martin (owner of Edmonton’s “actual” last video store, The Lobby), this outrageously entertaining genre mashup is an affectionate love letter to VHS culture, and the genre cinema that shaped us.
Also coming to NWFF 2023:
It’s ‘Scream’ meets ‘The Eyes of Laura Mars’, as the witty and whipsmart DEPARTING SENIORS sees a masked killer stalking the high school halls. After an old woman suddenly commits suicide, all Hell breaks loose, in the endlessly unsettling THE ELDERLY. Non-stop, white-knuckle, nail-biting action is on the menu in the knockout siege thriller, JERICHO RIDGE, and the outrageously unstoppable MAYHEM (FARANG). And, straight from its rapturous TIFF World Premiere, HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON is, hands-down, the most unique and refreshing take on the vampire AND coming-of-age genres in years!
For fans of RETRO fare, NWFEARFest has a tremendous lineup of classic scares. On Friday, October 20th,they’re pulling out the retro cardboard 3D glasses (for real), for a rare screening of FRIDAY THE 13TH PART III IN 3D! They’re also celebrating some major milestones, with a 30th Anniversary screening of Henry Selick’s holiday classic, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (part of the Gateway To Horror “family-friendly” scary movie series that also includes a screening of THE MONSTER SQUAD); a 40th Anniversary screening of the absolutely bonkers, cult slasher movie classic, SLEEPAWAY CAMP, and a 50th Anniversary screening of the granddaddy of them all, THE EXORCIST: Director’s Cut.
NorthwestFEARFest features more than 20 films, including Feature and Short Films, all screening exclusively at Metro Cinema. All-Access Passes are valid for admission to all screenings. All-Access Passes, Discovery Packs,, and Individual screening tickets are now on sale online at https://www.northwestfest.ca/nwfearfest
And just keep repeating…”It’s Only a Movie…It’s Only a Movie…”