Festival of Fear 2019 was unnerving and exhilarating

The Festival of Fear International Film Festival showcases more than 50 horror and fantasy films over the span of three days. Since its inception in 2017, festival-goers had the opportunity to learn more about the local film industry and the craft of filmmaking from independent filmmakers who are interviewed prior to their work being screened. This was also the first year that the festival was held at the historic Princess Theatre. 

Drawing from a diverse range of film genres, the Festival of Fear did not hold back with its exhibition of supernatural, body horror, psychological thrillers, slashers, and experimental movies. While most of the films were presented in English, two Spanish-language feature films, Infection and Ghost Killers vs. Bloody Mary, were played at the Festival of Fear. 

Directed by Flavio Pedota, Infection chronicles the spread of a viral contagion across Venezuela that transforms its hosts into rabid flesh-eaters. In this post-apocalyptic landscape, a recently widowed physician must overcome treacherous obstacles to save his son as well as find a cure for this virus. As an allegory for the current political climate in Venezuela, this film effectively balances both its scares and social commentary.

Ghost Killers vs. Bloody Mary, which won the Audience’s Choice Award for Best Feature Film, is a Brazillian supernatural horror-comedy about a bumbling group of YouTubers who are hired to eliminate a ghost threat within a high school. Directed by Fabrício Bittar, this relentless film garnered uproarious laughter from the audience and is a must-see for gorehounds. 

Albertan artists and works filmed in Alberta were featured in the last day of the festival. 

Edmonton-based Jordan Bouma’s animated short film Where Monsters Dwell pays homage to the monster movies and creature features of the past. Undoubtedly creative and fantastically stylized, Bouma’s work is a surprisingly poignant take on how monsters are perceived and acknowledges that underneath initial appearances there is more to people than meets the eye. 

Michael Bouma’s The Cameraman is an experimental short film about a man who is being stalked by an individual with a camera for a head. Shot entirely in black-and-white, this captivating film impressively evokes both the imagery of Eraserhead and the style of classic noir movie with only a shoe-string budget. 

Directed by Erick Delgado, techno-thriller Hacked follows a prominent social media influencer (portrayed by Edmonton-based actress Nakita Kohan) who takes part in a 30-day social experiment in which she can only communicate with her partner through pictures. Framed like a social media live stream gone horribly wrong, Delgado’s innovative short film was named Best Alberta Film during the Award Ceremony. 

Payment Received follows an up-and-coming rock band who rent out a vacation house for the night. Unbeknownst to them, this vacation house has already been occupied by masked killers who are on a murder spree. Grounded by the believable and strong performances of its cast, the film gradually ramps up the tension and keeps its viewers in suspense up until the very last minute. Written and directed by J. Writer Ward, Payment Received was ultimately given the Best Feature Film award at the closing awards ceremony. 

Equal parts unnerving and exhilarating, the Festival of Fear International Film Festival is an event that horror fans and avid filmmakers alike will not want to miss next year.