FrightFest is returning to the Glasgow Film Festival for an 18th year it has been confirmed.
Taking place from Thursday 9th to Saturday 11th March 2023, passes are on sale now. FrightFest will once again be housed at the iconic Glasgow Film Theatre as it embraces the latest genre discoveries from around the world, spanning nine countries with an eclectic mix of World, International and UK premieres.
FrightFest kicks off with two special screenings on Thursday March 9, opening in grand Gallic style with the UK premiere of ‘Smoking Causes Coughing’, a quirky, absurdist comedy sci-fi fantasy from visionary director Quentin Dupieux, whose film ‘Rubber’ caused a 2010 GFF FrightFest sensation. This is followed by the UK premiere of ‘Sisu’, a pulverizing, nerve-shredding and spectacularly gory WW2 action epic by Finnish director Jalmari Helander of ‘Rare Exports’ fame.
Enter the haunted ‘Devil’s Manor’ as FrightFest’s traditional two-day event kicks off on Friday March 10 with the International premiere of ‘#chadgetstheaxe’, Travis Bible’s Found Footage comedy horror. Then we travel into an ancient mythological world for the UK premiere of ‘Irati’, a dark Spanish epic adventure from ‘Errementari’ director Paul Urkijo Alijo, based on the graphic novel by J. L. Landa and J. Muñoz.
Next up is the UK premiere of ‘Mother Superior’, directed by Marie Alice Wolfszahn, making her feature film debut. This stylishly brooding occult chiller with the evils of nationalism rippling beneath the surface, won Best Feature at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2022.
This is followed by another directorial debut – Rhys Frake-Waterfield’s slasher parody ‘Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey’. Pooh and Piglet are not happy and in this UK premiere, prepare for a journey into Hundred Acre Wood as you’ve never seen it before. And get ready for the very first Lithuanian slasher as Friday evening climaxes with the UK Premiere of ‘Pensive’, director Jonas Trukanas’ inventively gripping horror ride into the prom night from hell.
Saturday’s malevolent menu starts with the International premiere of ‘Hunt Her, Kill Her’, an intensely violent and breathtaking thriller from directors Ryan Thiessen and Greg Swinson, which uses time and space to maximize suspense, Served up next is the International premiere of ‘Onyx The Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls’. Based on his viral internet character of the same name, writer, director, and star Andrew Bowser ‘s wild comic ride is a creative and joyful celebration of weirdos of all kinds.
The next demonic dish is the European premiere of Christopher Smith’s ‘Consecration’, which finds the ‘Severance’ / ‘Black Death’ director in a mysterious Scottish convent exploring the dark recesses of the mind. Smith’s graphic and psychologically disturbing supernatural thriller stars Jena Malone, Danny Huston and Janet Suzman,
The evening programme opens with the World premiere of ‘Little Bone Lodge’, an atmospheric twisty thriller from Matthias Hoene, director of ‘Cockneys vs Zombies’. This highly effective bone-chiller stars Joely Richardson.
Next up is the International premiere of ‘Here For Blood’, the tongue-in-cheek, extreme splatter, campy comedy horror discovery of the year. Directed by Daniel Turres and starring Shawn Roberts, this joyously outrageous celebration of the genre has the body-count going up as the blood rains down.
This year’s feast of fear ends with the International premiere of ’13 Exorcisms’. Inspired by recent events in Spain, where it was a box-office smash, this supernatural chiller hits home with relentless suspense and skin-crawling horror.
The Guest list will be announced soon.
Festival co-director Alan Jones says, “FrightFest is one of the most potent forces on the horror, science fiction and extreme thriller landscape, a reputation that has firmly placed it in the Top 10 Essential Fantasy Festivals List. And we aim to stay ahead of the chiller curve, returning to the incomparable Glasgow Film Festival with a shiver and shudder showcase of epic proportions”.
FrightFest Weekend Passes are £75 and available from noon on Wednesday 18 January 2023. Passes will be exchanged for admission wristbands, which must be worn at all times to access all FrightFest films on Fri 10 March and Sat 11March ONLY.
Tickets for ‘Smoking Causes Coughing’ and ‘Sisu’, plus individual tickets for the Fri/Sat films are on sale Mon 30th January, from noon. Price: £11.50 / £9.30 (concessions)
For more information and tickets head over to https://glasgowfilm.org/glasgow-film-festival.
