Florida’s legendary Popcorn Frights Film Festival is gearing up for its 10th anniversary next month, with a first-wave hybrid lineup that’s stacked full of features, world premieres and cult classics.
Taking place in Fort Lauderdale’s Savor Cinema from August 8-18, Popcorn Frights’ in-person festival is ENTIRELY FREE and open to the public thanks to support from Nightmare Weekend Miami, as “a gift back to the community for ten years of their dedicated support and moviegoing love.”
Highlights include the World Premiere of Beezel as well as Strange Darling starring Kyle Gallner on Opening Night; 11 feature film World Premieres including Scared to Death starring Lin Shaye; a 35th Anniversary Presentation of Society and the First Showing of the “Lost First Cut” of Return of the Living Dead 3 with director Brian Yuzna; a Right “2” Remain Silent Double-Bill of Maniac Cop 2 and Psycho Cop Returns with William Lustig and Adam Rifkin; a 25th Anniversary Presentation of Martin Scorsese’s Bringing Out The Dead; and a Special Presentation of IFC Films’ Skincare starring Elizabeth Banks.
Of course, that’s not all though. Let’s dive into the full first wave line-up (both in-theater and virtual), and when you’re ready, head on over to Popcorn Frights’ official website for more information and tickets.
Popcorn Frights will take audiences on a Dantean journey across nocturnal Manhattan in Martin Scorsese’s last film set in contemporary New York City — and his last collaboration with TAXI DRIVER screenwriter Paul Schrader — in a special presentation of their out-of-its-mind-horror-comedy BRINGING OUT THE DEAD for its 25th anniversary. A frightening meditation on the fragility of life starring Nicholas Cage as a night-shift paramedic who, in the course of one long dusk-to-dawn voyage, travels through a litany of ghoulish and gristly encounters in a fumbling quest for redemption.
Brimming with encroaching dread, the festival is also unleashing the supernatural horror film THE GRUDGE with a special 20th anniversary screening attended by writer Stephen Susco. Before the screening, a MASTERS OF HORROR PANEL will be moderated by Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting and will feature Brian Yuzna, William Lustig, Adam Rifkin, and Stephen Susco.
A macabre summer pilgrimage for genre lovers from all over where past and present merge, this year’s Popcorn Frights is proudly unveiling eleven feature film world premieres as part of its selection of wild, weird, and badass genre titles that defy categorization. Among the unmissable highlights are the horror comedy SCARED TO DEATH starring Lin Shaye and Bill Mosely with creature creations by Legacy FX, the maestros best known for GODZILLA X KONG, AVATAR, THE SHAPE OF WATER, and ALIEN: ROMULUS.
Additional films receiving world premieres at the festival are the sci-fi thriller THE BUNKER starring Tony Todd, Tobin Bell, and Chelsea Edmundson; the wild descent into a psychedelic Lovecraft nightmare VOIDCALLER; the darkly twisted DRIVE BACK that puts a fresh spin on slasher conventions; the demonically frightening BIRTHRITE about a mother’s ultimate sacrifice; and the mystery riddled LIZZIE LAZARUS, which follows two strangers carrying a corpse through the woods looking for a mythical zone.
Recognized as the largest genre film event in the Southeast U.S. and one of “The World’s 50 Best Genre Festivals” by MovieMaker Magazine, Popcorn Frights will complement its in-theater festival program with an online virtual component, granting audiences across the entire United States the opportunity to immerse themselves in the heart-pounding, adrenaline-fueled experience of the festival, no matter where they are. The festival’s virtual program will be ticketed and virtual passes will also be available offering streaming access to the entire online lineup.
Popcorn Frights’ virtual program is headlined by the world premieres of the found footage anthology film VIDEOTEKA featuring creative, grisly, and chaotic terrors to feed gore-hungry souls; the meta-horror tale THERE’S A ZOMBIE OUTSIDE; the haunted house scarefest CHATEAU; and the found footage-style LGBTQ vampire tale THE NIGHT IS YOUNG; as well as the North American premiere of THE DARK SIDE OF SOCIETY, the incredible story behind director Brian Yuzna and screenwriter Zeph E. Daniel’s subversive cult classic, SOCIETY.
Other highlights playing as part of the festival in-theater program include the international premiere of the new Shudder original THE DEMON DISORDER; the East Coast premiere of the Turkish zombie love story THE FUNERAL; and a special presentation of IFC Films’ beauty revenge thriller SKINCARE starring Elizabeth Banks.
