EXCLUSIVE: Nightmares Film Festival has unveiled its complete 10th anniversary lineup.
The four-day event will present 18 features and 130 shorts from October 16 to 19 at the Gateway Film Center in Columbus, Ohio, including several world premieres and rare in-person screenings. Among them are the world premiere of Romanian filmmaker Adrian Țofei’s We Put the World to Sleep and the North American premiere of Kevin Lewis’ cult mystery Pig Hill.
Other notable highlights include the world premiere of the ’80s throwback slasher Blood Barn, the world premiere of If It Bleeds, and the North American premiere of the noir-horror LandLord.
There are a few films premiering for the first time in the Midwest, including Chris Stuckmann’s directorial debut Shelby Oaks and Robbie Banfitch’s Tinsman Road. Brandon Christensen’s Bodycam and Tina Romero’s Queens of the Dead, introduced live by Columbus drag queen Nina West, will also debut for the first time in the Midwest.
All films and screenplays in competition vie for the coveted Night Mare statuette, designed and sculpted by toy and figure artist Tony Simione (Marvel, Star Wars, Godzilla, Alien).
“Nightmares has always been about giving people what they can’t get anywhere else, and what they’ll never forget – the premieres, the only-in-a-theater experiences, and the chance to be surrounded by creators and fans who welcome you and make you feel like part of a movement,” festival co-founder and programmer Jason Tostevin said i a statement to Deadline. “We’ve doubled down for our tenth year and, for me, this lineup is legendary.”
In addition to the content slated for the festival, Nightmares will also feature several live events including the world’s first audience playthrough of Afar, an interactive horror film from Jason Trost, who will travel from Australia to guide participants through the experience. The festival’s Midnight Mind F*ck is set to return with Todd Rohal’s theatrical-only, X-rated shocker F*ck My Son! – which will apparently never be released on streaming.
The festival also offers one of only two theatrical screenings in the world of V/H/S Halloween, a rare chance to experience the cult franchise’s newest entry in a cinema. There will also be craft workshops and panels available to badge holders.
Adds festival co-founder and Gateway Film Center CEO Chris Hamel: “Nightmares takes over the entire film center. From the cinemas to the speakeasy to the panels and late-night conversations, every corner buzzes with energy. Fans and filmmakers leave with new friends, new collaborators, and the feeling that they were part of something historic.”