HORROR & THRILLER SELECTIONS TO CHECK OUT AT THE 25TH ANNUAL ‘DANCES WITH FILMS’ FESTIVAL
Hollywood will again play host to the 25th annual Dances With Films Festival, which will take place from June 9-19th at the TCL Chinese Theater, and amongst the lineup of shorts, documentaries, and full-length features, there will be a wealth of horror and thriller selections to satiate our blood-thirsty, LA-area MacabreDaily readers!
Such selections include:
A scene from DASH.
DASH
Written and Directed by Sean Perry and starring Alexander Molina, Monette Moio, Paige Grimard, Shah Granville, Audra Alexander, Nick Laughlin. This groundbreaking, one-take film follows an adulterous rideshare driver navigating the nighttime streets of Hollywood who goes to great lengths to take his troubling double-life to the grave…only to dig a grave for himself.
Interesting Fact: It was shot entirely in one take. Actually one take, no edits.
NIGHT
Written and directed by John D’Aquino and starring Chase Vacnin, Jacob M. Wade, Caroline West, Ren Kelly, Kaylee Rawson, Lauren Clark, Alex Felten. With their parents away on a reunion cruise, a group of friends must survive the new reality of an endless night.
Interesting Fact: Even though the Pilot takes place entirely at night, all of the interior scenes were filmed during the day!
A scene from ASHGROVE.
ASHGROVE
Directed by Jeremy LaLonde and starring The Handmaid’s Tale’s Amanda Brugel, Jonas Chernick, Shawn Doyle, Natalie Brown, Christine Horne, Sugith Varughese. When a troubled couple escape to their rural farmhouse for a weekend of reconnection, they realize that their ability to save their marriage will literally determine the fate of humankind itself.
Interesting Fact: Won Best Ensemble Cast & Indie Spirit Award at Canadian Film Festival.
FREELANCE
Written and directed by Mike Gerbino and starring Renee Gagner, Charlie Reid, Scott Schneider, Zahra Alzubaidi. When a down-on-her-luck video editor receives a mysterious job offer to edit a snuff film, she finds herself being haunted by the victim in the footage.
Interesting Fact: They won their production budget from The Film Fund narrative competition Spring 2021.
KICKSTART MY HEART
Written and directed by Kelsey Bollig and starring Emma Pasarow, Cooper Alexander, Sadie Eve Scott, Kyla Hymas, Kosey Baskin. After a violent accident, Lilly wakes to find herself having barely escaped the steel grip of death, only to discover the fight has just begun. Starring Netflix’s ALONG FOR THE RIDE’s Emma Pasarow, KICKSTART MY HEART is the story of one woman’s battle through her mind’s multiple levels of hell and the bloody torment she endures to regain control over her consciousness.
Interesting Fact: The film is a true story based on the director's life. She was run over by a car in 2019 and the film depicts the aftermath.
A scene from A LITTLE DEAD.
A LITTLE DEAD
Written and directed by: Ben Richardson and starring Jack C. Hays, Eden McGuire, Ben Richardson. Hailey and her brother Kevin visit their grandpa’s farm for the weekend. They discover that the caretaker has vanished, and Grandpa has a new nightly ritual of sharing a drink with his deceased wife and another unseen entity.
Interesting Fact: Film won "Best Thriller" at Houston Worldfest International Film Festival.
BURY YOUR FISH
Written and Directed by Emma Josephson and starring Arkira Chantaratananond, Cassandra Moselle. BURY YOUR FISH is a dark psychological drama that follows Sonia, an isolated and lost young woman, as she begins taking life directions based on cryptic Morse code from a mysterious flashing light. When her fish suddenly dies, Sonia must face the ominous phantasm searching for the answers when the only question quickly becomes her own mental stability.
Interesting Fact: The film was made by a majority women and LGBTQIA+ crew.
CHICKS
Written and directed by Geena Marie Hernandez and starring Nicole Marquez-Davis, Jena Brooks, Maddie Moore, Lilliana Simms. A girly slumber party quickly spirals when a shy teen becomes the center of her new friends’ bizarre nighttime ritual.
Interesting Fact: CHICKS stars a diverse all-women cast, the lead (Nicole Marquez-Davis) being of Filipinx descent. The crew was diverse with BIPOC, women, and LBTQIA+ filmmakers - the writer/director (Geena Hernandez) is a Latinx woman.
More information on the festival, including the full schedule and tickets can be found at https://danceswithfilms.com/schedule/
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