The 15th edition of the annual South African HorrorFest is just around the corner to coincide with Halloween!
As festival goers have come to expect, they’ll be hosting the most horrifically fun Halloween season across 29 October – 7 November at the Labia Theatre, with a visual & audio feast for everyone’s spooky taste.
Fantastic new movies and short films will be flying in from around the world, never seen in South Africa. Some of the festival highlights include: a special pre-release screening of Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep (the sequel to The Shining, which also screens Halloween night, 31 October). Then as always, out of this world music will form part of proceedings with an amazing live soundtrack score performance to a classic silent film by The Makabra Ensemble (with special guests).
The festival also includes local and international filmmakers, with cast and crew attending. This year, four incredible genre-film-linked documentaries make an appearance. You can watch a Grindhouse double feature for a single ticket price (in association with The X-Fest). Then as a first, you can enjoy a cheesy B-movie with a live commentary by comedian Rob van Vuuren and satirist Karen Jeynes.
THE SHINING and Stephen King flavour is evident in the design of this year’s HorrorFest poster (fans of the Stanley Kubrick adaptation immediately recognizing the carpet pattern from the Overlook Hotel). Not only will viewers get to experience this cinematic masterpiece on the big screen again after 40 years (on Halloween night), but also get refreshed to see its anticipated sequel Doctor Sleep on 3 November, five days before its official global release! (if you miss this, it releases on circuit by Empire Entertainment on 8 November, the day after the HorrorFest ends).
This year’s live silent film soundtrack for The Phantom Carriage also has a connection in that Kubrick referenced a certain iconic axe vs door scene from the 1921 film for The Shining(!)
The Full 2019 South African HORRORFEST Line-Up:
All at the Labia Theatre, booking at www.quicket.co.za/organisers/576-south-african-horrorfest
TUES 29 OCT 6:00pm – BLOODY PARCHMENT (free literature night)
WED 30 OCT 6:15pm – DOUBLE FEATURE :I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE + GROWING UP WITH ‘I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE’(world first double feature of the original 1978 shocker and its new documentary – for a single ticket price)
THUR 31 OCT – Halloween Night 8:30pm – THE SHINING (This legendary Stephen King / Stanley Kubrick classic remains brilliant after 40 years – catch this rare cinema screening just in time for its sequel DOCTOR SLEEP)
FRI 1 NOV 6:15pm – SHADOW REALM SHORT FILMS Vol. I (amazing short films from around the world) 8:30pm – ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (audience dress-up & participation party screening)
SAT 2 NOV 4:00pm – CLOWNADO (crazy clowns travel by tornado causing mayhem) 6:15pm – THE MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION OF MICHAEL REEVES (fantastic documentary on UK director of Witchfinder General, who died at 25) 9:00pm – THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE (incredible live Makabra Ensemble silent film soundtrack feat. members from Lark, Terminatryx, Mr Sakitumi, Isobel, V.O.D, The Damned Crows plus special guests, from Gauteng: Sara Eksteen from Polar Dust / and Cape Town stalwart: Keaton Anthony aka Grimehouse & one half of New Hero)
SUN 3 NOV 4:00pm – FULCI FOR FAKE (first ever documentary on notorious Italian director Lucio Fulci) 6:15pm – LAST SACRAMENT (world premiere with filmmakers attending) 8:30pm – DOCTOR SLEEP (pre-release premiere screening of The Shining sequel)
MON 4 NOV 6:15pm – DEATHCEMBER (24 unbridled Christmas-themed horror chapters) 8:30pm – SHADOW REALM SHORT FILMS Vol. II (each of the 3 short film volumes contain a brand new batch of global shorts, none repeated)
TUES 5 NOV 6:15pm – BLOOD & FLESH : THE REEL LIFE AND GHASTLY DEATH OF AL ADAMSON (wild and fascinating documentary on American B-movie director found murdered under his floor) 8:30pm – THE VELOCIPASTOR (crazy indie movie has a priest afflicted with the power to turn into… a dinosaur!)
WED 6 NOV 6:15pm – ARTIK (a serial killer and his young apprentice) 8:30pm – I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE Déjà Vu (direct new sequel to 1978 classic, with star Jamie Bernadette – known for NCIS New Orleans – attending from the USA for a Q&A / also features SA-born actress Maria Olsen who sent a video intro to open the movie)
THUR 7 NOV 6:15pm – SHADOW REALM SHORT FILMS Vol. III (3rd and final unmissable short film chapter) 8:30pm – THECURSE OF THE SWAMP CREATURE (schlocky B-movie with a live funny commentary by comedian Rob van Vuuren & satirist Karen Jeynes)
More detailed info, trailers and ticket booking at Quicket: www.quicket.co.za/organisers/576-south-african-horrorfest