MELTDOWN : A NUCLEAR FAMILY’S ASCENSION INTO MADNESS
Directed by Colton Van Til
In the picture-perfect 1950s, a seemingly flawless nuclear family hosts an important dinner party, but when an unexpected LSD spiking alters the course of the evening, buried truths resurface, shattering everyone’s facades and forcing them to confront their darkest fears.
United States | 84 minutes
Die With Your Boots On • Weekend II
Friday, May 3 • 8:00 pm • Tickets
I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU ALONE
Directed by DW Medoff
After being released from prison, a brooding man with a dark past is forced to stay in a haunted house to clear it of spirits. If he leaves, he goes back to prison, but the witch-ghost may be more punishment than he can withstand.
United States | 95 minutes
Friday, May 3 • 9:45 pm • Tickets
DAY OF THE DEAD (1985)
Directed by George A. Romero
Trapped in a missile silo, a small team of scientists, civilians and trigger-happy soldiers battle desperately to ensure the survival of the human race, but tension inside the base is reaching a breaking point, and the zombies are gathering outside.
United States | 100 minutes
Coolidge Corner Theater • Weekend II
Friday, May 3 • 11:59 pm • Tickets
Single tickets available at coolidge.org
Free admission with festival pass
THE GRUDGE (2004)
w. Horror Queers
Directed by Takashi Shimizu
Matthew Williams, his wife, Jennifer, and mother, Emma, are Americans making a new life in Tokyo. Together they move into a house that has been the site of supernatural occurrences in the past, and it isn't long before their new home begins terrorizing the Williams family as well. The house, as it turns out, is the site of a curse that lingers in a specific place and claims the lives of anyone that comes near.
United States | 100 minutes
Followed by Horror Queers
Peabody Essex Museum • Weekend II
Saturday, May 4 • 12:00 pm • Tickets
Live Podcasts • Repertory • Alumni • Features
SIGIL
Directed by Jacob Perrett
Two girls unknowingly conjure a witch during their anniversary retreat to the countryside.
Canada | 110 minutes
Hallowed Ground • Weekend II
Saturday, May 4 • 1:00 pm • Tickets
THE JUDGMENT
Directed by Marwan Mokbel
An Egyptian gay couple return from the U.S. to Egypt for a family emergency and have to force themselves back into the closet and pretend to be just friends. When they fall prey to witchcraft as punishment for their “homosexual sins,” one of them falls into religious terror and exposes his unhealed past.
Egypt | 110 minutes
Peabody Essex Museum • Weekend II
Sunday, May 3 • 2:30 pm • Tickets
PURGATORY JACK
Directed by Brett Butler, Jason Butler
This neo-noir mystery thriller is set in the afterlife, a dangerous landscape that’s run by a bloodthirsty, limb-collecting gang and populated with outlaws and outcasts. The latest case for musician turned grizzled private detective, Jack Marlin, is helping new arrival Viv Vacious, a punk pop star who overdosed, stay safe as she races against time to find her mother who committed suicide twenty years earlier. While navigating the treacherous terrain of hells waiting room, these two musicians from clashing eras unlock a murderous conspiracy and discover why blood is more than a drug in Purgatory.
Canada | 101 minutes
Hallowed Ground • Weekend II
Saturday, May 4 • 3:00 pm • Tickets
THE VIZITANT
Directed by Edmund Milligan Marcus
A mysterious Entity offers a brilliant, defeated politician the power to change the world.
United States | 89 minutes
SATV Studio • Weekend II
Saturday, May 4 • 3:00 pm • Tickets
IT’S NOT PAINT
Directed by Matthew Osubor
After the death of her estranged uncle, a woman inherits a haunted painting made by a troubled artist.
Providence RI |
SATV Studio • Weekend II
Saturday, May 4 • 6:00 pm • Tickets
GHOST GAME
Directed by Jill Gevargizian
Participating in an internet challenge that requires breaking into homes and living undetected alongside the residents, a thrill-seeking couple target an infamous haunted house and endure a series of chilling incidents as they witness a family descending into madness.
United States | 90 minutes
Die With Your Boots On • Weekend II
Saturday, May 4 • 8:00 pm • Tickets
CARNAGE FOR CHRISTMAS
Directed by Alice Maio Mackay
When true-crime podcaster and sleuth Lola visits her hometown at Christmas for the first time since running away and transitioning, the vengeful ghost of a historical murderer and urban legend seemingly arises to kill again. Lola must solve the case before her community is slaughtered. She's up against not only a psychotic killer, but also a town haunted by secrets.
Australia | 70 minutes
Die With Your Boots On • Weekend II
Saturday, May 4 • 9:45 pm • Tickets
LAND OF THE DEAD
Directed by George A. Romero
Zombies have taken over the world and those left alive are confined to a walled-in city that keeps out the corpse corps. As anarchy rules the streets, a group of scavengers must thwart an attempt to overthrow the city while the dead are evolving from brainless slow-moving creatures into more advanced creatures.
United States | 92 minutes
Coolidge Corner Theater • Weekend II
Saturday, May 4 • 11:59 pm • Tickets
Single tickets available at coolidge.org
Free admission with festival pass
TALES FROM THE CRYPT :
DEMON KNIGHT (1995)
w. GIRL, THAT’S SCARY
Directed by Ernest Dickerson
Ex-soldier Frank Brayker is the guardian of an ancient key that can unlock tremendous evil; the sinister but charming Collector is a demon who wants the key so he can initiate the apocalypse. On the run from wicked mercenaries for almost 90 years, Brayker finally stops in at a boarding house in New Mexico where -- with the help of its quirky residents -- he plans to face off against the Collector and his band of ghouls, preventing them from ever seizing the key.
United States | 92 minutes
Followed by Girl, That;’s a Massacre (Girl, That’s Scary + Blerdy Massacre Podcast)
Peabody Essex Museum • Weekend II
Sunday, May 5 • 12:00 pm • Tickets
BLACK LAKE : DIRECTOR’S CUT
Directed by K/XI
Whilst house-sitting in a secluded home in Scotland, Aarya, an expressionist painter, is gifted a red scarf sent by her aunt from Pakistan, and becomes haunted by a Churail - a demonic and malevolent South-Asian Witch.
United Kingdom | 90 minutes
Peabody Essex Museum • Weekend II
Sunday, May 5 • 2:30 pm • Tickets
LIMINAL
Directed by Andrew Hawkes
A trans paranormal investigator and their team search for the connection between the queer and the strange as they explore the mysterious and magical world of the rural south.
Providence RI | 83 minutes
SATV Studio • Weekend II
Sunday, May 5 • 2:30 pm • Tickets
THE PEOPLE’S JOKER
Directed by Vera Drew
A law-breaking comedian who is grappling with her gender identity forms a new anti-comedy troupe with a friend and finds herself battling a fascistic caped crusader.
92 minutes
Peabody Essex Museum • Weekend II
Sunday, May 5 • 4:00 pm • Tickets
APOTEMNOFILIA
Directed by Jano Pita
It is opening night, the theater is crowded and Clara, the leading actress, refuses to leave her dressing room. Something inside her is keeping her from leaving, something she will have to face.
Spain | 9:53
THE APPRAISER
Directed by C.J. Arellano
Gary takes his partner Nico to his family’s farm, where both men are possessed by unseen forces.
United States | 9:30
FREE BENCH MUST PICKUP TODAY
Directed by Gus Reed
A young couple pay an unexpected price for bringing home a free piece of furniture.
United States | 6:10
GIALLO
Directed by Yogesh Chandekar
A quirky ode to Italian Giallo cinema, a young woman returning from a party is stalked by a mysterious masked killer who’s much more than what he seems to be.
India | 7:37
GIRL WITH THE GREY EYES
Directed by Kara Grace Miller
Blaire hasn’t seen Will since the assault, but she’s known his every move. Her paranoia lures her too close, and she’s spotted by an old friend and pulled into the morning hours of Will’s dying party. Blaire must find a way out before her obsessive tracking is revealed, and Will searches for a way to keep her quiet about the truth.
United States | 13:58
THE GOURD, THE BRAD, AND THE GHOSTLY
Directed by Jillian Terwedo-Malsbury
After causing a tragic accident on Halloween night, Brad is haunted by his guilty conscience as he takes the elevator down to the scene of the crime. Is he heading to the lobby... or straight to hell?
United States | 9:42
THE HAUNTED BABY CARRIAGE FROM HELL
Directed by JT Seaton
In this LGBTQ+ Comedy Horror Short Film, Spencer and Cameron move into a new house that just so happens to be haunted by an old baby carriage. As the carriage endeavors to scare the couple, the attempts ultimately fail because the couple just doesn't care... like... you know... at all.
United States | 8:35
INNER DEMONS
Directed by Jasmine J Johnson
Mya's world takes a harrowing twist when pills meant to alleviate depression unwittingly unleash a nightmarish entity that embodies her inner turmoil. Mya finds herself entangled in a relentless battle against her own psyche, fighting not just for her mental well-being but her very survival.
United States | 10:54
KOMBUCHA!
Directed by Jake Myers
Luke, a musician stuck in a meaningless marketing job, decides to try the red kombucha beverage that seems to bring purpose to his coworker's lives. A feeling of commitment and belonging washes over Luke; unfortunately, so do some nasty side effects.
United States | 7:03
THE LURE
Directed by Tony Hipwell
Late at night, a lone fisherman discovers he is not the only one hoping to hook something.
United Kingdom | 1:28
THE MANAGEMENT
Directed by Sebastian Ganschow
A lost tourist just wants a good old soy milk pumpkin spice latte. She finds her way into a creepy old delicatessen that has a lot waiting for her, none of it being any kind of hot beverage.
Germany | 13:23
MIRA
Directed by Eva Louise Hall
In this stop-motion film, Mira, a busker in an isolating metropolis, finally gets a taste of recognition when she meets Lore, a charismatic and successful performer who takes an interest in Mira’s talents. Unfortunately, artistic aspirations and kindness are weaponized through the sinister motivations of those in power.
United States | 11:30
MY SCARY INDIAN WEDDING
Directed by Ramone Menon
A bridesmaid has to forcefully get married to her soulmate before dawn in order to escape the wrath of a vengeful demon.
United States | 11:21
OVERNIGHTS
Directed by Shannon Brown
An overworked veterinary technician picks up a late night shift to make ends meet. She's soon tormented by the very thing she's dedicated her life to.
United States | 9:09
THE PERFECT PLACE TO CRY
Directed by Shane Bannon
Late at night, deep in the woods, a woman cries in her car. A light flickers through the trees. At the edge of her headlights' reach, she can just make out the shape of a man. He's coming closer.
United States | 6:31
PEST
Directed by Matthew Broughton
A woman calls over a pest controller to deal with an infestation in her house, but not of termites...
Canada | 6:00
PONTIANAK
Directed by Kayla Aalia
Nakia, a young woman trapped in an abusive relationship, finds herself at a crossroads when she discovers she is pregnant with her boyfriend's child. Filled with anger, pain, and a desperate need for justice, Nakia resorts to a forbidden path in her quest for revenge. However, her intentions unknowingly set in motion a series of events that spiral out of control.
United States | 11:24
RED GLOVES
Directed by Santiago Saba Salem
A dancer at the top of her class, is accosted during a lonely night of rehearsing by a shadowy figure wearing red gloves.
United States | 11:04
SACRIFICE
Directed by Aldo Enrique Apango Ortiz
Tormented by the disappearance of his son in the lake where he has fished all his life, Miguel will sacrifice whatever it takes, even his faith, to have him back in his arms.
Mexico | 12:31
SCAM
Directed by Julie Sharbutt
When a phone scammer makes one last late night call, the woman on the other end gives her much more than she bargained for.
United States | 7:30
SLIP
Directed by Sonya Chwyl, Anik Desmarais-Spencer
After she is evicted from her basement suite apartment, Laura struggles to find a place to live - until she stumbles onto a horrifying opportunity that may just work to her advantage.
Canada | 10:40
TASTE
Directed by Lucy Rose
When Jane marries and moves into her new home, she will discover her husband is keeping more than a few skeletons in his closet. From her food, she pulls clusters of hair, silence haunts the lonely corridors of the home and, while Jane is abused by her husband, she untangles the house and its harrowing history.
United States | 12:45
THREE BATHS
Directed by Rafael De Leon Jr.
A spiritualist instructs Loreen to give her distraught younger sister, Rosa, three baths to get rid of a malevolent spirit that appears to be moving closer and closer to her.
United States | 6:48
VALLEY OF THE SOULS
Directed by Edileuza Penha de Souza, Santiago Dellape
A black family tries to defend their land against invaders but gets caught between a mischievous witch and a tortured spirit eager for revenge.
Brazil | 15:00
THE WHEEL
Directed by Nikhil Bhagat
A spiritualist instructs Loreen to give her distraught younger sister, Rosa, three baths to get rid of a malevolent spirit that appears to be moving closer and closer to her.
United States | 14:32
WHO’S THERE?
Directed by Ryan Doris
When a single father hears his daughter come home late, he begins to question if the voice he’s hearing is really hers... or something else.
United States | 10:48
THE BASEMENT
Directed by Catherine Hois
Mysterious happenings unfold in a young woman's basement.
Canada | 18:00
THE BOUNCE HOUSE
Directed by Callie Bloem, Christopher J. Ewing
Civilization has ended. Everyone Polly loves is dead. But at least she has a bounce house.
United States | 15:27
COLD
Directed by Liz Whitmere
Jane likes things to be clean. Jane has just turned 40. Jane died sometime last week. She’s cold all the time, her skin is grey, and her appetite is nonexistent. Something is wrong. Her doctor, her friends, her partner, all tell her it’s normal—this happens to women of a certain age. Her friends are showing signs of decay themselves... It’s just the reality of The Change. The important thing is not to let yourself go. Jane tries to “fake it till she makes it,” but her body is decomposing at an alarming rate… which is when things really start to fall apart.
Canada | 20:00
LADY PARTS
Directed by Ariel McCleese
When Iris thinks of Ellie, she gets wet. Very wet. She’s heard it’s normal, but this seems different. And when you’re in high school, different is dangerous.
United States | 15:00
THE POWER OF THE STRIKE
Directed by Dima Barch
One totally f***ed up night in a bowling alley.
Germany | 15 minutes
SCRATCH
Directed by MIchael Trainotti
A Father/Son weekend adventure becomes a terrifying fight for survival.
United States | 24:00
THE THAW
Directed by Sarah Wisner, Sean Temple
In 19th century Vermont, a young woman's parents drink sleeping tea in order to survive the harsh winter, but an early thaw leads to horrifying results.
United States | 16:31
THE DEVIL ON DERBY STREET
Directed by Luke St Germaine
Chelsea receives a nightmarish phone call and realizes her reality is not what it seems.
Salem MA | 8:17
DON’T FALL FROM GRACE
Directed by Carley Byers
When Grace's body is puppeteered by a mysterious entity, her Mother is desperate to break her from the trance.
United States | 10:52
IT’S NOT PAINT
Directed by Matthew Osubor
After the death of her estranged uncle, a woman inherits a haunted painting made by a troubled artist.
Providence RI |
LIMINAL
Directed by Andy Hawkes
A trans paranormal investigator and their team search for the connection between the queer and the strange as they explore the mysterious and magical world of the rural south.
United States | 83 minutes
THE SURROGATE
Directed by Erica Stockwell-Alpert
A woman makes a pact with Satan to bear his child, but when she is unable to get pregnant, they turn to the miracle of modern science for a little help.
United States | 7:00
THE VIZITANT
Directed by Edmund Milligan Marcus
A mysterious Entity offers a brilliant, defeated politician the power to change the world.
Western MA | 89 minutes
April 26 - April 28, 2024
Grants access to all screenings, lectures, podcasts, parties and more. All sales final. Includes official SHF 2024 lapel pin.