Grimmfest is having its annual horror film festival is usually held at the Odeon Great Northern, Manchester. 2020 sees the festival move to an online edition just as many other festivals this year have done. Mother of Movies is pleased to be part of this year’s official press and be able to give you the low down on as many films from the line up as I can.
The online virtual event will host more than 19 feature-length movies, two short film showcases. Q&A live linkups and seminars guest like the esteemed Mick Garris (Masters of Horror & The Stand), Lance Henriksen (ALIENS), Pollyanna McIntosh (THE WALKING DEAD) and, Caroline Williams (TEXAS CHAINSAW
The full lineup of programming, ticketing, and other essential information jump on the website. From there you can pre-order the stream your choice or send them to someone as a gift. Watch films from home in comfort with a large bowl of popcorn. Movies can be viewed only in authorized regions: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I can say I have attended online premieres with a VPN previously, so don’t forget to look at your options if you are elsewhere in the world.
5 Day Horror Festival Runs From 7th October to 11th October
If you don’t know too much about Grimmfest, 2020 marks it’s 12th edition. The festival is well known for showing independent filmmakers who often produce films that become cult fan smash hits. Each year Grimmfest premieres only the best in new horror, cult, extreme fantasy and sci-fi movies.
Online Edition Grimmfest Most Anticipated Horror Movies
Mother of Movies has had a sneaky-peek at a few of the titles premiering at 2020’s Grimmfest. I was lucky enough to have been sent them straight from the filmmaker or at the previous festival Fantasia. Amongst the line up is:
TRIGGERED
9 friends go camping and wake up with bombs strapped to them. Each bomb has a timer and they soon discover killing someone can give them more time to figure out how to disarm the bomb. A thriller from director Alastair Orr and writer David D. Jones.
ANONYMOUS ANIMALS
A french fantasy horror movie with captives who are treated like animals by captors who don animal heads. From director Baptiste Rouveure what more do you need to know? Sounds like a must see to me. In case you need more to entice you, I located this trailer. Looks to be in a similar vein to The Farm perhaps?
H.P. LOVECRAFT’S THE DEEP ONES
I know plenty of people gagging to see The Deep Ones, including myself. I’ll be back with a review when the film goes live on October 10th, 2020. A married couple renting an Airbnb suddenly realise they have stepped into the middle of a cult who worship an ancient sea god. Sounds like next level The Beach House, and I can’t wait.
AN IDEAL HOST
Written by Tyler Jacob Jones and directed by Robert Woods, An Ideal Host follows Liz (Nadia Collins.) Liz is hosting a lovely dinner party that descends into horror-comedy catastrophe. Could her unexpected guests be the fuel for an apocalypse? Check out this teaser trailer and you’ll be as enthusiastic about seeing this as I am.
Alone
Alone is an already well-received thriller from director John Hyams (Black Summer) with writer Mattias Olssen (Gone.) Jules Wilcox stars as Jessica, who is kidnapped on a lonely road. She escapes and is then forced to also find a way out of the wilderness.
WORLD PREMIERES
THE SPECIAL: From the director and writer of Death House, B. Harrison Smith’s The Special follows Jerry and Mike as they try to unearth what his wife is up to.
DEATH RANCH: From Charlie Steeds (Winterskin) is a horror and thriller film with none other than a canabalistic Ku Klux Klan. Set in the 1970’s three siblings run from police only to find themselves unable to escape from something far worse than jail.
The Best Films in the LineUp for Grimmfest:
12 Hour Shift – My review will be live from the 26th of September and I can tell you this psycho horror movie from Brea Grant is worth your time. The film is set in 1999 and occurs over the course of nurse Mandy’s 12-hour shift. Starring David Arquette, Angela Bettis, Chloe Farnworth, and Mick Foley. Bettis’ performance alone is one worth the price of admission.
Ten Minutes to Midnight – Erik Bloomquist and co-writer Carson Bloomquist bring the vampires to you in this mind-bending horror movie. Set in a radio station and starring Caroline Williams, Nicholas Tucci, and Adam Weppler.
Rent-A-Pal – A film from IFC Midnight, Rent-A-Pal is available to rent on a number of platforms. If you watch it as part of the Grimmfest live stream you can chat online as well! This indie title from writer-director Jon Stevenson stars Wil Wheaton and Brian Landis Folkins. It’s good. And you will be pleasantly surprised at the viciousness included in its narrative.
Fried Barry – For lovers of world cinema, kooky and oddball scenery and storylines that make you wonder what goes on inside people’s minds. From the brain of Ryan Kruger, this alien abduction film of the WTH kind stars Gary Green and James C Williamson. If you ever wanted to see what happens when aliens choose a drug-addicted heroine junkies body to tour around in then this is your film.
5 ✮ FILM THE OAK ROOM
The Oak Room – Mother of Movies screened The Oak Room at Fantasia Film Fest and was one of two movies I awarded 5 stars to. From Black Fawn Films Cody Calahan and Peter Genoway, producers Chad Archibald and Ari Millen bring a story about goosing the truth. Breaking Bad’s RJ Mitte is outstanding as Steve. A single location film set in a bar in a raging snowstorm, those that love a twisted tale will love The Oak Room.
Additionally check out Mother of Movies full reviews: The Oak Room / Fried Barry / Rent-A-Pal / 12 Hour Shift (coming soon) & Ten Minutes to Midnight.
Don’t Miss Grimmfest TV
Grimmfest also has its very own Grimmest TV channel. Consider it an exclusive porthole for horror films and winning short film features from the archives. The festival team spent tonnes of hours deciding on which films to bring. The TV channel offers a secondary way for the festival to highlight some of the filmmakers that submit for the event. Each week, new content is added. If you check it out right now there are already a few movies on there. At the time of writing, short films, A Stranger Kind, Snatchers, Whisper, Under the Apple Tree, and Adam Peiper are ready to kickstart your October viewing whenever you are.
