by Tori Potenza, Staff Writer

Brooklyn Horror Fest returns for its 8th Annual year October 12th to October 19th. I was lucky enough to have my first in person experience last year and had an absolute blast, so I can’t wait to return again in just a few days. As their website says “Brooklyn Horror not only provides the nightmare fuel that audiences expect but also prides itself on challenging those expectations, spotlighting films that push the boundaries of what is normally deemed horror.” Which is exactly what I loved about it last year, there were so many interesting features, guests, events, and shorts. Luckily it seems like the same will be in store this year.

This year some amazing features are making their way to the festival including the new film from the Adams Family, Where the Devil Roams. Although with that are two amazing documentaries; So Unreal which looks at the history of cyberspace cinema and Satan Wants You, a look at the satanic panic movement of the 80s through the memoir that stoked the fire. There are also several repertory screenings of classics like the giallo film Torso, Messiah of Evil, Ringu, and Maniac Cop with director Will Lustig. There are also a variety of events including a live episode of the podcast Certified Forgotten, a class from The Miskatonic Institute of Horror on “The Nightmare of War”, and a chance to join Final Exam Horror Trivia to test your horror knowledge. 

As always there are a great selection of curated short films and international films from all over the world. You can find their full festival schedule on their webpage but here are a few of the features I am really looking forward to. 

Red Rooms (dir. Pascal Plante)

This is a French Canadian thriller that follows a woman who is obsessed with a serial killer. As she goes down a rabbit hole looking into the killer he fantasies begin to blend with her reality. The brief description reminds me of films like Censor which expertly blends reality and fantasy. But the description is vague enough that it could open itself to be anything. That mystery alone is exciting enough to intrigue me. 

Cannibal Mukbang (dir. Aimee Kuge)

They say not to judge a book by its cover, but when you see a poster as good as the one for Cannibal Mukbang, it is hard not to get excited about the movie. Love, food, and revenge come together in this cannibal story. If cannibals are your brand of horror, this is one to be on the lookout for. 

She is Conann (dir. Bertrand Mandico)

After Bertrand Mandico’s dreamy queer fantasy After Blue, it does not seem too surprising that they are directing this gender swapped take on Conan the Barbarian. Fantastical imagery and cinematography are definitely a staple of Mandico’s work so I assume this will be no different. 

Femme (dir. Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping)

Brooklyn Horror Fest has always done a great job of highlighting queer horror and another one I am eager to check out is Femme. This one focuses on a man who was the target of a homophobic attack, so when he meets one of his attackers at a gay spa it means a chance for revenge. Revenge is always a solid base for horror so sign me up. 

So those are some of the films I am looking forward to checking out in just a few days time. Make sure to check out Brooklyn Horror’s full schedule and keep an eye out for reviews coming out of the fest.