by Vannah Taylor, Staff Writer

What better way to spend the fall season than in a whirlwind of film festivals. Happening in the heart of Hollywood, Screamfest is the largest and longest running horror festival in the United States. Founded in 2001 by Rachel Belofsky and Ross Martin, this festival has a long history of giving a platform to horror, thriller, and sci-fi filmmakers, earning it the nickname “the Sundance of Horror.” Premiering now legendary horror titles like Oren Peli’s Paranormal Activity in 2007 and helping contribute to the success of filmmakers like Issa Lopez and Chloe Okuno–it is always exciting to see what will come out of Screamfest.

Being held at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre, Screamfest LA 2024 is running from Tuesday October 8th to Thursday October 17th. Starting with an out of this world opening night party, complete with the West Coast premiere of sci-fi satire Ick, and ending with a closing night double feature of John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) and The Thing (1982), presented in tandem with a Lifetime Achievement Award for cinematographer Dean Cundey. The festival will feature a total of 29 features and 111 shorts–meaning there is no shortage of unforgettably terrifying films. Amidst all that madness, here are a few features I am excited to explore at my first Screamfest.

Witte Wieven
Written by Marc S. Nollkaemper
Directed by Didier Konings
Los Angeles Premiere October 11
Tickets here

Fans of folk horror, especially the dreary setting of Egger’s The Witch (2015) should be sure to keep their eye on Witte Wieven. Inspired by the misty apparitions of Dutch mythology, this film follows Frieda, who is dealing with the deep shame of being unable to get pregnant. After being attacked in the woods by the local butcher, the other villagers are skeptical of her return from the ominous forest, fearful of the dark force that lurks within. Having just had its World Premiere at Fantastic Fest, Witte Wieven brings a unique mythos to a story as old as time, helping it stand out in the sea of religious horror that has been released throughout this past year.

Animale
Written and directed by Emma Benestan
West Coast Premiere October 16
Tickets here

Having missed its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest, I am excited to finally witness the much anticipated Animale. Working hard to prove herself in a male-dominated world, Nejma dreams of becoming an award winning bullfighter–but after a night out with her male peers, a metamorphosis begins. Emma Benestan’s sophomore feature is a blend of body horror and revenge thriller that draws from drama and fantasy. This film feels bold and angry, yet tender. With beautiful cinematography by Ruben Impens, who also shot Titane, I am excited to see how this film dances around the region of Camargue.

Else
Written by Thibault Emin, Alice Butard, in collaboration with Emma Sandona
Directed by Thibault Emin
Los Angeles Premiere October 16
Tickets here

One of the beauties of genre fests like Screamfest is to be able to see festival alumni kick off their careers. First coming to Screamfest in 2007 with his short of the same name, Thibault Emin is back with Else now adapted into a feature film. Cassandre breaks quarantine after the breakout of a mysterious virus to meet Hans at his apartment. Stuck in their apartment, the threat slowly closes in on them. Described as reminiscent of the works of David Cronenberg and Shinya Tsukamoto, Else is expected to be a style and grotesque melding of the worlds of body horror and pandemic panic.

Drained
Written by Peter Styliano
Directed by Peter Styliano and Sean Patrick Cronin
World Premiere October 11
Tickets here

Once I saw the trailer for Drained, I was all in. Exploring the neon lit and blood soaked streets of London, this vampire horror is sure to be a thrilling time. Thomas is an unemployed artist who becomes infatuated with Rhea. When the affair treads into the territory of codependency, Thomas's health begins to falter. Vampirism within the horror genre has used fantasy to explore horrible realities, evolving through time as each generation finds a new meaning in the portrayal of these ill-fated fanged creatures.

The Witch. Revenge
Written by Yaroslav Yoytseshek
Directed by Andriy Kolesnyk
US Premiere October 15
Tickets here

It is not very often that we get to indulge in Ukrainian horror, with Viy (1967) from Soviet era Ukraine being one of the only films that really comes to mind. The Witch. Revenge is the first of a war-themed series of films being produced by the Ukrainian production company Film.UA. Drawing heavily from local folklore and rituals, they hope to shape a specific genre of film coming out of the Ukraine that pulls both from its rich history and the current tragedies happening. Set in 2022, this first film tells the story of a witch living in the town of Konotop, rumored to be the place where witches are born, whose powers are awakened when Russian soldiers murder her fiancé. Grief and revenge are staples of the genre, especially in the types of films that I as a horror fan tend to gravitate towards so it will be exciting to see how these themes play out in Andriy Kosnyk’s directorial debut.

Keep in mind, this is only a small sliver of what is being offered at this year’s Screamfest. While these are features that are my most anticipated films, sometimes the magic of film festivals is when you stumble upon the unexpected. Be sure to check out the entire lineup and stay tuned for reviews of what I’ll be watching.