By Jackie Shannon
If you like your films strange, violent, sexy, transgressive, disturbing, and supremely screwed up, then the A Night Of Horror International Film Festival, and Fantastic Planet: Sydney Sci-Fi And Fantasy Film Festival – which screen simultaneously at Dendy Cinemas Newtown from November 24 to December 4, 2016 – were literally designed with you in mind. There’s nothing from Marvel Studios here, there are no rom-coms (not normal ones anyway), and your grandparents probably wouldn’t approve of any of the titles screening…unless they’re the kind of grandparents that keep people chained up in their garage.
“The 10th annual festival is going to be our biggest event yet,” says festival director, Dean Bertram. “It will feature over 100 films, several international filmmaker guests, multiple parties, and a horror filmmaking master class. Sydney’s genre fans and filmmaking community are going to be treated to eleven days of the best and freshest horror, sci-fi, and fantasy from around the globe.”
The festival opens on Thursday November 24 with the Australian premiere of the international festival hit, Peelers (in which a small town strip club owner must defend her bar and her strippers when violent, infected patrons show up) which will be followed by a Q&A with special international guest, Canadian director Sevé Schelenz, as well as a “zombie and strippers” themed after party. The closing night film, presented by Monster Pictures, is the outrageous Sundance hit The Greasy Strangler, which will be introduced by the film’s awesomely named stars, Michael St. Michael and Sky Elobar. The screening will be followed by a special “Greasy Gala” after party, where audience members who come in costumes inspired by the film (will anyone actually show up naked and smeared in grease fat? And if they do, will they be arrested?) have a chance to win prizes which will be presented to them by the stars of the film themselves!
Wedged in between these two exciting events will be showcases and special events, along with a collection of the truly great and gross.
For a full schedule of films, and all ticketing, session, and venue information, head to the official website.
