BLOCK CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING FILMS:
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AFTER THE RAIN (CANADA)
UTAH PREMIERE
SYNOPSIS: After every big storm, a child has mysteriously gone missing. It’s raining again….
RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences
DIRECTOR: BJ Verot
AWARDS NOMINATIONS (1): Best Micro Short
DIRECTOR’S / FILMMAKER’S BIO: BJ Verot in an award-winning Writer/Director based in Winnipeg, Canada. He recently completed his first feature film, a sci-fi/horror entitled The Return, which was selected for the 2017 Telefilm: Talent to Watch Program.
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ALWAYS LISTENING (USA)
UTAH/REGIONAL PREMIERE
SYNOPSIS: Our devices are constantly listening to us. What if something even worse could do the same?
RATINGS GUIDE: Language, Violence
AWARDS NOMINATIONS (1): Best Makeup – Short
DIRECTOR’S / FILMMAKER’S BIO: Randy Gonzalez was born in Miami, Fl also known as ” a sunny place for shady people”. He played guitar in the hardcore punk band Thick As Blood the band released three full-length albums and toured in various countries. Post band days Randy began acting and has ended up working on such projects as the Netflix original series Bloodline and director Ang Lee’s latest film Billy Lynns Long Halftime Walk. He played opposite Jennifer Garner on her latest movie titled Peppermint. He wrote and directed the award winning horror comedy short film titled Amigos.
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EXHIBIT MAN (USA)
UTAH/REGIONAL PREMIERE
SYNOPSIS: A police forensic photographer known as the exhibit man discovers some town folk have been infected by an alien.
RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Language
DIRECTOR: Trevor Mirosh
AWARDS NOMINATIONS (7): Best Horror Short, Best Screenplay – Short, Best Actor – Short, Best Supporting Actress – Short, Best Ensemble Cast – Short, Best VFX – Short, Best Makeup – Short
DIRECTOR’S / FILMMAKER’S BIO: When Trevor isn’t finding the magic in the film footage from other film projects, he’s filming his own. His award winning short horror film The Freeze (he’s made five) was screened at festivals across North America in 2017 and 2018. Whatever the project, Trevor relishes his role in shaping the final product. Among his many career highlights Trevor has worked with editor Dede Allen (Breakfast Club, Dog Day Afternoon, Bonnie and Clyde) A huge Star Wars fan, Trevor also loves to write film scripts, play hockey, ski, enjoys food and swimming with his two daughters.
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IN LOVE (USA)
UTAH PREMIERE
SYNOPSIS: In love is a dark comedy short shot on a single roll of Super8 film with all edits done in camera about the perils of falling in love and getting your heart ripped out, literally.
RATINGS GUIDE: Violence
DIRECTOR: Candice Nachman
AWARDS NOMINATIONS (1): Best Micro Short
DIRECTOR’S / FILMMAKER’S BIO: I’ve been using a camera to capture stories since I began studying photography in 2000. I was fortunate to learn on 35mm film and develop in the dark room for nearly 10 years. I grew up in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. I was definitely one of those kids that would tell tall tales and sang songs to myself on the playground. I was the first in my family to finish high school and I moved to Denver where I received my BFA in Photography from Metropolitan State University in 2010.
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LAST ONE SCREAMING (USA)
UTAH PREMIERE
SYNOPSIS: After surviving a horrific weekend at a remote cabin in the woods where all of her friends were brutally murdered, Ashley finds herself in handcuffs. Her story is extraordinary, and the cops who brought her in for questioning don’t believe a word of it. The FBI sends in a psychologist, Dr. Warren to determine whether Ashley is completely crazy, or if there’s more to her story.
RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Strong Violence, Language, Strong Language
DIRECTOR: Matt Devino
AWARDS NOMINATIONS (3): Best Horror Short, Best Ensemble Cast – Short, Best Editing – Short
DIRECTOR’S / FILMMAKER’S BIO: Matt Devino is a Los Angeles based director with a passion for horror and sci-fi narrative filmmaking. His body of work includes a number of short films, feature length scripts, and commercial content for brands like Nike, Allstate, Harley-Davidson, British Airways, and many more.
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NEPENTHES (CANADA)
UTAH PREMIERE
SYNOPSIS: Max is desperate to make a meaningful connection, but when she decides to meet an online dating match at home she gets herself into a painfully sticky situation.
RATINGS GUIDE: Sensuality
DIRECTOR: Ariel Hansen
AWARDS NOMINATIONS: N/A
DIRECTOR’S / FILMMAKER’S BIO: One of the founding members of Bad Cookie Pictures Ariel Hansen lends her skills as a director, actor, writer and producer to the team. A connoisseur of horror Ariel absorbed as much knowledge as she could on the various film sets she worked on as an actor in order to learn how to bring her nightmares to life. The first nightmare she birthed into the world was Ready to Burst, a pregnancy based horror that acted as her debut as a writer/director. Since then she’s worked on The Man in the Rabbit Mask, Paint the Town Red, Relaxing Rituals ASMR and most recently Nepenthes as a director. Behind the camera Ariel seeks to create a collaborative atmosphere allowing those she works with to bring new ideas to the table and contribute to her vision.
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SERIAL DATER (USA)
UTAH PREMIERE
SYNOPSIS: A man has big plans for date night but things don’t go as planned.
RATINGS GUIDE: Adult Content
DIRECTOR: Michael May
AWARDS NOMINATIONS (1): Best Comedy Short
DIRECTOR’S / FILMMAKER’S BIO: Michael May is a performer and filmmaker who has produced and/or directed commercials, documentaries, feature films, and TV. In 2015 Michael co-founded the media company Fun Size Horror, where he has produced over 100 shorts, four features, and an upcoming TV series. Most recently Michael’s docu-series AUTO/BIOGRAPHY premiered on Motor Trend TV. A series that he co-hosts and created.
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SPITTING IMAGE (CANADA)
UTAH/REGIONAL PREMIERE
SYNOPSIS: Identical twin sisters are forced to confront an identity crisis.
RATINGS GUIDE: Nudity
DIRECTOR: Will Ilgen
AWARDS NOMINATIONS (2): Best Horror Short, Best Director – Short
DIRECTOR’S / FILMMAKER’S BIO: Will Ilgen started making short films at age five, and hasn’t stopped since. After graduating from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, he has written, directed, and edited documentaries, prime-time TV, pilots, web content, and narrative shorts, placing an emphasis on character-driven storytelling.
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THE RECKONING OF DARKNESS (USA)
UTAH/REGIONAL PREMIERE
SYNOPSIS: The sole survivor of a shipwreck washes ashore on an island at the extreme north of the British Isles. The survivor, Victor, is restored to health by the local inhabitants but guards the secrets of his haunted past and of an evil which has found its way to this remote world, hell-bent on vengeance. So starts the dramatic and violent chain of events in which the tale of Victor’s sinister experiments gradually emerges.
RATINGS GUIDE: All Audiences
AWARDS NOMINATIONS (3): Best Score – Short, Best Production Design – Short, Best Costumes – Short
DIRECTOR’S / FILMMAKER’S BIO: A native of New Jersey and graduate of Syracuse University’s Visual and Performing Art film program, Christopher was “cinematized” at an early age and has worked steadily in the motion picture business since moving to Los Angeles in 1987. He secured his first job with legendary visual effects pioneer and director, Douglas Trumbull. Over the years, Christopher has contracted his varied abilities with many domestic and international production companies and producers, working on nearly one hundred films, often as a post-production supervisor and at times as a director, writer and editor. His vast and varied experience has not only strengthened his abilities in the area of production and post, but has given him a real edge in the creative and technical side of filmmaking, allowing his skills, imagination and passions to become cinematic reality.
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THE SOUL COLLECTOR (USA)
UTAH/REGIONAL PREMIERE
SYNOPSIS: A mother is followed home one night, and must protect her family from the man in the mask.
RATINGS GUIDE: Violence, Strong Violence, Nudity, Language
DIRECTOR: Nick Peterson
AWARDS NOMINATIONS (2): Best Animated Short, Best Sound – Short
DIRECTOR’S / FILMMAKER’S BIO: Nick Peterson grew up watching MTV, Sci-Fi films, anime from Blockbuster Video, and playing video games. He graduated from the Experimental Animation program at CALARTS, and after many years producing awesome visual effects he transitioned into full time writing and directing. Nick’s films have been screened in festivals such as SUNDANCE, and SXSW. His award winning music videos have garnered hundreds of million views. Nick is also the Co-Founder of Joker Greeting Card. He currently lives in Los Angeles, but hopes to live in a castle with a moat someday.
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THE VICIOUS (USA)
UTAH PREMIERE
SYNOPSIS: Worlds collide as a family on a road trip stumbles upon a farmhouse with a peculiar set of residents.
RATINGS GUIDE: Adult Content
DIRECTOR: Trevor Dillon & Ian Hock
AWARDS NOMINATIONS (1): Best Ensemble Cast – Short
DIRECTOR’S / FILMMAKER’S BIO: Trevor Dillon and Ian Hock are an award-winning team of genre filmmakers. Based in Southern California, they strive to craft films ripe with narrative and style. Though they enjoy many genres, their priority lies with horror when it comes to their work. Together, they aim to explore humanity through the genre and its darkness, and through that, pave the way for fresh stories to bring to life onscreen. Their latest film, THE VICIOUS, stars genre actress Brea Grant and is set to hit film festivals in 2019. The film is a southern gothic horror following a family on a road trip as they stumble upon a farmhouse with a peculiar set of residents. FOXWOOD, their debut film, is a horror comedy spinning the tropes of 80’s slashers. It was an official selection at the Nashville Film Festival, Shriekfest Los Angeles, and more. Stay tuned as the duo looks ahead to the future with exciting new genre projects.
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