Salem Horror Fest 8 Celebrates Filmmakers, Industry Innovation
From April 30 to May 4, the Salem Horror Fest 8 showcased short horror films from New England filmmakers alongside a screening of the horror film “Session 9,” which was…
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From April 30 to May 4, the Salem Horror Fest 8 showcased short horror films from New England filmmakers alongside a screening of the horror film "Session 9," which was filmed in Danvers.
The Peabody Essex Museum hosted the event's opening night activities. Jury award winners and the winners of this year's George A. Romero Fellowship were announced. According to a MovieJawn post by Kate Beach, the fellowship connects emerging filmmakers with industry experts to provide guidance and mentorship support.
The fellowship this year went to Christopher Bickel, who brought his feature, "Pater Noster and the Mission of Light" to SHF8; Senda Bonnet, whose short "Turn It Off" enjoyed an East Coast premiere at the festival; and Sophie Whippel, who brought her short "The Night Side" to the event. Each filmmaker will be partnered with returning mentors, including Travis Stevens ("A Wounded Fawn"), Jenn Wexler ("The Sacrifice Game"), and Matt Leslie ("Summer of 84").
The festival's jury prizes went to Kaye Adelaide's "The Rebrand," which took the feature prize. The jury prize for short went to Alexa Jane Jarret's "Bedlamer," which was screened for the audience.
Award-winning author, filmmaker, and horror commentator Tananarive Due delivered a keynote address, where she discussed her new novel, "The Reformatory."
Andrea Subissati ("Rue Morgue") hosted a Q&A with actress and artist Ashley Laurence, who entertained the audience with tales of her close friendships with Clive Barker and Doug Bradley. The evening concluded with a screening of "Hellbound: Hellraiser 2."
On Friday, attendees could tour the Satanic Temple and the Lobster Roller in Rockport. In the evening, Salem Access TV hosted a repertory screening of "The Descent."
