Popcorn Frights Announces Third Wave of Programming Featuring 77 Mind-Shattering Short Films from 20 Countries

The Eighth Annual Popcorn Frights Film Festival will be a hybrid experience presenting both in-theater and virtual film offerings from August 11-21, 2022

Popcorn Frights is about to hit the nation’s horror fans with ten days of terrifying premieres, but features aren’t the only films with BITE!

From returning filmmakers to new voices, Popcorn Frights is excited to welcome and celebrate the diverse short film storytellers who will share their personal, innovative, and nightmarish visions at this year’s Festival. From in-theater showcases to virtual programs, this year’s Popcorn Frights Film Festival offers everyone an opportunity to experience the many great short films yet to be discovered by audiences in South Florida and across the US. Running August 11-21, film lovers nationwide can dive in and explore the new emerging voices in genre cinema through seven short film blocks featuring a record-setting 77 film premieres.

Highlights in the short film program feature 16 world premieres, including the retina-reeling animation shorts SLASHER SQUAD and THE SPRAYER directed by Popcorn Frights alum Farnoosh Abedi, the international chillers from the UK, INCUBUS and YUMMY MUMMY, and the midnighter scaremongers HEARTBREAKER, MEAT FREE, RINGWORMS, WITCHY, and GET OUT OF THERE directed by Matthew Barber and Nathaniel Barber, Popcorn Frights alumni who are premiering their third short film at the Festival.

Continuing Popcorn Frights’ vital commitment to celebrating the cream of the homegrown crop, the Festival proudly presents its “Homegrown: 100% Pure Fresh Squeezed Florida Horror” program that is dedicated to renewing and reinvigorating the audience’s engagement with Florida’s local filmmakers and homegrown talent. Films featured in the “Homegrown” program include the world premieres of the horror satire FATHER DAVIS AND THE DEMON DOLL, the true workplace ghost story OVERTIME, the mesmerizing black-and-white nocturnal odyssey PEST, the creepily atmospheric PRAISE FOR MY DEVOURER by returning Popcorn Frights filmmaker Rostislav Vaynshtok, the malevolent leprechaun tale THE SIREN OF THE APPARITION, and the holiday thriller COOKIES BY THE FIRE directed by Scott Vasey, winner of Popcorn Frights’ Best Florida Short Film award at the 2021 edition. Rounding out the program is the US Premiere FRIED PICKLES directed by Mike Marrero & Jon Rhoads, who are presenting their fourth short film at the Festival, as well as the made-in-Florida films MIDNIGHT SCREAMS, SWEET EREBUS, and the supernatural shocker VILLAIN.

Many Popcorn Frights alumni are represented in a blitz of mind-shattering shorts this year, including Trent Shy’s delirious animation PUMPKIN BOY, Daniel DelPurgatorio’s twisted story BUG BITES, Kelsey Bollig’s poignant tale KICKSTART MY HEART, Padraig Reynolds’ spine-chilling thriller A WALK IN THE PARK, and Chris McInroy’s outrageously gory knockout GUTS, which marks the fifth time he has premiered a film at the Festival.

As previously announced, complimenting Popcorn Frights’ premiere showings will be industry sessions hosted by ALTER at the historic Betsy South Beach on Ocean Drive. Panels will range on a variety of subjects, including a discussion about “Finding Success with Your Short Film” that will feature Popcorn Frights alumni Jonathan Cuartas & Michael Cuartas (My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To) as well as Jessica Henric (Don’t Let It In).

Diving into the 2022 Film Festival program by the numbers, Popcorn Frights’ audience will experience a lineup boasting of a record-setting 113 film premieres in-theater and virtually, including a record-setting 28 World Premieres, 6 North American Premieres, 5 US Premieres, 19 East Coast Premieres, and 45 Florida Premieres, among others.

Access to Popcorn Frights’ in-theater experience will be available through individual tickets or an all-access badge, which will provide an all-inclusive experience for films and special events hosted at the Savor Cinema Fort Lauderdale and O Cinema South Beach (“The Alter Screening Room”), Popcorn Frights official host venues this year. Separate virtual passes are also available and will provide access to every film streaming in the festival’s virtual program. To order an In-Theater All-Access Badge, click here, to order a Virtual All-Access Pass, click here.

The eighth edition of the Popcorn Frights Film Festival is made possible with the support of its generous sponsors, including ALTER, The Betsy, Fangoria, Giggster, O Cinema, Savor Cinema, Screambox, Slasher Energy, Tubi, and its loyal fans. For more info about Popcorn Frights, visit PopcornFrights.com.

SHORT FILM LINEUP:

Animation Domination
The endless possibilities of genre animation are on dazzling display in this retina-reeling, round-the-world showcase of some of the medium’s most innovative, boundary-pushing, and mind-enhancing short films:

Bestia, dir. Hugo Covarrubias (France); Bobby Pinwheel – The Movie; dir. Robert Kleinschmidt (USA); The Boy Who Woke Up Dead, dir. Sean Killer (USA); Brain Sync, dir. Jon Kruzic (USA); Contretemps, dir. Claire Sun (France); The Corridor, dir. James Mansell (UK, North American Premiere); The Eden, dir. Lucia Alessandri (France, International Premiere); The Exortwist, dirs. Luara Koval, Loren Bashkin Alamazan (USA); Folklore, dir. Abraham Matias (USA); Fulcrum, dir. Timothy David Orme (USA); Legend Has It, dir. Lainey Davidson (USA); Mom, What’s Up with the Dog, dir. Elliott Gonzo (France, US Premiere); Naïve Mischief in Oak Paso, dir. Manson, Marc Torices (Spain, US Premiere); New Tricks, dir. Matt Corsillo (USA); Posture, dir. Derek Stewart (USA); Pox, dir. Sean Young (Austria); Seniors 3000, dir. Julien Deparis (France); Slasher Squad, dir. Nathan Stone, Stuart Campbell (Australia, World Premiere); The Sprayer, dir. Farnoosh Abedi (Iran, World Premiere), Xtra Sticky, dir. Camille Gaillard (France, North American Premiere)

Homegrown: 100% Pure Fresh Squeezed Florida Horror
Celebrating the cream of the homegrown crop:

Cookies By the Fire, dir. Scott Vasey (USA, World Premiere); Father Davis and the Demon Doll, dir. Andrew Geimer (USA, World Premiere); Fried Pickles, dir. Mike Marrero, Jon Rhoads (USA, US Premiere); Overtime, dir. Gabriel de Varona (USA, World Premiere); Midnight Screams, dir. Sean Menendez (USA); Pest, dir. Nicholas Long (USA, World Premiere); Praise for My Devourer, dir. Rostislav Vaynshtok (USA, World Premiere); The Siren of the Apparition, dir. Michael Macias (USA, World Premiere); Sweet Erebus, dir. Jaanelle Yee (USA); Villain, dir. David Borges (USA)

International Midnighters I, II
A celebration of some of the year’s most fantastic international short films from new emerging voices and established filmmakers:

Don’t Go Where I Can’t Find You, dir. Rioghnach Ni Ghrioghair (Ireland); Hantu, dir. Kim Kokosky Deforchaux (Netherlands, North American Premiere); Hunger, dir. Carlos Meléndez (Mexico); Incubus, dir. Tito Fernandes (UK, World Premiere); Meat Free, dir. Ben Ogunbiyi (UK, World Premiere); Moshari, dir. Nuhash Humayun (Bangladesh); The Receder, dir. Raymon Hilkman (Netherlands, North American Premiere); Shiny New World, dir. Jan van Gorkum (Netherlands); Smile, dir. Joanna Tsanis (Canada); Stuck, dir. David A. Romero (Italy); Sucker, dir. Alix Austin (UK); Tistlebu, dir. Simon Matthew Valentine (Norway); Unheimlich, dir. Fabio Colonna (Mexico); Unreel, dir. Christopher Ian Smith (UK); Yeast, dir. Eilliott Gonzo (UK, US Premiere); Yummy Mummy, dir. Gabriela Staniszewska (UK, World Premiere)

Midnighters I, II, II
A celebration of new works from cinematic scaremongers that bring nightmares into waking hours with thrills, chills, and spills:

7 Minutes in Hell, dir. Shane Spiegel (USA); A Machine for Boredom, dir. Marc Cartwright (USA); A Walk in the Park, dir. Padraig Reynolds (USA, US Premiere); Book, dir. Eric Swiz (USA); Bug Bites, dir. Daniel DelPurgatorio (USA); Chaperone, dir. Sam Max (USA); Crimson Ties, dir. Francesca Kingsland Scorsese (USA); Cruise, dir. Sam Rudykoff (USA); Domestic Bliss, dir. Jennifer Scott & Nicole Townssend (USA); Get Out of There, dirs. Matthew Barber & Nathaniel Barber (USA, World Premiere); Glitch, dir. Rebecca Sonia Berrih (USA); Guts, dir. Chris McInroy (USA); Heartbreaker, dir. Rob Himebaugh (USA, World Premiere); Kickstart My Heart, dir. Kelsey Bollig (USA); Lethalogica, dir. Tony Reames (USA); Nice to Finally Meet You, dir. Jason Burke (USA); OST, dir. Abhichoke Chandrasen (USA); The Pey, dir. Ramone Menon (USA); Pumpkin Boy, dir. Trent Shy (USA); The Recipe, dir. Cameron Holly Dexter (USA); Return to Sender, dir. Russell Goldman (USA); Ringworms, dir. Will Lee (USA, World Premiere); Scooter, dir. Chelsea Lupkin (USA); The Sound, dir. Jason-Christopher Mayer (USA); Super Host, dir. Dan M. Franz & Andy Koeger (USA); Swept Under, dir. Ethan Soo (USA); They See You, dir. Jared Januschka (USA); The Unlocking, dir. Thomas Matthew Brush (USA); We Got a Dog, dir. Ryan Valdez (USA); Wild Bitch, dir. Rebekka Johnson & Kate Nash (USA); Witchy, dir. Liz Manashil (USA, World Premiere)