Unspool Hollywood

18 TO PARTY: An Interview with Director Jeff Roda

Bottom line: When Waiting to Get in A Line, Is More Important Than Getting in The Line
Director and Writer : Jeff Roda
Starring: Alivia Clark, Tanner Flood, James Freedson-Jackson, Oliver Gifford, Nolan Lyons, Sam McCarthy, Ivy Miller, Taylor Richardson and Erich Schuett

I had the opportunity to talk with director Jeff Roda to discuss his film new film 18 TO PARTY.

It’s 1984 and outside a small-town nightclub, a group of 8th graders gather, grappling with a spate of recent suicides, UFO sightings, their absentee parents, and each other. 18 to Party spans a single evening in the lives of these kids but manages to transport us fully to a time when waiting for something to happen felt just as significant as the thing itself.

YR: You have said you opted to write about your experiences in 18 TO PARTY in the form of a fable, how has writing about your experiences impacted you.

Jeff Roda: Yes. It started out as a play and was worked shopped. It is hard to get a play out of 11 teenagers but the content itself, came from my life. It came geographically from the same place I come from. Some of the characteristic, some of the experiences that the kids are going through, especially a couple of the characters, I went through the exact same thing. Some of the horrible things that happened to some of the kids in that community, were the same thing that happened in my community.

It was a small community, and I was little but those were the things that were happening with the kids who were six years older. It was all based on reality baked into a fable. Basically, it is away to present the film in a meditative way rather than trying to create a big narrative.

YR: Has there been any improvements made in the outcomes for the young people in your hometown?

Jeff Roda: It is interesting. There was something very singular about this area that I lived. It is the outer suburbs about 80 miles north of New York City but if you are 80 miles away from a big city and you are a kid, that is far. You are in the shadow of it, but you are still not going there.

My school was very small and very white, and those things remain today. In terms of the community itself, there is a lot farmland, horse farms and orchids and because of that it has turned into a working/middle class community. A lot of people moved north from the city with a lot of money and built huge stables, mansions and stuff like that. So those elements are there but the sort of rank and file are still similar.

YR: You did excellent writing for the film. There was some dialogue between Shel and Amy that really stuck with me. Shel had asked Amy, why people would want to think that way and Amy responded, so they will not have to think about anything else.

Jeff Roda: You see from the film that it is almost shocking in a lot of ways how much things have not changed as much as things have changed. I think for me, it really came around to the reality of the suicides. The trouble these kids were having, the isolation these kids were having and the aloneness. The latch key kids as we were called. And this is an inditement, somewhat, of the parents and adult figures who were not there for them.

It is weird, more of an around about way to get to the answer but a truer way. I did a lot of research about that time about the suicide and mishaps that were going on at that time. There was a nationwide epidemic of suicide in this specific year with a lot of kids, all these high performing kids from all over the country.

And when parents or school administrators were interviewed and were asked about what they think is happening, they all said peer pressure, drugs, and job prospects. Like anyone gives a sh** when you are in the 10^th grade about job prospects. Of all these things, no one said maybe we are not looking out for them. Maybe some of this is on us.

No one ever said that and I boiled it down in those two lines where Amy said they do not want to look at it, they don’t want to look at anything more than their excuses for not being there for them. It is not a generation ahead of us that is quick to blame themselves for things.

That was basically the meaning of that line she said they will not have to think about anything else. Meaning they do not have to be reflective. They will not have to look any deeper into their responsibilities for these kids and what happens to them.

YR: What was it like preparing and working with the ensemble of young talented actors?

Jeff Roda: It was one of the best experiences of my life, in a way, casting of these kids. We have great casting directors Kate and Jessica. It was my first film directing and the one thing I felt pretty good about going in was I would be able to cast the film with 10 kids. Some with no experience ever being in front of camera, one was on Broadway, one had been in a television series, and one had experience with independent films. It was a wide range of experiences.

Working with them and seeing these 13, 14, 15-year old kids really commit and inhabit the same space was great. Because it was a very short shoot, 15 days and there were kids younger than 16 there’s labor law and screen actor’s guild restrictions to follow.

They had to do a lot in a short time. Watching them come together and inhabit the same cosmic place it was amazing. It was amazing, almost like being a parent in away, every kid had their moment that things were a little stressful, got a bit overwhelmed, frustrated or something kind of like that. Each one had a day of that, or a moment of that. It was great to support these kids.

These were extraordinary kids. Just warm and committed, competitive with each other in a healthy way. Everyone had a lot of work to do and the movie was only going to work as well as how well any of the actors were prepared. And they all really did it. I think that is part of the competitive spirit, creatively, were privately they are like I do not want to be the one, I do not want to be the one with any mistakes. It was great. It was fun having an idea, having an instinct about kids and then actually delivering on that. It made me feel really proud. It was rewarding.

YR: How did you come about the setting for 18 To Party, the back of the building, the limited space and telling such great stories?

Jeff Roda: When you are making a film this size, until you are shooting the film is not definitely happening. We did not have that location until 2 days prior to the first day of shooting. And as originally written in the script, it was more one dimensional, more theatrical, the kids were hanging next to a mall. Again, it was originally written for the stage. As you saw from the back of this club, we found this place with 2 days left. We had to dress it. There are stairs, there is a loading dock area, a cement barrier that kids sit on. Just a lot more texture and space to work with.

We had a wonderful cinematographer named Gris Jordana. She did a lot with what was there. There was more than we thought was going to be there. She did so much with it. We really lucked into it. It was an abandoned place in Staten Island. There was a realtor sign next to it and it was called the number and we were in there.

It was not a club. Our entire production was inside that building and we were shooting outside. It is one of those things that came together. We are very, very lucky.

YR: What else do you have in the works or that you are working on with any of the actors in 18 to Party.

Jeff Roda: Several of them, I know Sam that played Peter, he is in a couple of series, one on Netflix with Christina Applegate and Linda Cartalini. He plays Christina Applegate’s’ son. Taylor, who plays Missy, she has been doing this for years. She was the last Annie on Broadway and I think she is in a series on Netflix. Tanner is working on the Kimmie Schmidt Show. And some are just going to school. They are really self-possessed. They are wonderful. They do not need to be acting stars. They can do anything that they want, and this is something they are doing now and exploring.

As for me, I am working on one specific movie, a script and hopefully it will be done within weeks. I am looking forward to reverse engineering 18 To Party back into a play. Which I think would be a great experience. Because I think there are a lot of roles for younger actors in acting school. I think it would a good piece for a group of kids to do together.

YR: How have you been impacted, as a filmmaker, by COVID-19?

Jeff Roda: It has not at all, frankly, because it is really up to me to write. Unfortunately, it has not at all because I have nothing to shoot right now. But it has affected the way a movie is released. The way a movie our size is released. It has completely changed everything, and I think people are really trying in the moment to pivot or understand what is happening with movies. Basically, movies cannot be released in the theaters right now. In any circumstance, to get an independent film out there to get tractions is very difficult. In some weird way, it is also very exciting because there are opportunities to get word of mouth. There are opportunities to roll it out slowly. We opened at the Alamo On Demand Virtual Cinema and Laemmle Virtual Cinema and then a month later a wider release on iTunes and Amazon Prime. So, in between that, we can get reviews, we can explore. There is a longer period now for people to discover the film. With this movie, if it had come out in May like it was supposed to, it would have been in a few theaters in New York and a few Los Angeles. You do not have a lot of money to promote it, so you are not going to get a lot of people regardless of the reviews being rave reviews. You are still going to have a per screen average of about $500 and then your movie is going to go away after a week or two. In some weird way, COVID has given these films more of a chance, for now. That is how it has affected filmmaking.

Distributor: Giant Pictures
Run time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Starring: Enzo Cellucci, Alivia Clark, Ashling Doyle, Tanner Flood, James Freedson-Jackson, Oliver Gifford, Nolan Lyons, Sam McCarthy, Ivy Miller, Taylor Richardson, Erich Schuett, Kevin Daniel Carey
Written & Directed by: Jeff Roda
Produced by: Nikola Duravcevic, Emily Ziff Griffin, Andrew Cahill, Stephanie Marin Production Company: Asterion Pictures in association with Cahill Bros
Editor: Katherine Williams, ACE
Cinematographer: Gris Jordana
Production Designer: San Bader
Costume Designer: Ava Lopez
Music: Dylan Neely, featuring the music of: The Alarm, Big Audio Dynamite, Mick Jones, The Velvet Underground and many more.

VIEW TRAILER BELOW!

KOKO-DI KOKO DA: An Interview with Director Johannes Nyholm

Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes
Director: Johannes Nyholm (THE GIANT)
Starring: Peter Belli, Leif Edlund, Ylva Gallon, Katarina Jackobson, Brandy Litmanen
Language: Swedish and Danish with English subtitles
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Horror, Fantasy

I had the pleasure of talking to Johannes Nyholm, director of Koko Di Koko Da.

A horror film about Elin and Tobias a happily married couple who regularly vacation with their young daughter. The family is on a dreamy holiday when an innocuous case of food poisoning derails their plans and forever alters the course of their lives.

YR: You have said that the setting for the film was in the wee hours of the morning when dreams are the most untamed and that is how you came up with idea for the film. Was that the process throughout the filmmaking?

Johannes Nyholm: Yes. This film had its own life. First of all, it was inspired by a dream that came to me. I saw what was happening in the film in front of my eyes while being half awake asleep in the wee hours. I wrote it down and shot it and I realized it had to be something more. It was too crude, harsh, too nightmarish. It was impossible to watch it. Things happen in my life by chance and the story elements that I added to the film were really strange things that just happened that told me how the story should be told. It did not feel like I came up with it. It is more like it came to me.

YR: You mentioned you had a background in classical animation.

Johannes Nyholm: Yes, I went to animation school along time ago. I also have a history of working with musician and doing a lot of music video. Music goes well with animation.

YR: You had two scenes of a family of rabbits telling the story of death, was that a way of paying homage to classical animation, including it in your work?

Johannes Nyholm: It wasn’t an idea of paying homage. I just felt it was needed to tell the story from a different perspective. And to show a little comfort and some beauty and poetry to the audience as well. Other wise without these images and musical interlude the film would be too horrible to endure.

YR: How and what did you do to prepare as a writer, director and producer for the film?

Johannes Nyholm: I started this film as a learning process. When I started to make this film, I had no experience directing. I had almost no experience working with a big film crew. I have made some music video before but did not have any sound on set there were just a couple people with a camera doing some improvised stuff. Now, it is like a complex story with a lot of people involved. For me it was a bit scary. But most of all, I kind of like the idea of losing control, of not really knowing what to do and how to solve things. It is more fun to work that way. I had hoped it adds some kind of primal element to the story. Even I as the director cannot really control it and something else would come out, something that is bigger than my thoughts, better than my thoughts, something more irrational.

YR: What was it like working with your cast members?

Johannes Nyholm: It was fantastic. As I said, it was like a learning process for me working with actors. I never even cast them. There was no competition for the lead characters.

I found two actors I have seen in a short film that a friend of mine had directed. And I really like their energy, their energy together. I knew with this film, did not have so much money. But what I wanted was time. So, I wanted people to invest their time, their energy in the film. I wanted someone that could go the extra mile. I felt that directly with them. I tried some scenes with them, going around in the car, tested out some dialogue and it felt right. I gave them the part without asking someone else or looking somewhere in another direction.

YR: Can you tell us if there are any other projects you are working on or that you are planning on?

Johannes Nyholm: Yes. Right now, I am writing a script for something completely different. It is a lot brighter, a lot lighter story. It is a slap stick comedy. It is inspired by old classic slap stick comedy, like Charlie Chaplin. I want to give a bit brighter side to life.

YR: As a filmmaker, how has COVID-19 impacted you?

Johannes Nyholm: For me personally, no, it does not affect the writing process. It doesn’t affect my actual filmmaking. but it affects the way the film I made is presented.

I think it is tragic that you cannot see movies in a theater but through the computer. It is sad. I would have loved to be in the states and be there in the audience and talk to them and discuss the film with them afterwards. That is a lot of what filmmaking is about, trying to communicate and talk about your experiences. You kind of lose a little part of that.

Distributed in North America by: Dark Star Pictures
Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes
Starring: Leif Edlund, Ylva Gallon, Katarina Jacobson, Peter Belli, Morad Baloo Khatchadorian, Brandy Litmanen
Director/Scriptwriter/Producer: Johannes Nyholm
Director of Photography: Johan Lundborg, Tobias Höiem-Flyckt
Executive Producer: Peter Hyldahl
Co-Producer: Maria Møller Christoffersen
Produced by: Penelope JulieBruun Bjerregaard
Assistant producer: Maria Møller Christoffersen
Co-producer: Peter Hyldahl
Executive producer: Johannes Nyholm
Cinematographers: Tobias Höiem-Flyckt, Johan Lundborg
Editor: Johannes Nyholm
Music: Olof Cornéer, Simon Ohlsson

VIEW TRAILER BELOW!

18 TO PARTY: Review

Original Release: 2019
Director and Writer: Jeff Roda
Starring: Alivia Clark, Tanner Flood, James Freedson-Jackson, Oliver Gifford, Nolan Lyons, Sam McCarthy, Ivy Miller, Taylor Richardson and Erich Schuett
Narrative Feature
Stars: 3.5

When Waiting to Get in A Line, Is More Important Than Getting in The Line

Jeff Roda’s directorial debut, 18 TO PARTY, captures the traumas and other life experiences of a group of young 8^th graders in the small town of Brighton, as they wait behind a building, near trash bins, for the chance to get in a line to gain entry into the Pulse club.

In the group of teenagers told to wait behind the building are Dean (Nolan Lyons) a computer geek. Peter (Sam McCarthy) the rich kid. Kira (Ivy Miller) who is concerned about what is going on in the world outside of Brighton. Missy (Taylor Richardson) who Kira called Messy because she urinated in her sleeping bag at the age of 12. James (Erich Schuett) a gifted artist of few words. Shel (Tanner Flood) the clean-cut honor student, a follow the rules kind of guy. He really stood out with his all-white shoes especially hanging out behind the grimy building. Important that he kept them clean. Brad (Oliver Gifford) a talented soccer player and artist who is deeply affected by Lanky’s brother suicide.

In another group are the kids that were allowed to wait near the main entrance, is Amy (Alivia Clark) whose father had recently died and Lanky (James Freedson-Jackson), who experienced the horror of his brother and his brother’s girlfriend’s suicide.

UFO sightings are a big deal to the kid’s parents. And while their13-year old are waiting to gain entry into a night club, the parents are at an UFO meeting, except for Shel’s dad, and that is only because his parents are divorced.

At their age, it would not be too much to assume their parents would have some idea where or what their kids are doing, even in a small town, yet none of the parents had any idea what or where their kids were. James shared that his parents do not ask him questions. Shel, the follow the rules guy, mom appeared to be the only parent that had a clue where her son was supposed to be, spending the night at Brad’s house.

The small town of Brighton is not plagued by drive-by shootings and gang violence. Yet, these 13 year old kids are confronted with the trauma of drug addition, alcoholism, suicide and divorce that can have devastating consequences just the same. Turning 18 does not always give them a lot to look forward to, especially considering they are just 13 years of age and already going to night clubs.

As they so often do, teenagers think their parents do not know anything and are totally clueless. It is certainly the case, with the UFOs citing that the kids’ parents take seriously and devote a lot of their too. There was never a balance between the critically important concerns and issues of their children and outside forces that affect their home, community, and town like UFOs.

Cinematographer Gris Jordana does a great job telling a vast range of compelling stories from the gritty space behind the Pulse building. It provides a great opportunity to hear the dialogue of the talented ensemble of young actors. One of the many memorable lines was a conversation between Amy and Shel. Shel ask, “why would they want to believe that?” Amy responds, “so they won’t have to believe anything else.” Those words go a long way in explaining why people can take a specific position and not have any rational in support of their position. We can now stop asking why? She was asked, why did she wet on herself and she said, “why do people do anything they do?”. The none verbal dialogue of James who drew portraits of the Brighton Seven, people who had succumbed to the many tragedies facing the teenagers and their communities, that he left on the graffitied filled walls of the back of the building.

Roda captures the sad and grim stories told with visuals of the back of the building with the trash bins, walls full of graffiti.

Music Supervisor Susan Jacobs and music featuring The Alarm, Big Audio Dynamite, Mick Jones, The Velvet Underground and others works well with the sometimes intense, emotional and funny scenes.

18 to Party is an enjoyable film, that goes a long way in telling the intimate struggles, concerns, and family dynamics of a group of young teenagers as they wait behind the building for the opportunity for what they thought to be important, being allowed to get in line, for getting in line for entry into the Pulse club.

Distributor: Giant Pictures
Run time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Starring: Enzo Cellucci, Alivia Clark, Ashling Doyle, Tanner Flood, James Freedson-Jackson, Oliver Gifford, Nolan Lyons, Sam McCarthy, Ivy Miller, Taylor Richardson, Erich Schuett, Kevin Daniel Carey
Written & Directed by: Jeff Roda
Produced by: Nikola Duravcevic, Emily Ziff Griffin, Andrew Cahill, Stephanie Marin Production Company: Asterion Pictures in association with Cahill Bros
Editor: Kate Williams
Cinematographer:: Gris Jordana
Production Designer: Sam Bader
Costume Designer: Ava Lopez
Music: Dylan Neely, featuring the music of: The Alarm, Big Audio Dynamite, Mick Jones, The Velvet Underground and many more

KOKO DI KOKO DA: Review

KokoDiKokoDa US Poster

Bottom line: Work it out so it will not work you over
Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes
Director: Johannes Nyholm (THE GIANT)
Starring: Peter Belli, Leif Edlund, Ylva Gallon, Katarina Jackobson, Brandy Litmanen
Language: Swedish and Danish with English subtitles
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Horror, Fantasy

Deal with the demons from within before you can take on the demons from without

Tobias (Leif Edlund), Elin (Ylva Gallon) and their daughter, Maja (Katarina Jacobson) travel to Demark to celebrate Maja’s 8^th birthday. Wearing their finest rabbit painted faces, they enjoy the day before her birthday with an enjoyable lunch. After lunch, Maja came upon a music box that played the Swedish nursey rhyme, Our Rooster Is Dead, that had her mesmerized. Her parents purchase the music box as a birthday present and have it gift wrapped. Things take a sudden horrific turn when Elin and Maja suffer from an allergic reaction to the shellfish they had for lunch in director Johannes Nyholm’s film KOKO DI KOKO DA.

Determined to celebrate their daughter and work on their crumbling marriage, Tobias and Elin set off on a camping trip that is soon anything but celebratory when three characters , Mog, a man with a straw hat (Peter Belli), Sampo, a huge giant of a man (Morad Baloo Khatchadorian) who carries a dead dog, and Cherry, a young woman with long black hair (Brandy Litmanen) with a vicious dog on a leach that is pictured on the music box, comes to life and torments Tobias and Elin over and over and over again.

Leif Edlund in Johannes Nyholm’s KOKO-DI KOKO-DA (Credit: Dark Star Pictures)

The bright, cheery atmosphere of Tobias, Elin, and Maja enjoying their lunch date, their laughter, their faces painted as rabbits shows the love, happy, and fun times the family shared. The changes in lighting as they arrived at their camping site in the forest.

Cinematographers Johan Lundborg and Tobias Holem-Flyckt keeps the fear going strong with the images depicted in the dark and creepy woods as three of Satan’s own torments them.
Olof Cornéer and Simon Ohlsson music scores provides suspense

After leaving the gas station, in route to the forest, Elin and Tobias are on the verge of a heated discussion because of Tobias’ perceived in difference to Elin and his constant joking, when Elin says to Tobias, “why don’t you say what you actually mean, for once? Tobias then tells her “I love you”. The line was a great neutralizer and diffuse the situation so they can at least start on the same page.

The two times the film transitioned into an old school curtain puppet show animation with three rabbits representing the family to tell the story of Maja death and the old rooster adds a surprising and unique element to the storytelling.

Considering how much Tobias liked to joke, it made for some funny moments in an otherwise deeply disturbing film, when Tobias, scarred to death, runs around frantically in his underwear.

Koko-Di Koko Da conveys a powerful message of the importance of people confronting and learning to deal with issues of grief and pain that resides in oneself, because if not, life will become one big loop, with the pain and sorrow endlessly replaying over and over and over again, making the life’s obstacles difficult to overcome.

Distributed in North America by: Dark Star Pictures
Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes
Starring: Leif Edlund, Ylva Gallon, Katarina Jacobson, Peter Belli, Morad Baloo Khatchadorian, Brandy Litmanen
Production Company: Johannes Nyholm Production and Beofilm
Director/Scriptwriter/Producer: Johannes Nyholm
Director of Photography: Johan Lundborg, Tobias Höiem-Flyckt
Executive Producer: Peter Hyldahl
Co-Producer: Maria Møller Christoffersen
Produced by: Penelope JulieBruun Bjerregaard
Assistant producer: Maria Møller Christoffersen
Co-producer: Peter Hyldahl
Executive producer: Johannes Nyholm
Cinematographers: Tobias Höiem-Flyckt, Johan Lundborg
Editor: Johannes Nyholm
Music: Olof Cornéer, Simon Ohlsson

SLEEPLESS BEAUTY Available on VOD + Digital November 10th

Available on Blu-ray November 17th

Runtime: 1 hour 24 minutes
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Genre: Horror
Director: Pavel Khvaleeva
Starring: Polina Davydova

SLEEPLESS BEAUTY tells a twisted story about a young woman, Mila, who is kidnapped by a mysterious organization known as Recreation. Her unknown abductors talk to her through a loudspeaker and set strict rules: she cannot sleep and has to fulfill bizarre and violent tasks if she hopes to stay alive. At first, it looks like someone’s sick idea of entertainment but as the demands become more intense, Mila begins to realize that she is losing control of her own mind and instead, may be a pawn in a twisted and deadly psychological experiment.

About Epic Pictures

Since the foundation of the company in 2007, CEO Patrick Ewald has grown Epic Pictures into an independent content studio with the mission of delivering the best-in-class genre entertainment “for fans, by fans.” Epic Pictures produces, finances, and distributes approximately twenty-thirty independent genre films a year. In 2013, the company established Epic Pictures Releasing which is its US focused distribution division. In 2017, Epic Pictures acquired the world’s most popular horror website, Dread Central, and launched its unique horror label, Dread, followed by its AVOD channel, DreadTV. In 2019, Epic Pictures started the horror gaming site, DreadXP, with a focus on editorial, reviews, podcasts, and original streaming content. In 2020, DreadXP began a video game publishing division with the launch of The Dread X Collection, an anthology of horror games in collaboration with some of the most innovative developers in the independent gaming space. https://epic-pictures.com/

Epic Pictures
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epicpicturesgroup
Twitter: https://twitter.com/epic_pictures

Dread
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dreadpresents
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dreadpresents

Blu-ray Preorder: https://epic-pictures.com/merchandise/sleepless-beauty-blu-ray

Runtime: 1 hour 24 minutes
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Genre: Horror
Director: Pavel Khvaleeva
Starring: Polina Davydova
Writer: Aleksandra Khvaleeva
Producers: Frank Ellrich, Georgiy Smirnov and Elena Talyanksaya
Cinematographer: Pavel Khvaleev
Editor: Pavel Khvaleev
Production Co.: A Monomania Films Production

KOKO-DI KOKO-DA Opens in Virtual Cinemas on November 6th

KOKO-DI KOKO-DA opens in Virtual Cinemas on November 6th in Los Angeles and New York at the Laemmle Theaters and major cities including: Philadelphia at the Film Society, Cleveland at the Cinematheque, Columbus at the Gateway Film Center and Durham at the Carolina Theater with more cities to follow.

DARK STAR PICTURES Opens November 6^th in virtual theaters in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Cleveland and major cities to follow

VOD Release in US and Canada December 8 on Apple TV/ iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox, Vudu, You Tube, Fandango Now, Dish Network and all major cable providers Comcast/Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox and Verizon Fios

Elin and Tobias are a happily married couple who regularly vacation with their young daughter. The family is on a dreamy holiday when an innocuous case of food poisoning derails their plans and forever alters the course of their lives.

KOKO-DI KOKO-DA is written, directed and produced by Johannes Nyholm, a Swedish, Gothenburg-based writer and director, managing his own production company. He has made a bunch of music videos, some short films and one feature, THE GIANT. With a background in classical animation he often mixes different styles and cinematic universes, moving freely in the border between dream and reality.

An official selection at Sundance Film Festival, Rotterdam Film Festival, Seattle Film Festival, Karlovy Vary Film Festival, Fantasia Film Festival (WINNER! AQCC-Camera Lucida Prize), and Fantastic Fest.

Distributed in North America by: Dark Star Pictures
Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes
Starring: Leif Edlund, Ylva Gallon, Katarina Jacobson, Peter Belli, Morad Baloo Khatchadorian, Brandy Litmanen
Production Company: Johannes Nyholm Production and Beofilm
Director/Scriptwriter/Producer: Johannes Nyholm
Director of Photography: Johan Lundborg, Tobias Höiem-Flyckt
Executive Producer: Peter Hyldahl
Co-Producer: Maria Møller Christoffersen
Produced by: Penelope JulieBruun Bjerregaard
Assistant producer: Maria Møller Christoffersen
Co-producer: Peter Hyldahl
Executive producer: Johannes Nyholm
Cinematographers: Tobias Höiem-Flyckt, Johan Lundborg
Editor: Johannes Nyholm
Music: Olof Cornéer, Simon Ohlsson

THE BOULET BROTHERS’ ‘CREATURES OF THE NIGHT’ ep. UNLUCKY 13 on October 22nd

Calling all horror fans!! Tune into The Dread Central Podcast Network at midnight on Thursday, October 22nd for the 13th episode of The Boulet Brothers' CREATURES OF THE NIGHT podcast!

"The Boulet Brothers celebrate their unlucky 13th episode with terrifying news updates about upcoming horror releases and the Boulets’ guide to celebrating Halloween at home this year. The team dives into Josh Boone’s “New Mutants” on the episode’s movie review, and in their special Halloween Haunting of History they explore the folklore behind modern day Jack-O-Lanterns."

The Boulet Brothers' 'Creatures of the Night’ features co-host Ian DeVoglaer, and a roster of esteemed special guests from the intersection of queer media and horror, including enigmatic cyber witch and pop singer Poppy, burlesque star Dita Von Teese, actress Rose McGowan, Darren Stein (writer and director of Jawbreaker), and Rachel True (star of The Craft), with the list growing every episode. The Boulet Brothers welcome listeners as they discuss their latest projects, provide behind-the-scenes sneak peaks, review the latest horror movies, and give listeners real life horror history lessons on famous hauntings from the past.

The Boulet Brothers’ ‘Creatures of the Night’ joins Dread Central’s roster of horror programs including The Who Goes There, G.U.T.S, and Real Professional podcasts. For more information on the Dread Central Podcast Network please visit https://www.dreadcentral.com/dread-central-podcast-network/

About the Boulet Brothers

The Boulet Brothers (known individually as Dracmorda and Swanthula Boulet) are drag artists, television personalities, writers, and producers. Their projects have included horror themed television shows, live nightlife productions, books, movies, and comic books. Since 2016 the Boulet Brothers have produced and starred in the Netflix reality competition series The Boulet Brothers' Dragula. The duo are considered to be “modern day horror hosts”. Outside of their television projects, the Boulet Brothers appear regularly as featured guests, performers and emcees at horror conventions, nightclubs and live events. The Boulet Brothers are also widely celebrated as queer icons due to the inclusive nature of their creative endeavors.

About Epic Pictures x Dread

Since the foundation of the company in 2007, CEO Patrick Ewald has grown Epic Pictures into an independent content studio with the mission of delivering the best-in-class genre entertainment “for fans, by fans.” Epic Pictures produces, finances, and distributes approximately twenty-thirty independent genre films a year. In 2013, the company established Epic Pictures Releasing which is its US focused distribution division. In 2017, Epic Pictures acquired the world’s most popular horror website, Dread Central, and launched its unique horror label, Dread, followed by its AVOD channel, DreadTV as well as the Dread Central Podcast Network. In 2019, Epic Pictures started the horror gaming site, DreadXP, with a focus on editorial, reviews, and original streaming content. In 2020, DreadXP began a video game publishing division with the launch of The Dread X Collection, an anthology of horror games in collaboration with some of the most innovative developers in the independent gaming space. https://epic-pictures.com https://dreadcentral.com https://dreadxp.com

SLEEPLESS BEAUTY Trailer

On VOD and Digital November 10th
On Blu-ray November 17th

Runtime: 1 hour 24 minutes
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Genre: Horror
Director: Pavel Khvaleeva
Starring: Polina Davydova

SLEEPLESS BEAUTY tells a twisted story about a young woman, Mila, who is kidnapped by a mysterious organization known as Recreation. Her unknown abductors talk to her through a loudspeaker and set strict rules: she cannot sleep and has to fulfill bizarre and violent tasks if she hopes to stay alive. At first, it looks like someone’s sick idea of entertainment but as the demands become more intense, Mila begins to realize that she is losing control of her own mind and instead, may be a pawn in a twisted and deadly psychological experiment.

SLEEPLESS BEAUTY made its world premiere at the 2020 Imagine Film Festival and was an official selection for the 2020 Sitges Film Festival, 2020 Dead Of Night Film Festival, and 2020 Obscura Berlin Film Festival. SLEEPLESS BEAUTY will be available on VOD + Digital platforms beginning Tuesday, November 10, 2020 and will be available on Blu-ray beginning Tuesday, November 17, 2020.

Epic Pictures

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epicpicturesgroup
Twitter: https://twitter.com/epic_pictures

Dread

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dreadpresents
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dreadpresents

SLEEPLESS BEAUTY available on VOD/Digital Tuesday, November 10, 2020:

Blu-ray Preorder:
https://epicpictures.com/merchandise/sleepless-beauty-blu-ray

About Epic Pictures

In 2017, Epic Pictures acquired the world’s most popular horror website, Dread Central, and launched its unique horror label, Dread, followed by its AVOD channel, DreadTV. In 2019, Epic Pictures started the horror gaming site, DreadXP, with a focus on editorial, reviews, podcasts, and original streaming content. In 2020, DreadXP began a video game publishing division with the launch of The Dread X Collection, an anthology of horror games in collaboration with some of the most innovative developers in the independent gaming space. https://epic-pictures.com/

VIEW TRAILER BELOW!

THE ANTENNA on VOD in US and Canada October 20th

THE ANTENNA is currently in Virtual Theaters

Will be out on VOD in the United States and Canada on October 20th

Including on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox, Vudu, Dish Network and all major cable providers

Director and Writer: Orçun Behram
Starring: Ihsan Önal, Gül Arici, Levent Ünsal, Isil Zeynep, Murat Saglam, Elif Çakman, Mert Toprak Yadigar and Eda Öze.

In a dystopian Turkey, the Government installs new networks throughout the country to monitor information.

The installation goes wrong in a crumbling apartment complex and Mehmet (Ihsan Önal), the building intendant, will have to confront the evil entity behind the inexplicable transmissions that threaten the residents.

Born in 1987, filmmaker Orçun Behram graduated from Columbia College, Chicago majoring film in 2011. Establishing himself in Istanbul, he has worked on variety of projects from music videos and short films to documentaries. The Antenna (2019) is the director’s first feature.

Runtime: 1 hour 55 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Horror
Language: Turkish with English subtitles
North American Distributor: Dark Star Pictures

DARK STAR PICTURES

Dark Star Pictures is a new-age North American distribution company, focused on bringing unique and targeted content to audiences across the country. The company is committed to releasing auteur-driven, original cinema in the theatrical, digital and home video space. Dark Star’s goal is to create original marketing campaigns directly catered to audiences who will embrace our brand of thought-provoking cinema. The company also services distribution companies and producers in the theatrical, digital, and festival space.

Official Selection: Toronto International Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, Fantasia International Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival and many more.

VIEW TRAILER BELOW!

59 Film Festivals in 2020

59 Film Festivals 2020Pan African Film and Arts Festival
Los Angeles, CA
Established 28 years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
February 11-23, 2020
www.paff.org

Heartland International Film Festival
Indianapolis, IN
Establishes 29 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 9, 2020
www.heartlandfilm.org

Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Hot Springs National Park, AR
Established 29 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 12, 2020
www.hsdfi.org

Portland Film Festival
Portland, OR
Established 8 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 12, 2020
www.portlandfilmfestival.comBendFilm Festival
Bend, Oregon
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 12, 2020
www.bendfilm.org
October 8-11, 2020

Napa Valley Film Festival
Napa, CA
Established 10 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 14, 2020
www.napavalleyfilmfest.org

Tacoma Film Festival
Tacoma, Washington
Established 15 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
www.tacomafilmfestival.com
October 8-15, 2020Mammoth Lakes Film Festival
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Established 6 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
www.mammothlakesfilmfestival.com
May 20-24, 2020

Brooklyn Film Festival
Brooklyn, NY
Established 23 Years ago
Canadian Screen Award Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 17, 2020
www.brooklynfilmfestival.org
June 2020 (10-days)

deadCenter Film Festival
Oklahoma City, OK
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 21, 2020
www.deadcenterfilm.org
June 2020 (3 days)

Crossroads Film Festival
Jackson, Mississippi
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 21, 2020
crossroadsfilmfestival.com
November 2020

Palm Springs International ShortFest
Palm Springs, CA
Established 26 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 24, 2020
www.psfilmfest.org
June 16-22, 2020

Chagrin Documentary Film Festival
Chagrin Falls, Ohio, United States
Established 11 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 24, 2020
www.chagrinfilmfest.org
October 6-11, 2020

Big Apple Film Festival and Screenplay Competition
New York, New York, United States
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 25, 2020
www.bigapplefilmfestival.com
May 19-21, 2020

Julien Dubuque International Film Festival

Dubuque, IA,
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 26, 2020
www.julienfilmfest.com
April 22-26, 2020Seattle International Film Festival
Seattle, WA
Established 46 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 28, 2020
www.siff.net
May 14-June 7, 2020

Calgary International Film Festival
Calgary, AB, Canada
Established 21 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: February 28, 2020
www.calgaryfilm.com
September 23-October 4, 2020

DC Shorts International Film Festival
Washington, DC
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 28, 2020
www.dcshorts.com
September 2020San Jose International Short Film Festival
San Jose, CA
Established 12 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 29, 2020
www.sjsff.com
October 2020

Washington West International Film Festival
Reston, VA
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 29, 2020
www.wwfilmfest.com
October 22-26, 2020

San Diego Underground Film Festival
San Diego, CA
Established 6 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 29, 2020
www.sdundergroundarts.org
August 20-23, 2020

34th Edmonton International Film Festival
EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada
Established 34 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.edmontonfilmfest.com
September 24-October 3, 2020

Woods Hole Film Festival
Woods Hole, MA
Established 29 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.woodsholefilmfestival.com
July 25-August 1, 2020

Shriekfest Horror/Sci-Fi Film Festival & Screenplay competition
Los Angeles, CA
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.shriekfest.com
October 1-4, 2020

Twister Alley Film Festival
Woodward, OK,
Established 5 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 1, 2020
www.twisteralleyfilmfestival.com
April 30-May 2, 2020

Denver Film Festival
Denver, Colorado
Established 43 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.denverfilmfestival.org
October/November 2020

Fantasia Film Festival
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Established 24 Years ago
Canadian Screen Award Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.fantasiafestival.com
July 16-August 5, 2020

FilmQuest
Provo, Utah
Established 7 years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.filmquestfest.com
September 4-12, 2020

Harlem International Film Festival
Harlem, NY
Established 15 Years ago
Next Deadline: January 17, 2020
www.harlemfilmfestival.org
May 14-17, 2020

Austin Revolution Film Festival
Austin, TX
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.austinrevolution.com
Septeber 9-12, 2020Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto, Ontario, Candada
Established 44 Years ago
Next deadline: April 19, 2020
www.tiff.net
September 10-19, 2020

Oak Cliff Film Festival
Dallas, TX
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 2, 2020
www.oakclifffilmfestival.com
June 2020

Santa Fe Independent Film Festival
Santa Fe, NM
Established 12 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 4, 2020

Abuja International Film Festival
Lagos, Nigeria
Established 19 Years ago
Next dealine: February 29, 2020
www.abujafilmfestival.org

October 2020

Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival
Los Angeles, CA
Established 38 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.outfest.org
July 16-26, 2020

Hawaii International Film Festival
Honolulu, Hawaii
Established 40 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.hiff.org
April 17-23, 2020

Coney Island Film Festival
Brooklyn, NY
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.coneyislandfilmfestival.com
September 11-13, 2020

Nevada City Film Festival
Nevada City, CA
Established 20 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 6, 2020
www.nevadacitychamber.com

August 28-September 4, 2020

International Black Movie Festival
Nashville, TN
Established Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31, 2020
www.ibffevents.com
September 30-October 4, 2020

Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Established 9 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 8, 2020
www.evolutionfilmfestival.org
March 2020

Camden International Film Festival
Camden, ME
Established 16 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 9, 2020
www.pointsnorthinstitute.org
October 1-4, 2020

Lone Star Film Festival
Fort Worth, Texas
Established 14 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 9, 2020
www.lonestarfilmfestival.com
November 4-8, 2020

New Orleans Film Festival
New Orleans, LA
Established 31 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 13, 2020
www.neworleansfilmsociety.org
February 27-March 4, 2020

Golden Door International Film Festival
Jersey City, New Jersey-New York
Established 10 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 13, 2020
www.goldendoorfilmfestival.org
September 17-22, 2020

San Francisco Black Film Festival
San Francisco, CA
Established
www.sfbff.org
June 2020

Sidewalk Film Festival
Birmingham, Alabama
Established 22 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 16, 2020
www.sidewalkfest.com
February 7-13, 2020

HollyShorts Screenplay Contest
Sherman Oaks, CA
Established 7 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 20, 2020
www.hollyshorts.com
August 11-20, 2020

Nashville Film Festival
Nashville, Tennessee
Established 51 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 27, 2020
www.nashvillefilmfestival.org
October 1-7, 2020

Austin Film Festival
Austin, Texax
Established 27 Years ago
Academy Award ® Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 27, 2020
www.austinfilmfestival.com
October 22-29, 2020

Iris Prize LGBT+ Film Festival
CARDIFF, United Kingdom
Established 14 Years ago
BAFTA Qualifying
Next Deadline: March 30, 2020
www.irisprize.org
October 6-11, 2020

Filmfestival Kitzbuehel
Vienna, Austria
Established 8 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 30, 2020
www.ffkb.at
August 24-30, 2020

SCAD Savannah Film Festival
Savannah, Georgia
Established 23 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31, 2020
www.filmfest.scad.edu/festival
October-November, 2020

Cannes Film Festival
Cannes, France
Established 73 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
https://m.festival-cannes.com
May 12-23, 2020

American Black Film Festival
Miami Beach, FL
Established 24 Years ago
Next Deadline: February 15, 2020
www.abff.com
June 17-21, 2020

Stony Brook Film Festival
Stony Brook, New York
Established 25 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31, 2020
www.stonybrookfilmfestival.com
July 16-25, 2020

Oaxaca FilmFest
Oaxaca, Mexico
Established 11 Years ago
Next Deadline: March 31,
www.oaxacafilmfest.com
October 9-15, 2020

San Diego Black Film Festival
San Diego, CA
Established 17 Years ago
Next Deadline:
www.sdbff.com
January 27-31, 2021