The North’s premiere cult film festival Grimmfest is celebrating its fifth birthday this year and will boast a bumper 36 films spanning no less than five days.
MM caught up with the Grimm guys to bring you their picks on what not to miss this year…
Grimmfest 2013 features a heady mixture of international and national movie premieres, cult genre classics and special film maker and celebrity appearances.
Opening on Wednesday October 2 with a special preview night at the Art Deco Super Cinema in Stockport it features the fully restored 40th anniversary re-release of cult classic The Wicker Man.
Then from Thursday October 3 through to Sunday October 6 the film festival will be showing feature and short films from all over the world across in Manchester’s Dancehouse theatre.
Always growing, this year the festival has launched its own Grimmfest Fringe – bringing leftfield and challenging independent cinema to the Lass O’Gowrie on Oxford Road.
MM grabbed five minutes with assistant festival co-ordinator Benjamin Ross.
After many a late night trying to select the movies, Ben was clearly reluctant to then have to whittle it down even further to just five. But with some persuasion he managed it!
So without further ado, we bring you Grimm’s top five festival picks.
On Air (Thursday October 3, 9.25pm, Dancehouse Theatre)
This German offering follows a radio DJ, Doc Roc, whose big mouth gets him caught up in the hunt for a serial killer called ‘The Nightslasher’. Doc Roc is challenged, by the killer himself, that if he can prevent the next murder before his show goes off air, he will release her without harm.
Ben said: “This was the last film I saw when we were in Cannes and I did it as a last minute decision.
“I have been championing this one myself as I brought it in to the schedule and we have managed to secure a European premiere as this wasn’t shown at Fright Fest.”
The Machine (Sunday October 6, 7.30pm, Dancehouse Theatre)
This UK film is about two computer programmers who fall in love while making a robot to help humanity – which is subsequently hijacked by the Ministry of Defence to become a killing machine.
Closing the festival, this feature has been described by Sound on Sight as ‘the closest to Blade Runner any film has come since 1981’.
Ben said: “This is more of a Sci-Fi offering but it’s very interesting.
“This will be the Northern premier of the film as we will be showing it immediately after its national premiere at the Raindance festival in London.”
Thanatomorphose (Sunday October 6, 11.00am, Lass O’Gowrie)
From director Éric Falardeau this Spanish feature focuses on a young sculptress who, after escaping an abusive relationship, notices that her body is starting to decay and rot.
Ben said: “This film is something really different and out there.
“This was chosen by our festival programmer Steve Balshaw and we expect it to be a breakout from the Fringe films.”
To read our full preview on this grisly slab of peculiar horror, click here.
Radio Silence (Wednesday October 2, 9.00pm, The Stockport Plaza)
The only short film on this list is presented by Manchester director Mat Johns and was shot completely around Manchester and Salford.
You may recognise his name – he caused somewhat of a stir last year with the unfeasibly powerful short Run.
His latest effort focuses on the daily attempts of a Zombie Apocalypse survivor to find fellow survivors through her radio broadcasts from Salford.
Ben said: “We love promoting northern, and in particular, local talent as at Grimmfest we are heavily involved in the Manchester film community.”
House of the 100 Eyes (Thursday October 3, 3.40pm, Lass O’Gowrie)
Mixing claustrophobic tension, harrowing scenes of murder and torture and extremely cruel black comedy, this American film follows a suburban couple in their attempts to make their latest ‘snuff’ film.
The film continually challenges the audience’s expectations and early scenes focusing on the couple’s attempts to lure victims into their home are very much a parody gonzo porn films.
Ben said: “We believe this could be a real breakout film as it is such an interesting and engaging piece.”
To see the full schedule and ticket information for Grimmfest 2013 please visit http://grimmfest.com/grimmupnorth/
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