Werewolves, serial killers and the forces of darkness will take center stage at Bogota’s 2009 Horror Film Festival.
The blood-spattered faces of innocent victims, a cry of anguish fragmenting a quiet suburban night, and gruesome murders of – who else? – girls in bikinis, will be scenes repeating over and over again during October, the month of horror film celebrated by Otrocine 2009, Bogota’s Horror film festival.
An encounter with the dark side of cinema will be possible for filmgoers who will have their pick of over 60 titles, both commerical and independent, shown across 20 theaters all month.
There will be films to suit all tastes, with films such as Case 39, Inglourious Basterds, Saw VI, and Sector 9, starring Hollywood figures such as Renee Zellweger and Brad Pitt. There will also be more international fare, such as the French offering Frontiers, Argentina’s I Will Not Die Alone, and the Colombian film Flashback, which, although low-budget, is still capable of shattering the nerves of experienced horror fans.
Flashback, made by festival director Miguel Urrutia, was shot in 13 days for 300 million pesos (approx. US$150,000). 450 people helped to choose the film’s ending from a number of alternatives offered by the director.
“It was a movie I made with guts, desire, talent and no money. It’s about a girl who wakes up in bed with a stranger after a night of drinking and he happens to be the ideal man, except that he’s a serial killer,” said Urrutia.
As well as being part of the festival’s program, Flashback will have a free premiere screening at Media Torta on October 31.
The festival will celebrate its second showing this year and will officially begin its schedule on October 1 in the Procinal rooms, the film society of the Central University, and at the Mambo.
“We’re a festival in every sense of the word, because we have no jury, no special guests. We are a large exhibition of film, at which everyone is a curator. A sample of [world horror films], where you can see what the French and also the Italians are doing. The space is ideal for comparing gringo remakes with Japanese originals, or view all the Saw movies, culminating with the newest release,” said festival director Urrutia.
The festival seeks to create movement around genre film, which it hopes to demonstrate to investors and exhibitors that horror film is profitable and indispensable for creating a healthy society, newspaper El Espectador reports. The sanitization of the genre has made it increasingly difficult to find a market for these films.
“We have created a campaign aimed at making people understand that you’re not a pervert because you likes horror films. And of course, that seeing movies of this genre is not advocating violence. This has allowed us to make important alliances to reach a larger audience,” said Urrutia. “We hope that the public will also pressure exhibitors to allow space for other genres of film, especially horror.”
And as if the film festival didn’t have enough going for it, a crucial Colombian element will be thrown into the mix: la rumba. Just like at all the major film festivals of the world, horror aficionados will be able to rub shoulders at six parties at Bogota’s most popular venues: Penthouse, Alma Bar, Cha Cha Club, Music Factory, Armando Records, and Martina Bar.
The parties will be themed, of course. Alma Bar will host a party for slashers and serial killers on October 1; Armando Records will hold a sci-fi party on October 9, and a werewolf party on October 16; Leather and Chains will be celebrated at the Music Factory on October 23; Otrocine Girls 2009 Take Cuadrapicha on October 30; and the closing party will be held, appropriately, on Halloween (October 31) under the theme The Sum of All Your Fears.
The complete festival schedule can be found at its official site.