Romford Horror Film Festival set to return!

31st January 202331st January 2023 The Havering Dailiy 1 Comment Premiere Cinema, Romford, Romford Horror Film Festival min read

February the 23rd sees the return of the very popular Romford Horror Festival (aka HorRHIFFic), the festival which is in its third year runs until the 26th of February at Romford’s Premiere Cinema. Over the course of the four-day event guests will be able to watch 102 features and short films. this year the festival will run over two screens providing the widest possible choice for the audience.

There’s a definite Italian horror theme this year after a long unseen interview with acclaimed horror director Lucio Fulci called Fulci Talks was unearthed last year. to celebrate this the festival is bringing in two huge Italian stars from the heyday of Italian horror Silvia Collatina and Giovanni Lombardo Radice, both worked closely with the director on some of his most famous films. The actors will be at the festival throughout and be taking part in exclusive new interviews which will be followed by signings for fans.

“This year is a real turning point for the festival” says festival director Spencer Hawken “We last planned to have special guests in 2020 when we were going to bring Exorcist actress Eileen Dietz over, Covid-19 put a stop to that and instead we pre-recorded content with her that was played throughout the festival. So having these Italian legends here for the public to meet and enjoy is a real coup.”

But its not just about paying homage to the past there are 100 brand new features and shorts screening as part of the festival. These films come from all over the world an include several world and UK premieres, budgets on these films range from just a few pounds to a couple of million.

While the festival has a lot of films that have screened very successfully other Film Festivals such as Eating Miss Campbell, Feed Me, A Life On The Farm, and Mask of the Devil. It also has a number a first run films including PouFrom South Africa and The Uncanny who’s director Clara Gabrielle and star Marie Laurin A flying in from LA to screen.The film The Quantum Devil will also have an outing, a sci-fi horror tale with a difference.

Comedy horror is high on the agenda with Puppetkiller, The Iron Sheik Massacre a film about a killer wrestling toy, Tatties features a series of rather unpleasant potatoes And veteran actress Linda Marlowe takes manners to a brand new level ain A Hymn To Her. If that’s not enough what’s not to love about a killer taco in the film All You Can Eat.

Big budget thrills can be found in the movies The Ones You Didn’t Burn, They Wait In The Dark, Meanspirited and The Ghost Writer all making rare festival appearances. There is also a high representation of films from Spain, Belgium, Taiwan, Korea, Germany, France and Ireland adding a real international feel to the event, with filmmakers flying in especially for the event.

The film Videoshop Tales Of Terror starring Dani Thompson, Laurence Harvey and Charlie Bond returns to its true home, having largely been shot at the Mercury. The film recently hada sold out screening at Horror on Sea a few weeks ago, this time however it’s showing fully uncut.

Other local talent includes the return to the festival of Chelmsford’s Scott Lyus with his new film Walking Against The Rain, Southend’s Ark Indie productions See What She Did and Room 301 the latter directed by Game of Thrones star Darren Kent. The feature film Horoscopes has a segment made by Alexander Churchyard From Southend, Churchyard of TIS Films has previously played film’s Ice Cream On The Beach and The Allotment at the festivals and also has a strong presence on the aforementioned Videoshop Tales Of Terror a film masterminded by Romford resident Singh Lall. Romford filmmaker Carrie Kendall will also be screening her short documentary We Are The Final Girls.

And if this was not enough there will be a number of vendors at the event selling horror themed art, board games, DVD’s,Blu-rays, T-shirts and books. The actors attending will be doing signings on the Saturday after Fulci Talks and the Sunday at 6pm.

The festival kicks off with a free screening of Michael Mann’s The Keep on Thursday 23rd at 7pm. Tickets for the free event can be reserved via Eventbrite a link is on the Romford Horror Festival website. For those that have full festival passes this will be followed up by a launch party with live music and some horror themed cocktails at around 9pm.

You can get your tickets at www.romfordhorrorfestival.comindividual tickets are £4, the Silvia and Giovanni interview is £10. Day passes are £15 or a full festival pass is just £34 and includes all films and activities and a free HorRHIFFic T-shirt.

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