SCREAMFEST LA 2002: A VENUE FOR HORROR
FILMMAKERS AND SCREENWRITERS
by Thomas M. Sipos, L.A. Bureau Chief [June,
11, 2002]
[HollywoodInvestigator.com] In a town with seemingly more film festivals and awards than days in the
year, here comes one devoted exclusively to horror -- Screamfest
L.A. And filmmakers and screenwriters hungering for recognition
are already submitting their best.
Now in its second year, Screamfest
L.A. was founded by producers Rachel
Belofsky and Ross
Martin.
In an exclusive interview with the Hollywood Investigator, Belofsky explains: "I'm a filmmaker,
and understand how hard it is to get your film out there and be seen, so
I wanted to help fellow filmmakers. And I started a festival devoted
to horror because there aren't any in L.A. I like scary movies and
thought this would be fun."
Last year,
Belofsky helped select the films to be screened, with the audience voting
for winners in various categories. That should also be true for 2002. What appeals to Belofsky? "To me a good horror film isn't blood and
guts. It is one that keeps you on the edge of your seat biting your
nails. That is just my personal taste. Others prefer blood
and guts."
In other
words, gore films have a shot. The 2001
selections featured both atmospheric and gory films, including slashers
and flesh-eating zombies.
Of Screamfest
L.A. 2001, Belofsky says: "The response was fabulous. The filmmakers
were pleased and the majority have kept in touch. Fans liked it and
are joining our mailing list like crazy. The industry's response
was great. Dimension Films requested to see all of the winning films
and screenplays. There is a Canadian television station reviewing
the films for possible acquisitions."
A Hollywood
Investigator source who attended 2001's Screamfest L.A. estimated several
dozen filmgoers in attendance. Belofsky refuses to release the number
of entries, saying such information is "confidential." But she adds:
"The response and submissions have greatly increased this year. We
are receiving a good amount. We have a couple hundred on the mailing
lists."
Last
year's final selections, which included both features and shorts, were
screened in Hollywood's Vogue Theater. The Vogue is one of those
rare old theaters that have escaped modernization and multiplexing. It remains dim, cavernous, and rundown -- and may be described as ratty
or atmospheric, according to one's taste. It is reputed
to be haunted.
Belofsky's
interests extend beyond horror. "I am most proud of Fast
Women, my award-winning documentary about women in auto racing. The awards [are from] the Angelciti Chicago Film Festival and the NY Independent
Film Festival. We are competing for Emmy nominations in the categories
of Non-Fiction Outstanding Special & Outstanding Single Camera Editing."
Belofsky
adds that Fast Women was licensed to WE. "The Women's Entertainment
network, owned by AMC. Have you seen the billboards driving down
Sunset Boulevard? Jay Leno did a little joke on it."
As an
actress, Belofsky recently appeared in a film trailer for the horror film Driller. She is currently "developing a few feature films" and is producing Screamfest
2002 without Martin. "My partner decided that he did not like producing
at all and wanted to go back to just writing. Producing is a hard
job. So I respect his decision and wait for his next screenplay to
become a film."
Whereas the
selections for Screamfest 2001 were screened over two days, Screamfest
2002 will extend over four days -- from October 17 through October 20. The entry deadline is August 15 for films and September 15 for screenplays.
Are YOU a horror filmmaker seeking publicity? Be sure to enter the Hollywood
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Copyright 2002 by HollywoodInvestigator.com
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