Nightmares Film Festival 2022returns to Columbus, Ohio, on October 20th to 23rd and has announced an impressive lineup. This is the seventh year for the Midwestern film fest, highlighting indie and mainstream filmmakers and talent with world premieres, Q&A events, 19 feature film screenings, and 150 short film screenings.
In a statement, Nightmares Film Festival co-founders Jason Tostevin and Chris Hamel said:
“We are so honored the world’s top genre creators trust us to present their work. This year’s program, including dozens of premieres from more than 25 countries, is absolutely brimming with the outrageous, hilarious, challenging and thought-provoking genre experiences our audience loves.”
Here are highlights for the 2022 festival lineup!
Returning Terrors: Anticipated Horror Sequels
Returning Terrors is one of the most exciting categories, which will feature four highly anticipated horror sequels. A sequel to 2013’sWNUF Halloween Special,WNUF 2will screena special “Nightmares Cut” of the film.WNUFis presented as a late-1980s news broadcast airing on Halloween night, complete with local news, parody commercials, and the exploration of a haunted house. Although it has flown under the radar for some, the film has quickly become a modern cult classic.
Related:Best Horror Cult Movies, Ranked
Another sequel fans have been anticipatingisScare Package 2: Rad Chad’s Revenge.Scare Packageis an anthology film released on Shudder in 2020 with the wraparound story focusing on a horror-obsessed owner of a video store named Rad Chad’s Horror Emporium. The synopsis reads:
“When horror guru Rad Chad Buckley’s funeral turns into an elaborate series of hilarious death traps, the guests must band together and use the rules of horror to survive the bloody game.”
Writer-director Justin M. Seaman’sThe Barn Part IIis also making its Ohio debut. The film is a sequel to the 2016 filmThe Barn, and the synopsis reads:
“The Halloween ban is now lifted in Helen’s Valley, and the sorority girls of Gamma Tau Psi place Michelle in charge of their annual haunted house. Unfortunately for Michelle some uninvited trick or treaters from her past come knocking…”
Last but not least, as the final film in theFPseries, writer-director Jason Trost’sFP4: EVZwill also screen in the category.
Anticipated Feature Film Screenings
Filmmaking duoAaron Moorhead and Justin Benson(V/H/S: Viral,Spring,The Endless) will have the Midwestern premiere of their new feature film,Something in the Dirt. The filmmakers both star in the movie as well. The synopsis reads:
“When neighbors John and Levi witness supernatural events in their Los Angeles apartment building, they realize documenting the paranormal could inject some fame and fortune into their wasted lives. An ever-deeper, darker rabbit hole, their friendship frays as they uncover the dangers of the phenomena, the city and each other.”
Writer-director Aristotelis Maragkos’The Timekeepers of Eternityis also screening, while Scott Lyus' post-apocalyptic monster movieWalking Against the Rainwill get its North American premiere. Other features making a premiere are horror anthologySinphony, and the Frenchzombie horror comedySuper Z.
Midnight Mind F***: Keeping Horror “Dangerous”
The Midnight Mind F*** category is what The Film Coterie calls “one of the most dangerous and challenging blocks of programming at any festival.” This year’s lineup includesAll Jacked Up and Full of Worms, which has been making waves in the indie horror film community. The synopsis reads:
“[The film] Follows Roscoe, a seedy motel maintenance man, after discovering some powerful hallucinogenic worms he meets Benny, They fall in love making worms together before embarking on an odyssey of sex and violence.”
James Quinn (Flesh of the Void)’sThe Ruins of a Serpent Kingdomis getting a special 35mm screening. Writer-director Hope Madden’sObstacle Corpse, which follows a “teen out to prove herself to her dad and stumbles into the world’s most terrifying obstacle course,” gets a homecoming premiere. Two panels are also included in the category:Social Progress Through HorrorandThe New Distribution.
Short Films
Nightmares Film Festival 2022 will feature an impressive 150short films. The films are broken up into programming blocks, with some themes beingTheHorrors of Filmmaking,Animated Nightmares,Never Play with Your Food, andShe Just Hasn’t Been Herself.
Related:Great Horror Movies That Take Place in Only One Location
The Horrors of Filmmaking includes short films such asThe Understudy,The Masterpiece, andUnreel.Animated Nightmares includeSelf-Actualization of the Werewolf Woman,Kerplunky!,The Forest King,In the Big Yard Inside the Pocket, and more. Never Play with Your Food is aptly named as it includesMeat Friend,Mayo Choco Nightmare, andNasty,among others. She Just Hasn’t Been Herself featuresBlankandMagdalena.
The fest will also highlight local short films with itsOhio Shortsblock, which includesLove at First Bite,Metamorphosis,Beggars Night,The Amber Thief,With This Ring,Yes, Mother, andHunt.
When and Where
Nightmares Film Festival 2022 will take place at the Gateway Film Center in Columbus, Ohio, on October 20th to 23rd. Visit the officialNFF websitefor schedule details, tickets, venue information, and more.
