Sheffield’s genre festival Celluloid Screams runs each October at The Showroom Cinema. This year’s event will run from Thursday 20th October – Sunday 23rd October and will see a mix of old and new titles excite and unnerve those attending.
The jewel in this year’s Celluloid Scream’s crown is a special screening of legendary BBC One broadcast Ghostwatch. Originally transmitted on Halloween 1992, Ghostwatch is an overlooked entry in the found-footage genre. Starring Michael Parkinson and Sarah Green the show traumatised a generation by presenting the on-screen events as factual. The trickery has gone down in genre history and with the title turning thirty this year Celluloid have cooked up something extra special. Working with the BFI, Celluliod are screening Ghostwatch as part of BFI’s season of horror, In Dreams are Monsters. Taking place off site at Peddler Warehouse, this screening of Ghostwatch will be made extra special with the inclusion of an immersive element. It sounds very much like attendees will need nerves of steel to make it through. Those that do will be rewarded with a post screening Q&A with director Lesley Manning.
The opening film will be The Elderly from directors Raúl Cerezo and Fernando González Gómez. Starring Zorion Eguileor The Elderly tells the story of an Octogenarian who descends into a state of dementia after the sudden suicide of his wife, sparking a series of paranormal events that will put his family’s lives at risk. Cerezo and Gómez will be attending all weekend and will also be presenting their other film, science-fiction horror The Passenger. After The Elderly opening night will also include a screening of V/H/S/99, the latest in the popular anthology series.
Friday’s line-up includes Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead’s Something in the Dirt, Lukas Rinker’s Holy Shit! and Andy Mitton’s The Harbinger. The day’s screenings will wrap up early so that attendees can make their way over to Peddler Warehouse, for the final film of the day, Ghostwatch. On Saturday, those that survive the Ghostwatch immersion can enjoy Huesera, The Leech, Wolf Manor, Matriarch, a secret surprise film and a late night screening of iconic horror Evil Dead 2. The Sam Raimi classic was voted for by attendees via a Twitter tournament and is sure to be a highlight of the festival.
The final morning will open with another Bruce Campbell gem Bubba Ho-Tep, before venturing into new territory with screenings of Megalomaniac, The Passenger and Watcher. The film festivities will conclude with a screening of Evil Eye. From director Isaac Ezban, Evil Eye follows Nala as she travels with her family to her grandmother’s home in the countryside, to try to find a cure for her little sister’s mysterious illness – But she’ll soon find her granny is not exactly what she seems. Whilst this rounds out the film programming, Celluloid has one more event up its sleeve, it’s annual Karaoke Party. Between films audience members will be able to enjoy a specially curated horror selection of artist Jim’ll Paint It’s work.
Weekend tickets are priced at £105 full price, £95 for concessions and £85 for Cine 26 members. Weekend passes go on sale Saturday 10th September at 12pm. Individual film tickets will be available on 1st October at 12pm. All tickets will be available, online at showroomworkstation.org.uk and in-person at the Showroom Box Office.
