When the calendar turns from September to October, that means it’s time for the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, one of the premiere horror events in the Pacific Northwest. This year there are some big-time guests who will be at the event in person to represent their iconic films, so if you are within driving distance (or if you want to fly in) you should come to the Hollywood Theater in Portland, and check it out! It is one of the best-curated horror festivals in the country, and you will not find a finer group of short films anywhere.
Attendees can also shop for tentacled trinkets and artwork, plus artist panels and book readings. It’s a Cosmic Horror baptism! A good portion of the festival is also available for streaming download if you are unable to attend. You can check out the streaming link in the press release, below.
Here is the official press release from our friends a the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival:
CINEMATIC HORRORS RETURN TO PORTLAND, OR OCT 7-9TH
PORTLAND, OR – The 27th Annual H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival® of Cosmic Horror returns this October 7-9th in person to take over all 3 screens of the historic Hollywood Theatre in Portland, OR, with Guest of Honor actor JEFFREY COMBS in attendance all weekend!
They will also be hosting the Pacific NW Premiere of SOMETHING IN THE DIRT, the new cosmic horror feature from Benson & Moorhead (The Endless). The horror continues with a slate of 80s retro features on 35mm film, including a special double feature screening of RE-ANIMATOR and BRIDE OF RE-ANIMATOR followed by a Q&A with Jeffrey Combs, and NIGHT OF THE COMET followed by a Q&A with special guest Kelli Maroney (Chopping Mall)!
Other theatrical highlights include the World Premiere of FREEZE – Arctic horror with director Charlie Steeds in attendance, the US Premiere of Stoyan by Spanish filmmaker Roberto Ruiz Cespedes, Agatha by Roland Becerra, and Whistle and I’ll Come to You, based on the M. R. James story, by Italian director Valentina Battorti.
Attendees will also enjoy Tim Uren’s one-man stage performance of “The Rats in the Walls” and the return of the infamous Secret Screening after a three-year hiatus! The weekend includes Q&As with visiting filmmakers, and discussions with literary guests Kenneth Hite, Sumiko Saulson, Adam Scott Glancy, Craig Laurance Gidney, Cody Goodfellow, and more!
This year’s short films are an expansive lineup of literary adaptations of stories by Lovecraft, M. R. James, Robert W. Chambers, and Edgar Allan Poe, PLUS original Weird tales and Cosmic Horror from all over the world including Cuba, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Australia, Venezuela, United Kingdom, Canada, and the US.
For those that can’t attend in person, the festival’s streaming program will give fans across the globe a chance to get their fill of new Cosmic Horror films and Weird tales with a curated selection of 50+ independent short and feature films streaming on Eventive starting October 7th.
Single Day and Full Festival passes for both the in-person and streaming events are available now through the festival’s Eventive portal (https://hplfilmfestival.eventive.org/), and include access to filmmaker Q&As, panel discussions, and author readings.
For the latest updates, please visit the official festival website at https://hplff.com/portland
The H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival was founded in 1995 by Andrew Migliore to promote the work of Lovecraft-inspired independent filmmakers from around the world. Since 2011, current directors Gwen and Brian Callahan have grown the festival to a three-day extravaganza of film, art, author readings, scholarly presentations, live performances, tabletop gaming demos, and are working hard to bring a taste of all these experiences to the streaming festival.
