Press Release for THE DARK MATTERS FILM FESTIVAL
FESTIVAL PREMIERES IN ALBUQUERQUE, MAY 16-19, 2013
“Get ready to embrace the Darkness. Albuquerque is about to play host to New Mexico’s first genre-specific film festival dedicated entirely to horror, science-fiction, dark fantasy and black comedy. The first annual Dark Matters Film Festival is set to rise from the slab May 16-19. The inaugural fest will take place at the Guild Cinema (3405 Central) in Nob Hill and includes 12 features and 14 short films from as far away as Spain, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, France and Italy and as close to home as right here in New Mexico.
Things kick off on Thursday, May 16, with the official launch party, a Zombie Dance at Sister Bar in Downtown Albuquerque. This event starts at 8 p.m. and will feature a costume contest, a zombie moan-off and an undead makeup booth for those who arrive with a too-lively skin complexions. Live musical acts will play throughout the evening, including local bands Hoverbourd, First Lovve, Lindy Vision, Get Action and You. Tickets are $5 at the door.
On Friday, May 17, Special Guests Tyler Mane and Renae Geerlings will have an autograph signing at Astro-Zombies in Nob Hill from 4 to 6 p.m. Mane is a former professional wrestler who has moved in to film, starring as the villainous Sabretooth in the X-Men movie and as iconic killer Michael Myers in Rob Zombie’s Halloween and Halloween II. Geerlings is a longtime editor at Top Cow Comics and Radical Publishing. She co-wrote, co-produced and co-stars in the new film Compound Fracture (www.compoundfracturethemovie.
Films will screen all day Saturday, May 18, and all-day Sunday, May 19. Among the highlights are Scott Schirmer’s coming-of-age serial killer drama Found, Jeremy Gardner’s zombie apocalypse buddy film The Battery, the insanely over-the-top revenge flick Adam Chaplin: Violent Avenger and a special advanced preview of Magnet Releasing’s anthology film V/H/S/2. Several New Mexico-made film will be screened over the course of the weekend, including Michael Perez’ “Steam-Powered Showdown,” Tim McClelland’s “Monstrous Ballad of the Favorite Fool” (both of which are featured in the Sci-fi/Dark Fantasy Shorts). Jefford Herndon’s “The Gift” and David Valdez’ “Bloody Birthday” get showcased in the Horror Shorts block. And Peter Grendle’s Santa Fe-lensed feature Blood Soaked is this year’s New Mexico Showcase film.
Dark Matters is the brainchild of Festival Director Roberto Appicciafoco (Southwest Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Cine Magnifico), Programming Director Devin O’Leary (Guild’s Midnight Movie Madness screenings, Alibi‘s Short Film Fiesta) and Development Director Brennan Foster. It came together only with the generous help and contributions of major sponsors like New Mexico Tourism Department , Bernalillo County, Stranger Factory, the Albuquerque Film Office and the Guild Cinema.
Tickets ($10 general, $8 students and military w/ I.D.), four-film punch cards ($35) and all-festival passes ($60) are available online now at www.darkmattersfilmfest.com. Tickets and passes may also be purchased in-person at Stranger Factory (109 Carlisle Blvd. NE).
For more information, visit our website at www.darkmattersfilmfest.com or call 505-243-1870“
Jeremy Shattuck
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