GuignolFest (geen•yôl•fest) presents a 72-hour Horror Movie Contest in October while celebrating its 12th year. Its usual home is at the Clinton Street Theater, but this year being this year, this fest, too, has gone virtual.
Dylan Hillerman founded the Fest with a handful of movie teams showing their work at a bar. The screenings moved to Clinton Street Theater in 2013 and Hillerman was joined by Julia Reodica as producer for the Fest. Reodica acts, co-directs, produces and co-edits GuignolFest’s horror series, The Night Attacks.
The Fest offers an opportunity for filmakers to be edgy and experimental with subject matters and movie methods. It’s a time-based challenge and each year, returning and new teams flex their movie-making skills. The tone of team entries ranges from creepy to downright gruesome. Horror subgenres include grindhouse, psychological, sci-fi, musical, and vampire, just to name a few.
Teams challenge themselves for three days of movie-making the weekend of October 16. Movies are turned in for judging that week and the entire collection is screened (this year, online) Sunday, October 25 on Clinton Street Theater’s CoVideothon webpage. The event is hosted by Uncle Eerie, who along with Hillerman, facilitates the annual movie lineup.
All entry fees paid by the teams will be donated to Clinton Street Theater to support them during the pandemic closure. You too can startle folks with your own film. For info about entering the contest, see guignolfest.com.
