FILM SUBMISSIONS VIA

2022 PROGRAM

August 19th –August 25th

Dipson Eastern Hills Cinema
4545 Transit Rd, Williamsville, NY 14221
Directions

Admission

Single screening: $12
Day Pass: $20
All Festival Pass: $70

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19

2:00pm

Block 1 2:00 Three Short Features (International, 104 mins)

Three longer short films from different countries and genres. Entanglement (India, Drama, 31 mins): a couple struggles to make sense of the past. Who’s Afraid (NYS, Thriller, 37 mins): a “Karen” is targeted by a mysterious cult. Ordinary Family (China, Horror, 36 mins): strife during the zombie apocalypse.

4:15pm

Block 2 4:15 US & Canadian Shorts (108 mins)

Eight diverse shorts in different genres: Alexa, Scary Story (USA, 5 mins); Big Dumb Animal (CA, 20 mins); Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School (CA, 5 mins); The Game (USA, 21 mins); A Feast That Never Comes (NYS, 17 mins); White Eyes (USA, 9 mins); Watcher (USA, 19 mins); Wake (USA, 12 mins).

7:00pm

Block 3 7:00 Guns of Eden World Premiere: Action, WNY, 92 mins

World Premiere. Filmed in Buffalo! After witnessing an execution, four weekend campers are hunted by armed militia groups. Written and directed by Gregory Lamberson, starring Alexandra Faye Sadeghian, Bill Kennedy, Peter “Trazz” Johnson, Nicole Colon, Dominic Luongo and Lynn Lowry. Festival trailer

9:30pm

Block 4 9:30 Pact of Vengeance World Premiere: Action, USA, 80 mins

When a woman is attacked, her grandfather calls on his military special forces buddies to take on an inner city gang. Action packed mayhem from Erie, PA, starring Leo Fong in one of his final roles. Q&A with cult director Len Kabasinski. Short: Mr. March (CA, 13 mins). Trailer

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20

2:00pm

Block 5 2:00 The Marshmallow Mystery Tour New York Premiere: Comedy, NYS, 84 mins

A must-see, wild, dark comedy! After landing a gig at a marshmallow theme park, a cameraman uncovers the shocking truth about America’s candy land and his own sugarcoated childhood. Q&A with co-writer/co-director Jeff Beals. Festival trailer

4:00pm

Block 6 4:00 Galaxy Warriors World Premiere: Sci-Fi, Canada, 70 mins

Cult filmmaker Brett Kelly’s loving homage to 80s sci-fi films. A bounty hunter and her partner must escape an intergalactic prison planet for women. Strong space starlets, action and practical SFX abound. Q&A with Kelly and producer Anne-Marie Frigon, recipient of our Lois Weber Award. Trailer

Block 7 6:00 Showdown in Yesteryear

Daryl Dumwoody is a down on his luck wannabe cowboy until a mysterious door transports him to the old west, where he has the adventure of a lifetime. Directed by Aaron Bratcher, starring Jeff Grennell, Debra Lamb and Vernon Wells. Q&A with O’Hearn, Grennell, and composer Brandon Hawley. Saddle up! Trailer

9:00pm

Block 8 9:00 Bashira New York Premiere: Horror, filmed in Buffalo, 2 hrs 5 mins

The most ambitious and stylish film ever produced in Buffalo! Directed by Academy Award winning special visual effects artist Nickson Fong. A nerdy electronic musician and a troubled fan are plunged into a hallucinogenic nightmare where they confront an ancient Japanese entity. See this film on the big screen! Trailer

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21

2:00pm

Block 9 2:00 Shifted World Premiere: Horror, Canada, 93 mins

There are monsters in the world. They used to be human, but now they are something else, and they’re everywhere. A group of neighbors hole up in a house in this tense rift on the classic horror siege formula. Q&A with director Adrian Konstant and producer Jason T. Green. Horror short: Siren (NYS, 13 mins), directed by Jeremiah Kipp (Slapface). Trailer

4:30pm

Block 10 4:30 Guns of Eden Encore Screening: Action, WNY, 92 mins

See Friday, 7 pm for details. Opposite our Dreamer Awards presentation in the WBBZ TV studio, also located in the Eastern Hills Mall.Trailer

6:30pm

Block 11 6:30 Mask of the Devil World Premiere: Horror, UK, 80 mins

WTF Sunday, Part 1: an ancient African mask causes murder and mayhem on the set of a porn film in this 80s throwback directed by Buffalo Dreams MVP Richard Rowntree (Dogged, Nefarious). Q&A with Rowntree and co-writer and co-producer Matthew Davies. Horror short: Caregiver (NYS, Horror, NYS, 5 mins), directed by another MVP, Rafael De Leon.

8:30pm

Block 12 8:30 The Profane Exhibit World Premiere, Extreme Horror, 100 mins

WTF Sunday, Part 2: the long awaited, notorious, extreme horror anthology years in the making, filmed by artists from all over the world. Nudity, gore, violence, disturbing themes – and those are the selling points! See it all unfold on the big screen in Buffalo! No one under 17 admitted. Festival

MONDAY, AUGUST 22

2:30pm

2:30 Two Western New York Documentaries (Doc, WNY, 58 mins)

The Spirit Rooms of Lily Dale (30 mins) about the history of the first spiritualist assembly in the US, and Jackass Love (28 mins), about a donkey rescue farm in Gasport, where the humans who rescue animals heal their lives alongside the abused and abandoned creatures they’ve saved. Trailer

4:00pm

4:00 The Creeping New York Premiere: Horror, UK, 94 mins

A genuinely frightening, classical haunted house tale with excellent performances and atmosphere. Trailer

6:30pm

Block 15 6:30 Handshake Western New York Premiere: Crime Drama, US, 1 hr 50 mins

Two strangers hit on a scheme to solve their respective financial problems, with dire results. A black comic crime thriller framed by Montana scenery. Imagine an episode of Breaking Bad written by Patricia Highsmith and directed by the Coen brothers! Written, directed and starring Robert Shupe, a major talent. Q&A with Robert Shupe! Trailer

9:00pm

Block 16 9:00 What You Can’t Promise Festival Premiere: Drama/Thriller, UK, 71 mins

When a mysterious woman shows up unexpected at an old country house, the new owner makes a decision which could change him forever. Written and directed by Niagara Falls filmmaker Richard Fysh, who co-stars with Maria Tauber. A model of economical filmmaking. Q&A with Fysh. Trailer

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23

2:00pm

Block 17 2:00 Nata Samrat New York Premiere: Drama, India, 125 mins

Subtitled in English. An aspiring actor embarks on an odyssey of self-discovery after a director tells him he must experience life to portray it. Drama gives way to humanist comedy, heightened by beautiful scenery.

4:30pm

Block 18 4:30 Animated Shorts International, 104 mins

Six incredible shorts from all over the world, climaxing with a short feature: Escape (USA, 5 mins), Triskelion (Belgium, 10 mins), The World Went Silent (USA, 11 mins), The Sprayer (Iran, 8 mins), Footprints in the Forest (Malaysia, 8 mins), Elulu (Chile, 61 mins). Trailer

7:20pm

Block 19 7:20 Little Green People World Premiere: Sci-Fi Comedy, WNY, 71 mins

Filmed in Buffalo! After crashing on our strange planet in the 1980s, an alien must lay low until help arrives. This fun sci-fi outing features puppets! Preceded by Skeets short film Trapped (WNY, 3 mins). Trailer

9:20pm

Block 20 9:20 Super Z New York Premiere: Horror Comedy, France, 80 mins

An outrageous zom-com for the Troma set, subtitled in English. A zombie family genetically modified by a mad scientist escapes a clandestine laboratory with mercenaries in pursuit. Hilariously gross! Trailer

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24

3:15pm

Block 21 3:15 Potendogs New York Premiere: Anime, South Korea, 134 mins

A full length, epic animated feature! Superpowered canines are divided into two camps: those which to protect mankind, and those who wish to destroy it. Exciting superhero flare. Trailer

6:30pm

Block 22 6:30 Chicken House New York Premiere: Comedy, USA, 83 mins

A subversive comedy about three small town actresses taking in a mysterious roommate from L.A. One of the best of the fest! Written, directed and starring Cate Jones, whose debut feature, She’s the Eldest, we screened last year. Short: Send Me a Color (NYS, 5 mins).

8:30pm

Block 23 8:30 Western New York Shorts 80 mins

Seven of the best short films produced in Western New York: Lock the Gate (Animated, 7 mins), Petri Dream Interview (4 mins), Let Me Know (6 mins), A Thousand Shades of Cold – Undisputed (3 mins), Lydia’s Fall (18 mins), Reflections (25 mins), The Last Option (17 mins). Meet the filmmakers! Trailer

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25

3:00pm

Block 24 3:00 International Shorts 1 hr. 49 mins

Eight of the best short films from around the world. Unheimlich (Mexico, 16 mins), The Door (China, 12 mins), Identbye (Iran, 15 mins), Bygone (Spain, 8 mins), Past Forever (Taiwan, 13 mins), The Portrait (Spain, 7 mins), June (New Zealand, 15 mins), and Noctuide (Germany, 23 mins).

6:00pm

Block 25 6:00 Lunamancer Western New York Premiere: Horror/Sci-Fi/Action, NYS, 71 mins

A scientist battles an otherworldly Lunamancer for the soul of his sister, armed only with his faith…and a crowbar! Filmed in Troy, New York. Visually stunning and cinematic. Short: Dystopia (Italy, animated, 21 mins), an extremely ambitious and mature animated film.

Trailer

8:00pm

Block 26 8:00 Skeleton Xylophone Film Festival Premiere: Anthology/Comedy 100 mins

An insane horror comedy anthology in which anything goes! Join “the September Brothers” as they visit the post apocalypse, contend with aliens, sing along with a killer baker, and much more.