[Editorial] Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2021

EditorialsEvent Reviews
Written By Sam Vargas / Contributor

While most horror fans might envision desolate cabins or sheltered, suburban neighborhoods as the backdrop for their favorite midnight movies, New Yorkers know that some of the scariest experiences can happen in the busiest of neighborhoods - and I’m not talking about the subway.

The sixth annual Brooklyn Horror Fest opened its doors for a select number of in-person screenings from Oct. 14-21. The festival hosted 14 full-length film selections and six blocks of curated short films. Screenings were hosted at the historic Nitehawk Cinema Williamsburg, Williamsburg Cinema, and Stuart Cinema, offering various Q&As with cast members and 20th-anniversary retro screenings of Session 9 and Trouble Every Day.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brooklyn Horror offered a handful of virtual screenings through Nightstream for its 2021 season. Nightstream, a virtual genre festival, collaborated with Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, Boston Underground Film Festival, North Bend Film Festival, and The Overlook Film Festival. Nightstream offered 31 feature films, nine panels, and four short film collections. Brooklyn Horror canceled all in-person screenings for its 2020 season.

Justin Timms, a Brooklyn Horror founder and programmer, said that despite a slow initial interest from audiences, the festival managed to sell out tickets for 16 out of 20 screenings.

“We had so much momentum going into 2019, and to lose it all [to the pandemic] was really hard. We’re really grateful and thankful for everyone that’s back,” Timms said. “This year was kind of like a light version to transition everyone back to in-person. We’re already planning something big for next year.”

Brooklyn Horror held a diverse collection of global films, New York-made horror, and LGBTQ+ representation. The festival boasted a strong selection of feature films, including the New York theatrical premiere of Gaspar Noé’s Lux Aeterna, Lucile Hadžihalilović’s Earwig, Jenna Cato Bass’s Good Madam, and the world premiere of Netflix original Night Teeth. In collaboration with NewFest, the New York queer film festival, Brooklyn Horror, featured Slayed, a curation of LGBTQ+ short films, and Edoardo Vitaletti’s queer drama The Last Thing Mary Saw. 

Additionally, Brooklyn Horror also gave a platform to environmentalist stories with its Friday screening of The Feast. An impressive feat for Lee Haven Jones’ directorial debut, the Welsh-language film brought the big-budget cinematography we’ve come to expect from directors like Ari Aster and Robert Eggers. The film follows the unraveling of a wealthy politician’s family on the night of an important dinner party. The eco-horror film invokes a slow burn that draws both compassion and desire for retribution. It relies heavily on the lush Welsh countryside to develop a deep connection between the fragility of the Earth and the characters.

Contrasting from arthouse films, the festival also showcased Brooklyn-native Perry Blackshear’s horror-comedy When I Consume You. The film follows two siblings coming from a broken home and the realization that their torment may actually be coming from a malevolent, supernatural source. Now, it’s up to doe-eyed Wilson (Evan Dumouchel) to avenge his sister Daphne (Libby Ewing) and prepare for the fight of his life. While the story may not seem profound compared to other competitors, the film leans heavily on the impressive performances from Ewing and Dumouchel. It also offers several fun action sequences and unconventional camerawork. 

Blackshear, Dumouchel, Ewing, and MacLeod Andrews hosted a panel following the screening to discuss their experiences filming and fan conspiracy theories. Blackshear spoke about his inspiration for the film and shooting around New York.

“The idea for the story has been in my head for a long time, and it always centered around a brother and sister facing an evil from their past. It was always about growing up, and the right way to do that,” said Blackshear. “I live in Greenpoint [Brooklyn], so I was able to just get on a bike and scout out all of these strange places. We never had a real crew, it was always just the four of us roaming around with our camera.”

The festival concluded on Wednesday with the promise that the next season will be even bigger. New York horror fans can look forward to a continued tradition of spotlighting engaging and boundary-pushing cinema for years to come.

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