There’s still a strange perception in the UK that anything of any worth resides in London—that somehow, once you step “beyond the pale”—north, west or south—everything you encounter will be merely a lesser imitation of whatever has been on offer in that media-saturated metropolis. The truth, of course, to those in the know, is very different. Sheffield based horror festival Celluloid Screams, the brainchild of filmmaker Rob Nevitt, is a case in point. Starting in 2009, the fest—showcasing the very best in both new and classic horror cinema—grew rapidly and essentially from the rabid enthusiasm of the fans.

“Celluloid Screams began initially as a short series of horror screenings at the Showroom Cinema, most of which sold out, which confirmed for me that there’s a rabid audience for horror in the north of England,” Nevitt tells Fango. “Shortly after that, we began preparing for our first edition. We were extremely fortunate to present the UK premiere of Paranormal Activity in our festival in 2009, which was a definite coup for our first year, but for me the main highlights have been our guests, such as Lucio Fulci film legends Ian McCulloch and the incomparable Catriona MacColl, who was our guest of honour last year.

“The main thrust of what we try to do with Celluloid Screams,” he continues, “is to showcase the diversity and breadth of the horror genre. There’s a whole world of daring, cutting-edge genre films out there that often don’t get to be seen on the big screen where they belong. These films are tailor-made to be experienced in a cinema, surrounded by like-minded fans who appreciate their unique charms. The aim for programming in any given year is three-fold: 1) to showcase a snapshot of the spectrum of horror cinema at that time, 2) to select a small number of classic films to remind the audience why they fell in love with horror in the first place and 3) to seek out the finest short films from the horror feature filmmakers of the future.”

The selections for this year’s Celluloid Screams, running October 21-23, represent quite a cross-section of the genre: “We open with a gala screening of Alex Chandon’s demented gorefest INBRED [pictured above], which gives a new meaning to the phrase ‘northern rural hospitality,’ ” Nevitt says. “We’ve got the UK premieres of the German giallo MASKS, Noboru Iguchi’s jawdropping J-Horror TOMIE: UNLIMITED and Adrian Garcia Bogliano’s COLD SWEAT, which features one of the most ludicrous yet brilliant horror premises we’ve ever seen. Elsewhere, we’re thrilled to present a hometown screening of the highly original new zombie film HAROLD’S GOING STIFF followed by a Q&A with the cast and crew, plus revival screenings of classics such as HALLOWEEN, VAMPYRES and RE-ANIMATOR.

“Closing the event is the Celluloid Screams Secret Film, a now-annual tradition that will be revealed on the night. In addition to the films, the fest includes merchandise stalls, giveaways, a specially commissioned art exhibition and even a special 5.9 percent Festival Ale, so there’s plenty to occupy every horror fan!”

Weekend passes are available at £60/£50 concessions, and individual film tickets are also available. Visit www.celluloidscreams.co.uk for full program details.

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