GenreBlast 2023: Virginia's Independent Genre Festival Announces Lineup

GenreBlast Film Fest has announced its lineup for the eighth year of its international independent genre film festival. The four-day in-person event will feature twelve feature films and ninety-nine short films from around the world as well as the results of their annual screenplay competition. 

 

Emanating from the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Winchester, Virginia, GenreBlast continues to champion truly independent genre cinema and this year features a dynamic array of cross-genre fare. With horror,  science-fiction and fantasy, action, and even cult and midnight offerings, the fest prides itself on being an eclectic and diverse blast of genres and filmmakers. 

 

Of the twelve features selected this year, there are three world premieres, one U.S. premiere, four east coast premieres, two regional premieres, and two Virginia premieres. 

 

LIVESCREAMERS, Michelle Iannantuono’s sequel to her cult gamer horror hit LIVESCREAM, makes its world premiere at this year’s fest. Ricky Umberger, director of THE FEAR FOOTAGE TRILOGY, brings his latest found footage feature PROJECT EERIE as a world premiere. Blake O’Donnell’s slapstick wartime comedy GUERRILLA DOGS also debuts at the fest. James Fox’s cryptocurrency sci-fi thriller CRYPTO SHADOWS is the sole U.S. premiere this year. The east coast premiere of the eclectic gross-out anthology FAT FLESHY FINGERS, produced by Stephen Stull, is also a major highlight this year. Other east coast premieres include  Paul Ragsdale and Angelica de Alba’s retro slasher MURDERCISE, Sean Oliver’s horror comedy with heart  FOREVER HOME, and Kenichi Ugana’s splatter romance LOVE WILL TEAR US APART. 

 

Sophia Cacciola and Michael J. Epstein’s horror mockumentary THE ONCE AND FUTURE SMASH along with August Kane’s accompanying lost film END ZONE 2 make for a regional premiere double feature. Virginia premieres feature Onur Turkel’s darkly comedic POUNDCAKE and monster-heavy anthology CRYPTIDS, directed by the creators of such cult horror films as THE BARN I & II, CIRCUS OF THE DEAD, THE  DOOMS CHAPEL HORROR, BONE JANGLES, and FORCE TO FEAR. Joe Bob Briggs stars in the wraparound story for the feature. 

 

The fest runs from Thursday, August 31st through Sunday, Sept. 3rd at the Alamo Winchester and concludes with a live-streamed awards ceremony followed by the GB Aftermath After Party. A screenplay table read is also on the schedule during the fest. Weekend passes are now on sale at the Alamo Winchester website:  https://drafthouse.com/winchester. Additional information can be found at the fest’s official website: www.genreblast.com