FrightFest, also known as Arrow Video FrightFest, is an annual film festival held in London and Glasgow, United Kingdom. It is the UK's largest independent international thriller, fantasy, and horror film festival.
Overview
FrightFest holds three major events each year: a five-day festival over the UK late August Bank Holiday weekend in London, a Halloween event held in London in late October, and a festival in Glasgow held around February/March as part of the Glasgow Film Festival. The festival's primary focus is on the horror film genre, though it regularly features documentaries, science fiction, and thriller films.
History
FrightFest was founded in 2000 by film producer Paul McEvoy, film distributor Ian Rattray, journalist and film critic Alan Jones, and television PR specialist Greg Day. The inaugural event was held at the Prince Charles Cinema in London's Soho district, screening a selection of films over the August bank holiday weekend. The first Glasgow festival was held in 2006.
McEvoy has stated that his initial idea for FrightFest "came from my love and admiration for the seminal 'Shock Around The Clock' events of the 1980s organised by Stefan Jaworszyn and Alan Jones." Poster and logo designs for the festival are provided by artist Graham Humphreys.
Direction and Management
FrightFest is directed by Paul McEvoy, Ian Rattray, and Alan Jones. Greg Day joined as a co-director in 2006. The co-directors are heavily involved in the film selection process, scouting other film festivals and reviewing all submissions made online. The festival is managed by the co-directors and two co-festival managers, with events coordinated by volunteers. An advisory board includes film industry professionals and former FrightFest staff.
Sponsorship
FrightFest has had a number of sponsors over its history, including the Horror Channel, Film4, Arrow Video, Volkswagen Lupo, Bizarre magazine, Xfm, Zone Horror, and Play.com.
Festival Programme
The objective of FrightFest is to "provide the UK with a horror fantasy festival similar to the market leaders in Europe, Sitges (Spain) and Brussels (Belgium)." The festival is organised in several strands:
- FrightFest London: Five-day event in August at the Odeon Luxe (formerly Vue Cinema) in Leicester Square, London.
- FrightFest Glasgow: A three-day mini-festival at the Glasgow Film Theatre in March.
- FrightFest Halloween: Mini-events over Halloween at the ODEON Luxe West End on Leicester Square, London.
- 'Terror-thon': A regular two-day screening at the Glasgow Film Festival in February.
- Special events: The festival has hosted Dario Argento, an evening with Jessica Alba, and other notable events.
Awards
FrightFest does not give out its own awards for films selected and screened during the festival. However, Total Film magazine publishes its own independent awards (Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, etc.), and from 2016 to 2022, Screen International partnered with FrightFest to present the Screen International Rising Star Award for emerging UK genre talent.
Additional Activities
- FrightFest Originals: A range of limited edition posters featuring new artwork for classic and modern feature films, launched in August 2012.
- FrightFest Presents: A DVD label created in 2005 and revived in 2015 in cooperation with Icon Film Distribution.
- FrightFest Features: A DVD label launched in May 2011 in conjunction with Wild Bunch.
- Blogs: The festival website features regular blogs covering video games, TV, the Australian horror scene, foreign language genre films, HD releases, memorabilia, and comics.
Venue
Since 2016, the London festival has been held at the Odeon Luxe (formerly Vue Cinema) in Leicester Square, having previously been hosted at the Prince Charles Cinema and the Odeon West End. The festival expanded to multiple screens over the years, with the 2016 edition utilizing an entire 12-screen cinema for the first time.
