Calling all horror movie buffs! Panic Fest takes place April 29 to May 8, both virtually and in Kansas City, Missouri, and will feature a line-up of some of the most-anticipated indie horror flicks. The festival is held in partnerships with industry leaders IFC Films, Shudder, XYZ Films, Blumhouse, among many others.
With the festival rapidly approaching, Game ZXC wanted to highlight five highly anticipated movies. Combing through the line-up of 30 full-length features, we selected a diverse variety of stories from across the horror subgenres. Whether you're looking to have a laugh or two, an emotional punch, or some heavy gore - there's something for everybody on this list.
Hatching
IFC Midnight has been on a roll lately with recent releases including See For Me, A Banquet, Resurrection, and Watcher (which will also screen at Panic Fest). The distributor has been putting forward the most unique, subversive horror movies, often with a few experimental twists. The Randall Okita-led thriller inserted a blind protagonist into its spine-chilling invasion story, while Ruth Paxton's movie took a slow burn route accompanied with stunning imagery and straight-forward horror scenes.
Hatching is an upcoming Finnish horror movie that is expected to screen at the festival, ahead of its April 29th limited theatrical release. Previously, it premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and garnered positive critical reception. Hanna Bergholm's feature directorial debut follows 12-year-old gymnast Tinja and her desperation to please her social media-obsessed mother. The young girl comes across a mysterious egg and chooses to bring it home. However, once the egg hatches, the "picture-perfect" family begins to live out a nightmarish situation.
When The Screaming Starts
Directed by Conor Boru, When The Screaming Starts is a mockumentary about Aidan Mendle - a man who aspires to be an infamous serial killer. Sounds totally normal, right? The synopsis teases the comedy horror's twist-and-turns, introducing a struggling journalist named Norman and his decision to document Aidan's journey. The movie's teaser trailer brilliantly shows flashes of sharp humor, bloody sequences, and the struggles of a wannabe serial killer who doesn't want to actually kill anybody, all while channeling the energy of that weird kid that nobody wants to sit next to at lunch.
The Sadness
A lot has already been said about The Sadness given that it already had its theatrical premiere in Taiwan, and screened at Fantasia International Film Festival and Fantastic Fest. However, the gore-filled horror movie has yet to release plans about its worldwide distribution despite its acquisition by Raven Banner Entertainment. Directed by Rob Shabbaz, the movie chronicles a pandemic that spreads across Taipei, turning the citizens in homicidal killing machines. Amid the chaos is the heart-wrenching story of young couple trying to reunite. The 99-minute flick is teased to be filled with shocking violence and quick action. Promising zombies, gore, and young love, high expectations are held for this screening.
Dashcam
Helmed by Host director Rob Savage and produced by Blumhouse's Jason Blum, Dashcam (not to be confused with Christian Nilsson's psychological thriller with the same name) is exactly what is sounds like: A horror movie filmed via someone's dashboard camera. It sounds a bit like the Joe Keery-led movie Spree which followed a pseudo influencer documenting his murder spree, but hopefully this one features less funny one-liners and more blood, guts, and scares. The movie's short synopsis reads, "Two friends go on a horror-fueled road trip and livestream the most terrifying night of their lives." With no trailer or additional information being released, this movie is truly an intriguing sell.
Hypochondriac
Last but certainly not least is Hypochondriac. Sescribed to be the documentation of writer-director Addison Heimann's real-life mental breakdown, this feature sounds like a true horror pic. The psychological horror movie follows its lead character, a young, gay, Hispanic man, and his experience being haunted by the manifestations of his childhood traumas. It previously screened at the 2022 South by Southwest festival and features an all-star cast including Criminal Minds actor Paget Brewster, American Horror Story's Zach Villa, and Knives Out's Marlene Forte, among other familiar faces from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, MADtv, and Dexter.
Be sure to keep an eye out for more Panic Fest coverage, including upcoming news, movie reviews, and exclusive interviews. In addition to 30 feature films, the festival will screen over 50 short films, as well as host signature podcasts, special events, and virtual meet-ups.