This past weekend was the Macabre Faire Film Fest in New York, and man did I have fun. I got to see quite a few films ranging from 5 minute shorts to full length features. The Cool thing about this film fest is that fact that it’s for all kinds of movies but at the same time it doesn’t pigeon hold itself to one specific type either. The title of the festival really explains the films involved, and yes they were “Macabre.” I got to see horror films, thrillers, animations, music videos, odd artistic films and some stuff that at best you can call disturbing like “Penitence” by Carol Conley, who won an award on this her first ever film.

The first night, Friday, was a good start to the entire weekend. Films showed, people chatted & met each other. In the evening all large crowd formed to watch the world premier of “Theta States” (planning an interview with the makers). There was a live performance by Demon Boy followed by a Roast of actor/director/writer Tom Ryan. This roast was wild funny as people went up to tear Tom Ryan apart as best they could. I think Manny Serrano, from “Theta States” and Elsie Ginsberg, the woman behind the festival herself, where two of the most outstanding roasters of the night. It was also funny to watch the other roasters get roaster, most notably Horror Show Jack.

Saturday night they had their Red Carpet event & Gala that included Le Donna Della Morte, a female villains inspired fashion show, and some dance performances by Tribal Dance Long Island and Calixta Starr. Throughout the night they gave out awards to films in all different categories. It was nice to see some films I watched win awards like “Theta States” get best soundtrack. Also got to see Jacob McGregor, a young actor out of Texas, win an award for his first principle role in a film called “Sudden Reality”, hopefully this won’t be his last award… just don’t drop the next one.

The cool thing about Sunday was that they replayed all the short films so everyone can try to catch up on what they missed. One movie that got a reply due to popular demand was “Theta States” who had won 2 awards the night before and then went on to win 2 more awards at the end of the festival as voted by the people who attended the event.

Sunday night brought the close of the weekend with the People’s Choice awards where “Theta States” went on to win 2 more awards.  Big thanks to Twitch Twitch Productions and Elsie for putting on this event that brings all these creators together to interact and see each other’s art. After chatting some and mentioning some places worth seeing in New York to the guys from the film “Sudden Reality”, Jacob McGregor & his fellow actor and movie director Matthan Harris, we jumped in the car and headed out to see the actual Amityville Horror house and to try some White Castel. Our trip became an adventure when we had to stop to fix a flat tire we ended up getting just around the block from the famed house. Where the spirits trying to tell us something?

Well after all there here are some of the films from the weekend that I enjoyed. Check out the trailers and keep an eye out when where you can see them!

Astrid
Director: Luigi Abanto Varese (Spain)
Running Time: 18 min
Trailer: ​https://vimeo.com/127158393
Miguel is a former war photographer. Albert, who works in the morgue, allows Miguel to take photos of dead women for his personal photographic project.

Ay Que Susto!(What a Fright!)
Director: Mauricio Zapata (NY)
Running Time: 16 min
Trailer: N/A
A man is hell bent on getting higher ratings for his make shift “ghost chasing” cable show, that he’s willing to “get real” for a better contract.

Madre de Dios (Mother of God)
Director: Gigi Saul Guerrero (Canada)
Running Time: 7 min
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/138909052
A woman wakes up bound to an altar, helpless as she is transformed into a flesh and blood statue of Santa Muerte by two elderly Brujos whose sole purpose is to conjure the anti-Christ into our plane of existence.

Penitence
Director: Carol Conley (RI)
Running Time: 12 min
Trailer: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2NsRfPsFXUPamdaajRQM0tNU0k/view
A man recently released from prison confronts the dying woman he believes set him on that path.

River
Director: Caleb Allen (Music Video) (NY)
Running Time: 5 min
Trailer: https://youtu.be/TsRFtMYFPj4
The haunting video cuts between Brooklyn-based blues rocker Meghann Wright singing in a graveyard and a bloody, cult exorcism. “Don’t go down to the river, baby,” Meghann sings. “‘Cause ain’t nobody waiting for you there.”

Romeo’s Distress
Director: Jeff Frumess (World Premiere) (NY)
Running Time: 82 min
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/171953038
A “Shakespearean, Gothic, Horror Thriller” about a boy’s unrequited love for a girl… And her father’s sadistic response.

Sudden Reality
Director: Matthan Harris (CA)
Running Time: 17 min
Trailer: https://youtu.be/cYRDlrawufw
A college student is obsessed with his dream girl, and his reality is twisted into a nightmare.

The Last Taxi Driver
Director: Debra Markowitz (NY)
Running Time: 15 min
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/89818858
A disgruntled taxi driver refuses to give up his chosen career, even when most of the inhabitants left are zombies.

Theta States
Director: Manny Serrano (World Premiere) (NY)
Running Time: 90 min
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6ovcmt2Li8
Nightmares haunt Danny’s sleep, with recurring hallucinations and blackouts while he’s awake. Is it all a side effect of the treatment, or is there some evil force at work, affecting his every move