Clonakilty to get its spooks on for first horror film festival as sponsors sought

BE AFRAID, be very afraid, this September in Clonakilty … as the town plays host to a brand new film festival that celebrates the best in celluloid horror, gore and fantasy.

Organisers of  ‘Spook Screen’ are now seeking  sponsorship  from local companies for what will be the town’s first horror film festival.

Taking place over four days at the town’s Park Cinema and the Quality Hotel, from September 6th to 9th, Spook Screen will be a must for any horror aficionados and film fans, with screenings, workshops, discussions and the inaugural Spook Screen awards, which are custom-made by artist Jon Rattenbury. 

There will also be festival appearances and Q&A sessions from horror luminaries like Meg Foster (They Live, Masters of the Universe), former bond girl and Hammer Horror film actress Madeline Smith and  actor Nicholas Vince (Nightbreed).

‘We just felt there was room in the Irish calendar for a horror-themed festival and we felt the beautiful environs of Clonakilty would be perfect for our inaugural year,’ said festival director Emmet O’Brien.

From a horror photography exhibition by renowned Canadian Melissa Trotter, to a screening and talk with up-and-coming Irish director Sean Breathnach, there will be plenty to see and do for any fan of the horror genre. 

There will also be a ‘prosthetics & blood’ workshop with  special effects artist Ali Gordon and the launch of horror comic Monochrome Menace Issue 2 will take place, timed to specifically tie-in with Spook Screen.

‘I have always been a big fan of horror and other than the great guests we have, ‘Spook Screen’ is a way for us to showcase some of the best independent horror films from around the world at home in Cork,’ said festival co-director Steve Broekhuizen, who also runs Deep Red productions with Emmet and Phillip Connolly.

‘We are very pleased to announce that the opening film for Spook Screen will be the fully restored 4k version of the Dario Argento classic Suspiria. This will be a fantastic opportunity to see this film fully restored and on the big screen.’

The festival team hopes to launch an online funding campaign soon, and are also looking for volunteers to help out over the four-day festival.

See www.spookscreen.ie or check the Facebook page for updates.