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The Washington, D.C. International Horror Film Festival is preparing for the full onslaught of the big festival this October with a special summer series of amazing features and shorts.
For the next month and a half, six features and over three hours of short films will make up the fourth annual Spooky Movie Midsummer Night’s Scream, all at our new home at the state of the art 240 Artisphere Dome Theatre, conveniently located 2 blocks from the Rosslyn Metro stop, and precariously located less than one mile from the notorious “Exorcist” steps.
“We’re excited to be the new home for the festival and to be partnering with Spooky Movie,” said Chris Williams, Artisphere’s Director of Programming. “Artisphere is a new breed of urban arts center that features four distinct performance venues, three visual art galleries, a 4,000 square foot ballroom, a free Wi-Fi Town Hall and a restaurant and bar.”

The schedule for the summer series is:
Saturday, July 23
• EL MONSTRO DEL MAR! - Three gorgeous but deadly hired killers hole up in a small beach-side community with a dark secret. Russ Meyer and Ray Harryhausen collide is this modern oz-poiltation classic that is quickly becoming one of the hottest indie films on the film fest circuit today. "Incredibly impressive and brutally entertaining"- BadLit
(90m, Australia)

followed by

• DARK SOULS - A father receives a phone call from the police pronouncing that his daughter has been killed at the very moment she walks in the front door. Winner of the Best Horror Film at the 2010 Manhattan Film Festival. (95m, France/Norway)

Saturday, August 6
Television legend, Count Gore De Vol, hosts thirteen of the wildest short films from around the world, as well as presents an exclusive preview for the 6th Annual Spooky Movie International Horror Film Festival (October 13-16). An evening not to be missed!

Saturday, August 20
• GEORGE’S INTERVENTION - George is a zombie. And his friends are hoping to convince him to stop eating people and to enter ‘zombie rehab’. It’s morally wrong to eat people, plus, it’s unhealthy. An undeniable crowd-pleaser. “I am reminded why I am a fan of independent cinema … there are truly original stories out there being told by incredibly creative and daring filmmakers such as J.T. Seaton.” – Horror Society (92m, U.S.A.)

followed by

• MORGUE STORY - A comic book artist, a life insurance salesman and a coroner meet in a morgue in this brilliantly written and directed modern classic."This Brazilian bad-taste comedy is ingenious enough to please as a farcical Grand Guignol for sophisticated horror fans." - Variety (78m, Brazil)

Saturday, September 3
• MURDER LOVES KILLERS TOO - A modern take on the vintage 1980s "maniac in the woods" movies, this outstanding feature follows all of the rules (to a point), but ultimately takes you places that conventional horror leaves out. A wonderful scary and provocative film with an exceptional ending. Directors’ Choice Award: Best Feature Film: A Night of Horror International Film Festival. (78m, U.S.A.)

followed by

• THE UH OH SHOW! - Herschell Gordon Lewis' blood drenched love letter to his fans of TWO THOUSAND MANIACS, BLOOD FEAST and THE GORE GORE GILS, THE UH-OH SHOW! is a wonderfully perverse and funny late night satire of the world of horror films and their fans.(85m, USA)

Start time is 8:00 p.m. with admission for all nights are only $10.00. Located at 1101 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia, Artisphere is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.; Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Spooky Movie 2011’s call for entries concludes in early August for features, shorts and (new this year) trailers. Trailers can be for existing movies, or they can stand alone. The three top trailers will win cash prizes, and they can be for existing movies, or they can stand alone – either serious or parody/satire. Submissions and information can be found at www.spookyfests.com.
For more information about Artisphere and its wide array of programming, please visit www.artisphere.com.