Dark Carnival Film Festival

The Dark Carnival Film Festival

September 28 - October 4, 2009

Bloomington, Indiana



The third annual Dark Carnival is a week-long celebration of horror, featuring live entertainment, celebrity guests, merchandise vendors, filmmaking workshops and more. This year’s event runs from September 29 through October 4, 2009 in Bloomington, Indiana.  Bloomington is the home of the Indiana University campus and the event kicks off the beginning of the Fall semester, with 30,000 new and returning students invading the city.



The festival presents more than 30 independent horror films from every corner of the globe, with screenings divided into separate sessions at multiple venues, including a vintage drive-in and a historic 1940s-era movie theater with state-of-the-art digital projection on a 30 by 20 foot screen.



Now beginning its third year, Dark Carnival was recently recognized by MovieMaker Magazine as one of the "Top 25 Film festivals Worth the Entry Fee." The fest has enjoyed considerable success, attracting visiting filmmakers from cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, London and Toronto. Past festivals have presented a variety of celebrity guests including Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead, Devil’s Rejects) and Tiffany Shepis (Nightmare Man), as well as a variety of live entertainment, including carnival sideshows, fire dancers, performance artists and musical guests.



Dark Carnival is currently accepting submissions for 2009 and festival organizers are looking for original, cutting edge independent films in the horror, dark fantasy and sci-fi genres. Both short and feature-length films are accepted, as well as trailers. The final deadline for submission is July 25, 2009. Filmmakers should visit www.darkcarnivalfilmfest.com for more information.



In addition, organizers are introducing a screenwriting competition to this year’s event which will incorporate a unique twist. Dark Carnival will be accepting both short and feature length scripts, however the winner in the short category will have their screenplay produced into a finished film that will premiere at the 2010 Dark Carnival. This is an exciting opportunity, and a first for any horror film festival.



Dark Carnival has become known for presenting a variety of live entertainment and indie horror films, and 2009 is no exception.



This year the festival kicks off with Dark’s Grand Guignol Theatre, a truly unique blend of cinema and live entertainment. The original Grand Guignol Theater was founded in Paris in the late 1800s and was famous for its short horror plays featuring gory special effects in their notoriously bloody climaxes. Popular long before the advent of Hollywood, these plays were the precursor to the modern horror film.



Dark Carnival is pleased to present our tribute to these early horror shows with a bloody hybrid of live theatre and cinema - grindhouse style. Presented in an intimate venue, the audience becomes a part of the backdrop in which live gore effects and fast-paced storytelling promise a shocking experience that ends at the stroke of midnight. The show runs three nights, beginning September 28 at 11PM. WARNING: There WILL be blood. Audience members are advised to dress accordingly.



The festival continues on Thursday, October 1 with our Drive-In Cinema Schlockfest featuring screenings of some long-forgotten horror gems of the 70s and 80s. As part of this event, Dark Carnival will be welcoming horror hosts from the past and present as part of our Horror Host Reunion Tour. Don’t miss your favorite hosts as they participate in a LIVE “Host Off” at the Starlite Drive-In.



Whether you're an up-and-coming filmmaker or just a fan, Dark Carnival has a great line-up of presentations and workshops beginning on Friday, October 2. Meet Bill Wieger who created special effects for such horror/sci-fi classics as Blade and Species. Bill will be talking about his experiences as an effects artist. Other workshops include screenwriting, indie horror filmmaking, and more.



On Saturday and Sunday, the festival continues with screenings of indie horror films, celebrity guest appearances, and audience Q&A. Filmmakers will be visiting from all over the world to take part in this event.



The festival also features other exciting attractions including live bands, a Halloween fashion show, a horror-themed art exhibit and a vendor/merchandise area. (The vendor area is open Saturday, October 3 from 11am to 7pm and Sunday from 11am to 5pm.) There will also be a VIP banquet, with awards being presented in several categories, including Best Feature, Best Short Film, and Best Special Effects.

Winners of Best Feature Film and Best Short Film will each receive a Distribution Deal through R-Squared Entertainment.

Festival passes go on sale July, 2009.