Press Release #MacabroXVIII: 2019 Programme

The eighteenth edition of Macabro will take place from August 21 to September 1 at 16 venues in Mexico City
It opens with a screening of the film The Phantom of the Opera, directed by Rupert Julian in 1925, with live musical accompaniment by EL CLAN at the Teatro de la Ciudad “Esperanza Iris”
Special screening from the Permanencia Voluntaria archive of the film La llorona
148 films screening: 55 feature films and 93 short films from 31 countries

This year Macabro International Horror Film Festival of Mexico City celebrates eighteen years of continuous operation. Throughout this time, the festival has carried on with an unwavering spirit, striving to find and secure spaces and sustain continuous growth. Today it enjoys both institutional and international recognition that now place it among the most respected festivals on the circuit. Prestigious outlets—such as MovieMaker Magazine—included it among the 30 most anticipated fantasy genre film festivals of the year.

The changes now taking place in Mexico and around the world—socially, politically, economically, culturally—loom like threatening ghosts in dark times that sometimes seem to work against the Festival's planning. However, no specter has stopped, this year, Macabro from preparing a cinematic feast that ranges from classics of film to the most contemporary genre cinema.

Macabro thanks its allies for the collaboration that makes it possible—we mean the brotherhood of film buffs, journalists, researchers, institutions, media outlets, sponsors, foundations, volunteers, and a small but enthusiastic team that, as it does every year, will make Macabro unforgettable throughout the streets of Mexico City.

The long-awaited summer Macabro will come of age, a ghostly celebration of horror cinema for the eager audience awaiting it. Without further ado, here's the treat that awaits:

Opening

The Phantom of the Opera with live music by El Clan

The festival opens on August 21 at 8:00 p.m. at the Teatro de la Ciudad “Esperanza Iris” with the feature film The Phantom of the Opera | Dir. Rupert Julian | United States | 106 min | 1925

Synopsis: Hidden in the cellars of the Paris Opera lives the mysterious Erik, a man with the voice of an angel and the disfigured face of a demon, who lurks between the walls stalking the beautiful soprano Christine Daeé, whom he wishes to catapult to the height of fame; but when he learns that the singer is engaged to the handsome Viscount Raoul, he is driven mad with jealousy.

EL CLAN has been considered the pioneering band that spearheaded the dark gothic movement in our country. Its constant reinvention and brazen embrace of experimentation have kept audiences engaged over the years, making it the most innovative and influential band of the dark subculture born in Mexico. EL CLAN is made up of: Gustavo Pérez Ramírez “El Castor” on vocals, Jaime Chávez Bravo on guitar, Omar Federico Mundo González on bass, Luis Gerardo García López on keyboards, Germán Quintero Castro on drums.

- Free admission until capacity is reached. Tickets available same-day at the Teatro box office

Closing

The awards ceremony will take place on August 31 at 8:00 p.m. at the Museo de la Ciudad de México (José María Pino Suárez 30, Centro, 06060 Ciudad de México, CDMX) and will close with the film Mutant Blast | Screenplay and direction by Fernando Alle | Portugal - United States | 85 min |2018

Awards: Best Actress at MotelX18 and Best Actor and Screenplay at Fantaspoa 2019. *EM

Free admission until capacity is reached.

Special Presentations

La llorona

The Permanencia Voluntaria film archive presents the premiere of the restoration made by The Academy Film Archive, Cine Fantástico, Filmoteca de la UNAM, and The Hanson Institute.

The film that launched the horror genre in our country. A production whose story pits superstition against logic through scenes featuring some of the most striking special effects the era had to offer.

Cast: Ramón Pereda, Virginia Zurí, Carlos Orellana, Adriana Lamar, Esperanza del Real, Alberto Martí, Paco Martínez, María Luisa Zea

*Only screening, at the Biblioteca de México gala screening. Free admission until capacity is reached.

INTERNATIONAL HORROR FEATURE FILM SELECTION

15 titles from 5 countries make up the selection

The Wind |Direction. Emma Tammi |Screenplay: Teresa Sutherland |United States | 86 min | 2018 *ELAT
The Head Hunter | Direction. Jordan Downey |Screenplay: Kevin Stewart, Jordan Downey |Portugal - United States | 72 min | 2018 |*EM
|Direction: Julian Richards. Screenplay: Michael Mahin. USA | 80 min | 2018 *EM

With director Julian Richards in attendance

Alive | Direction: Rob Grant. Screenplay: Chuck McCue and Jules Vincent | Canada | 91 min |2018 *EM
Red Letter Day. Direction and screenplay: Cameron Macgowan | Canada | 76 min | 2019 *EM
Why don’t you just die? Direction and screenplay: Kirill Sokolov | Russia | 95 min | 2018 *EM
Artik | Screenplay and direction: Tom Botchii | USA |77 min |2019 Cast: Lauren | *EI

With director Tom Botchii in attendance

True Fiction | Direction and screenplay: Braden Croft | Canada | 94 min | 2019 | *EM
Model Home | Direction: Patrick Cunningham. Screenplay: Patrick Cunningham and William Day Frank |USA | 82 min | 2018 | *EM

With director Patrick Cunningham in attendance

The Night Sitter | Direction and screenplay: Abiel Bruhn and John Rocco | USA | 88 min | 2018 *EM
Finale | Direction: Søren Juul Petersen | Denmark | 99 min | 2019 | *EM
The Siren |Direction and screenplay: Perry Blackshear |USA | 80 min | 2019*EM

With director Perry Blackshear in attendance

The Cleaning Lady | Direction: Jon Knautz. Screenplay: Alexis Kendra and Jon Knautz.

USA | 90 min | *ELAT

Something else |Direction: Jeremy Gardner and Christian Stella. Screenplay: Jeremy Gardner.

United States | 83 min | 2019 | *ELAT

With director Jeremy Gardner in attendance.

Deep Evil | Screenplay and direction: Mark Lu. Taiwan | 103 min | 2019 |*ELAT

IBERO-AMERICAN HORROR SELECTION

10 titles from 7 countries

Feral |Screenplay and direction: Andrés Kaiser |Mexico | 98 min | 2018

With director Andrés Kaiser in attendance.

Alex Winter | Screenplay and direction: César Demian | Mexico | 66 min | 2018

With director César Demian in attendance

Soy Tóxico | Direction: Pablo Parés | Screenplay: Pablo Parés, Paulo Soria, Daniel de la Vega | Argentina | 81 min | 2018 | *EM
El vampiro del lago | Screenplay and direction: Carl Zitelmann |Venezuela | 102 min | 2018

With director Carl Zitelmann in attendance

Punto muerto | Screenplay and direction: Daniel de la Vega | Argentina | 77 min | 2018 *EM
¿Eres tú papá? | Screenplay and direction: Rudy Riverón Sánchez | Cuba - United Kingdom | 107 min | 2018 *EM

With actress Gabriela Ramos in attendance

Ghost Killers vs. Bloody Mary |Screenplay and direction: Fabrício Bittar | Brazil | 108 min.| 2018 *EM
Sangre para la carne |Screenplay and direction: Alex Hernández |Mexico| 65 min | 2019| WORLD PREMIERE

With director Alex Hernández in attendance

En el pozo | Screenplay and direction: Bernardo Antonaccio and Rafael Antonaccio |Uruguay | 82 min | 2018 |*EM
M | Screenplay and direction: Javier Devitt | Argentina – 74 min – 2018 *EM

MEXICO MACABRO

BELZEBUTH

Direction: Emilio Portes | Screenplay: Luis Carlos Fuentes and Emilio Portes | Mexico |114 min | 2018

Cast: Joaquín Cosío, Tobin Bell, Tate Ellington, José Sefami, Yunuen Pardo, Liam Villa, and Carlos Fabregat.

While investigating a series of murders on the Mexico–United States border, agent Emmanuel Ritter (Joaquín Cosío) discovers that the case appears to be linked to the arrival of the ancient demon BELZEBUTH. His only lead is an excommunicated ex-priest (Tobin Bell) hiding in the Mexican desert. To stop the wave of killings, Ritter will have to confront himself before facing the forces of good and evil.

*Special drive-in screening at Cine Villa Olímpica. Tickets available at the cinema box office.

TRIBUTES

JAIRO PINILLA

Jairo Pinilla holds the undisputed title of father of horror, suspense, and science fiction in Colombia, a key figure of Latin American B movies who explores, somewhere between the absurd and the bizarre, the origin of evil and the fears of his time. His films were made on shoestring budgets, evident in the low-budget look of his productions, yet at the same time they reveal the ingenuity and cunning with which he solved the technical complications of filming by introducing new visual techniques.

This brief retrospective shows three of his most emblematic films, ranging from his debut feature Funeral Siniestro to Triángulo de oro, one of the first films made with special effects in his country, both of which reflect the style of his pioneering work that spearheaded the movement that has permeated Latin American fantasy genre cinema this century.

Jairo Pinilla will be in Mexico to present: Funeral Siniestro (1977), Triángulo de oro (1984), 27 horas con la muerte (1981), and a surprise screening.

EMERGING HORROR

SOFÍA CARRILLO

This year Macabro presents the work of one of the most consistently active creators in Mexican animation over the past decade: Sofía Carrillo. With great talent for telling family stories and recounting legends full of pain, about death and loss. With remarkable skill in her hands for bringing objects, characters, and dolls to life.

Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and a graduate of the Bachelor's Degree in Audiovisual Arts from the Universidad de Guadalajara, Sofía has earned numerous accolades—suffice it to say that her short film Cerulia has won more than 20 awards around the world.

This year Macabro presents a retrospective of her work, which includes:

La Bruja del Fósforo Paseante | CCM | Mexico | 2018
Prita Noire | AHAF| Mexico| 2018
Cerulia | IMCINE - Nahuyacafilms| Mexico | 2017.
La Casa Triste | FONCA- CONACULTA- Nahuyacafilms | Mexico | 2013
Prita Noire| CECA- Nahuyacafilms| Mexico | 2011

*Screenings will take place at the Cinematógrafo del Chopo, Centro cultural “El Rule,” and Museo archivo de fotografía

Macabro Lab

This is a multidisciplinary lab whose mission is to foster the training of filmmakers who create Mexican works with high standards of quality and creative and thematic depth in the horror film genre, related genres, and subgenres, as well as the production of films at their various stages.

With this goal in mind, Macabro Lab's first horror-film seminar was launched, to be taught over 3 consecutive days by renowned filmmakers and specialists from the national and international genre film circuit. The sessions will be held at the Facultad de Cine, running alongside the eighteenth edition of Macabro Fich.

It is aimed at Mexican citizens and foreign residents who have lived in Mexico for at least two years, and who are interested in developing free-themed projects that fit the narrative characteristics of the horror genre and related subgenres, in the categories of fiction, non-fiction, and animation.

Topics and speakers

Theoretical foundations: criticism and structuring of genre screenplays, by Raúl Camarena
Preproduction and Production: Fundamentals of film production, by Carlos Tamez “El Búho”
Filmmaking: Fundamentals of filmmaking focused on the horror genre, by Leopoldo Laborde.
Sound: Creating a soundtrack, including sound design, dialogue, dubbing, theater effects, special effects, ambiance, and music composition for genre works, by Omar Juárez.
Special Effects: Essential tools for building characters, worlds, actions, etc., through specific FX techniques, by Othón Reynoso.
Production Design: Tools for creating atmosphere in genre film works.
Editing and Postproduction: Creating cinematic narrative through montage and editing, by Tania Rojas

Industry-liaison topics:

Film Pitching: How to present and sell a genre project, by Henry Bedwell
Financing: Where can you get funding to make your genre film? Carlos Tamez
Distribution: What does a distributor look for in a genre film? By Julian Richards.
Marketing: How do you sell a genre film? By Nacho Soto.
Preproduction and Production: Putting together production bibles and the production process for genre film works, by Karla Bukantz

Registration open until August 15. Cost: 3,000 pesos

PANORAMA MACABRO and MACABRO DOCS

This is our showcase of contemporary cinema and documentary work that we want to share

Ende Neu | Leonel Dietsche |Screenplay: Leonel Dietsche and Michael Glasauer |Germany | 90 min | 2018 *EM
The Mongolian Connection |Direction: Drew Thomas| Screenplay: Caleb Monroe and Drew Thomas.

Mongolia | 90 min | 2019 *EM

Hous3 | Direction: Manolo Munguía. Spain | 104 min |2018 *ELAT
Deodato Holocaust |Direction and screenplay: Felipe M. Guerra |Brazil | 71 min | 2019 *EM
Hail Satan? | Screenplay and direction: Penny Lane | United States | 95 min | 2019 | Official Selection: Sundance Film Festival 2019, Rotterdam Film Festival 2019 *ELAT

Latin American Premiere *ELAT

Mexico Premiere *EM

International Premiere *EI

PRE-PREMIERE

In collaboration with Corazón Films this year Macabro will hold the pre-premiere of the film Midsommar

Screenplay and direction: Ari Aster | United States | 146 min |2019.

Cast: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson, Will Poulter

Synopsis: A young couple travels with their friends to a village in Sweden to celebrate a traditional festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly turns into a violent clash between outsiders and pagans.

National and international guests

Director Julian Richards – USA, Director Tom Botchii – USA, Director Patrick Cunningham – Canada, Director Perry Blackshear – USA, Director Perry Blackshear – Denmark, Director Jeremy Gardner – USA, Director Andrés Kaiser – Mexico, Director César Demian – Mexico, Director Carl Zitelmann – Venezuela, actress Gabriela Ramos – Cuba, Director Alex Hernández – Mexico, Director, Director Emilio Portes – Mexico, Director Viviana García Besné – Mexico.

Dates, venues

The eighteenth edition of the Macabro International Horror Film Festival of Mexico City will take place from August 21 to September 1, 2019 at the following venues: Teatro de la Ciudad “Esperanza Iris,” Cineteca Nacional, Cinematógrafo del Chopo, Casa del Cine, Museo Archivo de la Fotografía, Museo Panteón de San Fernando, Museo de la Ciudad de México, Biblioteca de México, Centro Cultural “El Rule,” Centro Cultural “Xavier Villaurrutia, Cine Villa Olímpica, Circuito de FARO’s, Facultad de Cine, Sala Julián Carrillo at Radio UNAM, Universidad Latinoamericana Del Valle campus, and Pulquería “Los Insurgentes”.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Secretaría de Cultura de la Ciudad de México, the Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía, La Filmoteca de la UNAM, PROCINE CDMX, and the Cineteca Nacional for their support.

We would also like to thank all the institutions, cultural centers, distributors, media outlets, and sponsors who, with their professionalism and enthusiasm, help the Festival reach an enormous audience every year.

Sponsors

Partner establishments

Media Partners

Partners

Social Media

Facebook: MacabroFich | Twitter: @macabrofich | Instagram: @macabrofich | HT: #MacabroXVIII

Press Kit http://bit.ly/2GQbKkU (abre en nueva pestaña)

Press contact [email protected]

Venue schedules available on the website www.macabro.mx

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