(Graphic designed by Steve Kirkham)

The Festival of Fantastic Films 2007
The 18th Annual Convention of the Society of Fantastic Films
was held at the
Day's Hotel, Sackville St., Manchester
(The Manchester Conference Centre)

31st August - 2nd September, 2007

2007 Independent Film Competition

Full details of films accepted for the Independent Film Competition are listed here.

The Festival Independent Competition committee announce that the following are the movies selected from which the winning entry will be chosen. It has been extremely difficult choosing the final entries due to the high quality of movies submitted.

Each contestant will be sent a letter on behalf of the committee with any comments made, and the committee would like to thank all contestants for their participation.

Features

Shorts

2007 Amateur Film Competition

Full details of films accepted for the Amateur Film Competition are listed here.

The following films received awards at the Festival:

Winner: Contretemps (dir. Jean Luc Baillet, France)

Highly commended: Flyer (dir. Helmi Yusof, Singapore)

Commended: Halfway (dir. Karl Holt, UK)
Commended: The Morality Game (dir. Jim Walker, UK)

Guests of Honour for 2007

	Giovanni Lombardo Radice ("John Morghen") Actor Cannibal Ferox, Cannibal Apocalypse, City of the Living Dead, Demons 3 & 4, House on the Edge of the Park, The Omen (2006), Gangs of New York, The Soulkeeper. We welcome Giovanni Radice to his first Festival, where he will appear on Saturday evening.
	Martine Beswicke Actress  Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde, One Million Years B.C., From Russia With Love, Thunderball, A Bullet For The General, Night of the Scarecrow, Seizure Martine Beswicke appears on Friday evening
	Vera Day     Actress Quatermass 2, Grip of the Strangler, Womaneater Hell Drivers, The Flesh Is Weak, The Prince & The Showgirl, Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels Vera Day appears on Saturday morning
	Edward De Souza Actor, Hammer Movies Phantom of the Opera, Kiss of the Vampire, The Spy Who Loved Me, Rocket To The Moon, The 39 Steps Edward De Souza appears on Saturday afternoon
	John Leyton Actor Schizo, The Great Escape, Krakatoa, East of Java John Leyton appears on Sunday afternoon
	Caroline Munro Actress Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter, Starcrash, The Spy Who Loved Me, I Don't Want To Be Born, The Abominable Dr Phibes, Dr Phibes Rides Again, Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Dracula 1972. Caroline Munro appears on Friday evening
	Mark Redfield Actor/Director Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, Terror in the Tropics, Chainsaw Sally, The Death of Poe, Armed Robbery Orgasm (TV)
	Jean Rollin Director will bring his last two  movies: The Two Orphaned Vampires and Fiancée of Dracula.   He may also be able to bring the currently-shooting Transfigurated Night if it is finished. Jean Rollin appears on Saturday evening
	Norman J Warren Director Inseminoid, Satan's Slave, Terror, Prey, Bloody New Year (aka Horror Hotel)
Guest Appearances: Friday 31st August 10pm - Caroline Munro & Martine Beswicke Saturday 1st September 10am - Vera Day Saturday 1st September 2pm - Edward De Souza Saturday 1st September 6pm - Jean Rollin Saturday 1st September 10pm - Giovanni Lombardo Radice Sunday 2nd September - 10am - Panel Discussion (various Celebrities) Sunday 2nd September - 4pmam - John Leyton Sunday 2nd September - 10am to 4pm - Film Fair (various celebrities attending)
(Note: All guests listed are confirmed as attending - however, it is only fair to be aware that all these are subject to commitments - and the Festival organisers cannot be held responsible for any cancellations.  Where this occurs it is policy to try to replace the guest with another; however, that is not always possible)

Film Programme

The Film Programme will include:

Dracula 72, Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde, Battle Beyond the Stars, Ghost Ship (1952), It Came From Beyond Space, Panic in the Year Zero, Green Slime.

We also hope to show:

Ed Gein - Kane Hodder & Michael Berryman

Chicago Massacre - Corin Nemec, Tony Todd & Andrew Divoff.

Fallen Angels - David Hess, Michael Dorn, Kevin McCarthy, Kane Hodder & Michael Berryman - Effects by Bob Keen.

Sea of Dust - Tom Savini & Ingrid Pitt.

Introduction to the Festival

If you are a new visitor to The Festival of Fantastic Films web pages we invite you to climb aboard the greatest weekend a science fiction, fantasy or horror movie fan could ever find on the planet.

Based in MANCHESTER, ENGLAND (just two-and-a-half hours from LONDON by rail-link) we have THREE programme streams containing a terrific range of movie-related events that include Guest Interviews, Discussions, Panels, Special Events, Presentations, Auctions, Artshow and Poster Exhibition, Dealer Room, Themed Dinner, Parties and of course an AMAZING number of movies..... the old and the new run alongside each other throughout the festival.

Please scroll down our pages to get a taste of  this 3-Day UK Movie Convention (now in its eighteenth year) - and hop off on the various links should you want even more in-depth info! But DO COME BACK... we'll be updating frequently throughout the upcoming year!

Special Events

Festival Opening Ceremony. An introduction to the Festival and its guests.

Q & A sessions with directors and producers of a number of the films we shall be screening throughout the weekend.

Much more.

Featured Events

Big retrospective Science Fiction and Fantasy
movie programme on 16mm and 35mm.  Films to be announced.

3-D!

CinemaScope!

Discussions, Panels

Film Fair, Auctions

Low-price Convention Bar!

Guest of Honour Signing Sessions

Amateur and Independent Film Contests

The Auction

RAMSEY CAMPBELL puts a multitude of movie-related
items under his infamous gavel... and we'll guarantee
he'll keep you amused and penniless!

2006 Independent Film Award Results

Winner - Independent Feature
"The Toybox" UK - Director Paolo Sedazzali

Highly Commended - Independent Feature-
"Dark Night" UK - Director - Daniel Grant
& "The Slaughter" US - Director Jay Lee

Winner - Independent Short
"Oculus" US - Director Mike Flanagan

Highly Commended - Independent Shorts
"Tell Tale Art" US " - Director Jeremy Dylan Lanni
& "Psychiatric Channel" UK - Director Louis Segal

Commended
"Survivor" UK - Director Christoph Warrack
& "Purgatory" UK - Christopher Chow

See the 2006 archive site for a complete list of the finalists.

2006 Delta Film Award Results
Steve Green, administrator

The results of easily the closest-ever competition for best amateur film shown at the Festival were as follows:

Overall Winner: Eddie Loves You (dir. Karl Holt ; UK , 26 mins)

Special Commendation: The Call of Cthulhu (dir. Andrew Leman; USA, 47 mins)

Special Commendation: Guy’s Guide to Zombies (dir. Daniel Austin ; UK, 3.5 mins)

Special Commendation: The Spell (dir. Pablo Millán; Spain , 6.5 mins)

 

Many thanks to this year’s judges – Darrell Buxton, Ray Holloway and Mike Simpson – as well as Bill Burns, Ann Green, Joel Lane and Lucasfilms for their assistance.

See the 2006 archive site for a complete list of the finalists.

Society Notices

The Society of Fantastic Films, organizer of the Festival, also has regular meetings in Manchester city centre. Held at the Unicorn Hotel, High Street, on the last Friday of each month, the meetings feature movie showings and lively discussions in a convivial atmosphere.
For more information, email [email protected].

Membership Information

Full Attending Membership is £70 (UK pounds), or $140 (US dollars) which entitles you to Progress Reports, Programme Booklet, Badge, and Attendance to all of the events over the three days of the convention. A single day membership is available for £30 (UK pounds).

Children: Attending Membership £20 up to 12 years of age and £30 up to 16 years of age.

Supporting Membership £30, entitles you to three Progress Reports, Programme Booklet, Badge, and Attendance to any of the events on any SINGLE day of the convention. (Supporting membership can be upgraded to FULL by paying the balance at any time up to the week before the Festival).

Register now by printing the form (click below) and mailing to the Festival address!

Click here for a membership form you can print and mail

Festival e-mail may be sent to Gil Lane-Young: [email protected]

The Society of Fantastic Films is a member of the British Federation of Film Societies

Comments or suggestions?
Please post to the Festival Guestbook

Add comment to the Festival Guestbook

View the Festival Guestbook

Independent & Amateur Films

In addition to the retrospective film programme that is the backbone of the event, the Festival of Fantastic Films has, within the past few years, become the premiere UK venue for new genre movies. We are pleased to showcase an amazing selection of Independently produced feature length and short films from all over the world. Films that you are unlikely to see anywhere else are screened alongside the new movies from major studios right through the weekend. Each year sees an increase in the number of young and highly creative film-makers, submitting their work into our International Competition and giving members of the Festival a unique opportunity to see a great range of movies. The Festival programme also screens new films outside the competition itself and although it is difficult to announce specific titles in advance, we expect to surprise members of the event with major premieres!

The Festival is also the place to meet with many of the creative people from behind and in front of the cameras. In 1998 we had director Jake West and actress Eileen Daly along with their new film RAZORBLADE SMILE. American director Tyler Tharpe came over from the USA to screen and discuss his horror film THE LAST ROADSTOP and from the UK, Jon Sorensen premiered his science fiction feature ALIEN BLOOD.  In 1999 delightful American director Joei Gharrity came from Los Angeles to screen her short film THE GRAIL and was sucked into the fannish activities and friendliness of the event

Most of the Independent movies screened at the Festival have a substantial budget behind them, whereas other equally creative genre movies are made each year by talented amateurs working on a shoestring. These films are enormously entertaining and often just as thought provoking as their Indie relatives.  The Amateur Contest entries are pre-judged by The Festival Committee with the top rated films going forward to the Festival for the final round. 1998 saw the Award going out of the UK for the first time ever, being won by Florida USA film-maker Shane Hannafey with his science fiction story THE GIFT.

The International Movie Competitions have become a very important section of the Festival of Fantastic Films.

Website Special Features

Archives and Reviews of Past Festivals
from 1997 to 2006

Eurocon Award to Concatenation

2004 Festival Photo Album

2003 Festival Photo Album

Harry Nadler Photo Album
assembled by Tony Edwards

Festival Movies on DVD

Festival Guest and Contributor Websites

Harry Nadler Memorial Website

Widescreen Movies Magazine
a web and print magazine by John Hayes

Janina Faye - The Official Website

Ramsey Campbell - The Official Website

Stephen Laws - The Midnight Man

John Harden
(writer/director, "Breakfast With The Colonel")

Harry Hamill's artwork for the 1998 Festival

Gil Lane-Young's Festival Page

Festival Information on the Concatenation Website

Other Sites of Interest

Monstrous Movie Music
World-Premiere Recordings Of Music From
Classic Science Fiction, Fantasy, And Horror Films!

3DTV - LCD Glasses, 3D Movies, & More!

Concatenation Convention Reviews

3D Movies in North Carolina

HammerWeb - Hammer Films Official Site

Film & TV Connection:
an entertainment industry school with 5,000 students worldwide
who train on-site at major film studios, video production companies,
radio and TV stations, recording studios and record labels.

Virtual Manchester

everything you need to know
about the Festival's home city

In Memoriam Recently Deceased, and Missed Ingmar Bergman - Director of Seventh Seal, Persona. & The Silence. Keiron Moore - Acted in Anna Karenina, Darby O'Gill & The Little People, Dr Blood's Coffin. Laszlo Kovacs - Cameraman: Blood of Dracula's Castle, Targets, Ghostbusters, Psych-Out. Peter Graham Scott It is with deep regret that we heard about the death of Festival favourite Peter Graham Scott. Peter came to see us two years ago and gave us Part One of his story - sadly we won't now hear Part Two. I heard quite a bit of it and it was really interesting. Having directed Captain Clegg and Children of the Stones, Peter has a deserved place in genre history. We'll miss him - he was a real gentleman and a pleasure to know. Gil Lane-Young, Chairman, on behalf of the Festival of Fantastic Films.   This Science Fiction Conventions Webring site is administered by Bill Burns. [ Previous 5 Sites | Skip Previous | Previous | Next | Skip Next | Next 5 Sites | Random Site | List Sites ]

Site created 4 June 1997 by Bill Burns
[FTL Design : Long Island : NY : USA]
Last updated: 14 January, 2008
All pages copyright © 2006 by the Society of Fantastic Films.