Film Fests
Movies We’re Most Excited To See At Brooklyn Horror Film Festival
Horror Press is pleased to sponsor the 7th annual Brooklyn Horror Film Festival (BHFF), presented by Shudder. Brooklyn Horror promises to deliver nightmare fuel and provide a platform for films that subvert expectations and push boundaries on what is considered to be a part of the genre.
From October 13-20, BHFF will present its most robust film slate to date, along with live events across Brooklyn. Horror Press writers Bash Ortega and Jenika McCrayer sat down to discuss what films and themes they’re most looking forward to seeing at the festival.
This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Bash: What’s the number one film you’re most excited to see?
Jenika: I’m most excited to see Give Me an A. It’s an anthology around the topic of abortion, which is obviously topical and important. Most of the films I picked are woman-led. I think it’s a great year for women in horror, and, on the flip side, it’s like a terrible year for women and queer people. So I’m excited to see how Give Me an A will tackle abortion rights and how it affects all women and queer people across the country.
B: Yeah, that one that looks really interesting. It’s definitely on my list. Out of all the films, I’m most excited about All Jacked Up and Full of Worms. It looks just absolutely bizarre. I watched the trailer, and the characters talk about doing worms, and they mean eating actual live worms. It’s grotesque! Have you watched the trailer?
J: I have not watched the trailer. I like going in blind. I know that you like body horror. Are most of your picks body horror-centric?
B: For the most part, but I also have a good mix. I’m really interested in body horror, practical effects, and anything that just seems sort of like mind fuck-y. Also, Something in the Dirt looks really interesting because the premise seems funny. A supernatural force invades the main character’s apartment, and they’re fighting it, but no one believes them. The trailer is vague and has a fairly serious tone, but the film seems interesting because the premise is absurd. I’m interested in things I’ve checked out that have left me wondering, “what’s going on here?”
J: Another film I’m looking forward to seeing is Mother May I. Mostly because I’m a fan of Kyle Gallner, but also because the premise seems bonkers. His wife is possessed by his dead mother, so he has to work through all of his mother-oeidopus-complex-trauma.
B: Yeah, that one looks wild. There are a lot of mother movies at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival this year.
J: Definitely! I’m also interested in Mother Superior!
B: All Jacked up and Full of Worms seems to have themes of motherhood too. From the trailer, it appears like the main character gets a fake baby in the mail and then starts seeing this woman who also becomes pregnant.
J: I’m interested to see how that plays out. When I was looking through the list of movies at BHFF I sorted them by topics I want to see. Women, mothers, and LGBTQ+ issues are having a big moment. I feel like mental health is also having its moment. I know we both saw Smile last week thanks to BHFF. Other than body horror, what else are you looking forward to seeing?
B: I’m also intrigued by The Weird Kidz. How often do we get a full-length animated horror film? It’s different, and it took eight years to draw. It seems like a straightforward monster movie, but I’m hoping the animation and comedy aspects will make it more unique. The style reminds me of Family Guy and makes me wonder how horror and crude adult cartoons will combine. What else would you like to see?
J: I’m excited to see the documentaries! Especially the one about Stephen King. King On Screen is one of my first choices. I love Stephen King, and the adaptations from his books usually blow me away. Carrie is one of my favorite horror movies. I’m also excited to see this horror comedy called Next Exit. It’s about grief and the afterlife. It should be a unique experience to see how they handle something so heavy through humor.
B: I’d also really like to see Falcon Lake. I know it’s their centerpiece film, and I’m interested to see why they’ve chosen that one. It appears to be more somber than some of the other films. It’s also the head trip category, which I’m very interested in.
J: Yeah. You love cerebral stuff.
B: Yeah. My friends make fun of me. They tell me I love movies that don’t make any sense.
J: They make perfect sense!
B: You just have to watch them five times, and then it’s fine.
B: And then the shorts! I think one of my personal projects will be to decide which shorts I like the best.
J: Yes! We both want to see the Slayed: LGBTQ+ Horror category.
B: Also, Slayed is a hilarious name.
J: Perfection! Speaking of LGBTQ+ horror, BHFF is also showing Swallowed.
B: Horror Press recently released an article on that one! It looks really interesting. I read about Swallowed when I saw that we were reviewing it. I know the characters smuggle drugs by eating them.
J: It could be pretty fun. The lineup looks absolutely wild. I love how horror is leaning into “what the fuck?” right now. I also think body horror is having a good year, which is very unfortunate for me.
B: You don’t do body horror?
J: I have a limit.
B: Very understandable.
J: But overall, I’m excited about their chosen themes.
B: Yes! I think the “Fear in Focus: French Extremity” theme is really fun.
J: I studied French for six years. Let’s test it out! I’m excited for Baise-Moi. I don’t usually watch a lot of French horror films. I don’t get into it enough. But I hear it’s fucked up and brutal.
B: I know! Movies like Raw had such an intense reputation. So I’m hoping the movies are as extreme as BHFF says. I think they will be!
J: Yeah! I also hope to see Irreversible. It’s the Straight Cut 20th Anniversary edition. So they’re going to show it in chronological order.
B: I haven’t seen the original.
J: The original is in reverse chronological order, about one night. It’s a rape-revenge film, which I don’t usually spend much time watching.
B: I also don’t, but I watched a couple for a paper in college.
J: I think they’re getting better, however. I’m enjoying them more. I don’t know if it’s like I’m older now or…
B: I do think they can be cathartic.
J: Right. So I’m excited to see a retelling of one that’s kind of the Classic.
B: I’m not very familiar with Lucio Fulci, and one of the categories of BHFF is a retrospective of his work. I’m mainly focusing on seeing new films, but I am still curious to learn more about Fulci and why he was important. The one that I do really want to see by him is Zombie because it’s a loose sequel to Night of the Living Dead, which is one of my all-time favorites.
J: Oh, yeah! Night of the Living Dead is phenomenal. The whole backstory of the film, the distribution, and the casting of Duane Jones, a Black actor: all great. I’m also interested to see Zombie and how Fulci handled it. The zombie genre has exploded. Are there any other zombie movies?
B: There definitely are! There’s City of the Living Dead and The House by the Cemetery.
J: My biggest takeaway is that all of these films look amazing! I want to see every single one. But it’s literally impossible.
B: I’m also incredibly excited to see Nocebo on opening night.
J: That one’s going to be fun!
B: Just the idea of going to opening night is exciting. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone there! I’m also excited to see the theaters because I haven’t been to Nitehawk or Williamsburg Cinemas where the films are playing.
J: Nitehawk is great! I also haven’t been to Williamsburg Cinemas. I’m usually an Alamo Girl, so I’m excited to branch out. I know some of the filmmakers will be there, and there will be some Q&A sessions. I can’t wait to see what other events they have planned around these films.
B: There are so many films that are getting their world premieres. I know you’re interested in Influencer.
J: Hell yes, I need to see this. How do you make influencing scary? Well, scarier than it already is.
B: It’s very topical, which sometimes I feel like those movies can be a little bit too on the nose, but I think this one looks pretty interesting. Because it sounds like the horror is not online, you know? I feel like sometimes those kinds of films can be too heavy-handed and have a very narrow view. They often are just trying to say that the internet is ruining our generation, and I’m not very interested in that take.
J: I like when horror dives into the conversations that we’re currently having. Movies that touch on issues that society is facing now give us a value system and ways to move forward. Jordan Peele is having a great moment. I also enjoyed Smile. There will be a Q&A for Influencer, so I need to think of questions! I’m mostly interested in what influenced—get it?—the filmmakers to make Influencer.
J: So, we’re both looking forward to BHFF! I can’t wait to see you there! Any final thoughts?
B: Yes! I’m excited to see as much as I possibly can! There are so many new and exciting films, and I know BHFF will be a good time!
You can find tickets for BHFF on their website.
Haunted house stories are a staple in the horror genre. But it’s not often that a haunted house film digs its way under your skin and stays there long after the credits roll. Enter Recluse, celebrating its world premiere at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival.
A Disturbing Return Home Fuels Recluse’s Story
Joan Wyatt, a young and troubled audio engineer, is called back to her childhood home following a bizarre accident in which her father, the famous artist Lawrence Wyatt, was engulfed in flames and left in critical condition. Joan has been estranged from her father for quite some time, so when his longtime housekeeper Lydia leaves a voicemail telling her that he likely doesn’t have a lot of time left, she ignores it. But then Lawrence himself calls, telling Joan that he’s been seeing her mother—who disappeared when Joan was a child—around the house.
Joan arrives to find Lydia armed with a crossbow to ward off Lawrence’s obsessive fans. Her father is bed-bound with severe burns, and is being cared for by a hired nurse around Joan’s age named Emily. Lawrence, who notoriously experimented with psychedelics and occult practices during his career, is barely coherent and keeps his face concealed underneath a crude plaster mask. He keeps asking about his “little spider.” It’s disturbing and deeply upsetting, especially since Joan already has a lifetime of trauma associated with the house. Now that she’s back, she begins to suspect that these “ghosts” aren’t metaphorical. Lawrence was not a good man… but something even more sinister may be lurking in the house.
Henry Chaisson Reinvents the Haunted House Formula
Recluse, written and directed by Henry Chaisson, is a masterfully crafted debut feature that takes familiar elements of the haunted house genre—like a remote mansion as the setting, traumatic family secrets, and supernatural mischief—and twists them into something fresh and, well, twisted.
Sasha Frolova Leads an Exceptional Ensemble Cast
Sasha Frolova stars as Joan, delivering a performance that is both believable and compelling. She’s easy to root for throughout the film, especially as she contends with her father’s unwaveringly loyal housekeeper Lydia, brilliantly played by Toby Poser. Mia Vallet’s portrayal of Emily is also noteworthy, commanding attention from her first appearance all the way to the end. Kimball Farley plays Lydia’s son and Joan’s friend Todd with the perfect balance of levity and tension. Frankie Seratch is enjoyable to watch as the opportunistic nepo baby art dealer Tom. Rounding out the cast is Xander Berkeley as Lawrence; even from behind a mask, his performance is intense and chilling. Berkeley even provided some of his own art to be used in the film.
Sound Design and Cinematography Create Unrelenting Terror
The cast is far from the film’s only strength, though. Sound design by Matthew Rollins will have you death-gripping your seat in the best way, and serves as an integral part of the story itself. Production designer Yulanda Yo-Rong Shieh and art director Ana María Kalvo absolutely nailed the set and made the Wyatt family mansion simultaneously sprawling and claustrophobic.
Finally, we have the beautiful and (appropriately) haunting cinematography by Bryce Holden, supported by the editing prowess of Nik Voytas, Josh Lobo, and Henry Chaisson. Not only did they maintain an air of unrelenting suspense throughout the entire film, but they also executed some of the most disturbing and bone-chilling jump scares I’ve seen in recent years.
Seriously: One of those jump scares made me feel physically ill. You’ll know it when you see it for yourself.
Recluse had its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival 2026.
“I promise, no one’s leaving here smarter tonight,” laughs Frank from the stage as he kicks off Cabane à Sang for its 9th annual trash horror film festival. The programming delivers an eclectic mix of gory, comedic, and bizarre short films from around the globe to a dedicated audience of enthusiastic fans.
What Is Cabane à Sang? A Quebec-Born Underground Horror Festival
Cabane à Sang (which translated to English means “Blood shack”, a play on the Quebecois termphrase cabane à sucre / sugar shack) is a homegrown festival based in Hochelaga, a densely populated working class neighborhood on the east side of Montreal, Québec. For $18 (CA$), you can enjoy hours of meticulously curated madness. A can of local microbrew is $6, a can of soda is $2, and you are guaranteed to see some shit you’ve never seen before in your life.
“We want everyone to be able to come to the fest. Shows for $18 don’t really exist anymore,” insisted organizer Marc-Antoine in a franglais conversation between him, myself and Frank before Saturday’s “Keep It Weird” show (note: some quotes have been translated to English). Frank tells me about the festival’s early days as a road show. “It was a total fucking flop!” he laughs, but the branding was strong, so after taking a year off to regroup, the 2nd edition had people lining up early to attend, surprising even the organizers.
Photo Courtesy of Cabane à Sang
How Cabane à Sang Adapted During COVID and Found a Permanent Home
The pandemic forced the team to adapt again (Quebecers faced some of the harshest COVID restrictions in North America), and they ended up live streaming a jerry-rigged MTV-style projection screen to show the films while audiences participated in the chat. After moving around to a few locations and struggling with a host of technical difficulties, they landed at Productions Jeun’Est, an old church that’s since been turned into an event space. “This year is really next level,” says Marc-Antoine. “We need to highlight the tech crew here, who are just hallucinant (incredible),” as well as the venue, he continued, who’ve “really welcomed us and helped us out.”
This year’s edition features 5 evenings of madness spread out over two weekends. The first weekend hosted the events SCIF’HIGH (promising the “best and worst” of science fiction), RE-Animation (exploring a “wide range of animation styles”), and their signature event, Keep It Weird (a mix of “proudly off-putting short films”). The second weekend will feature Mixed Meats (an “unhinged mix of every corner of horror”) and their infamous 200$ or less film competition – the Party Pooper Spectacular (this year, the theme is Pizza Horror). A $20 virtual pass to the whole fest is available online for those with the misfortune of missing the in person experience.
Why Filmmakers and Fans Take This “Trash” Horror Festival Seriously
Despite the goofy themes, the team of ten-ish organizers take their roles seriously, and are thrilled to have landed in a venue that can give the films the respect they deserve. “Our setup is a bit punk, but I just think about the filmmakers,” insists Marc Antoine. “They put in so much work, it’s normal that we do them justice with a good screening.” Frank echoes this sentiment. “Some stuff [we get] is not necessarily gory or cheap or whatever. They’re just, like, oddities, and they deserve to be seen, you know? And tonight we’re going to see some of them!”
People are already showing up when I arrive an hour early to Saturday’s show (unheard of in a city like Montreal, where showing up 45 min after doors open is the norm). The vibes stay immaculate, thanks to the team’s guiding motto: Don’t be an asshole. “Like legit, this is our only fucking rule here,” laughs Frank, and it applies to everyone, including the filmmakers. “I think we all love this project because it allows us to showcase stuff that we personally like and that we don’t see anywhere else,” says Marc-Antoine.
‘Dom’s Spaghetti’ Courtesy of Cabane à Sang
Weird, Gross, and Brilliant: Inside Cabane à Sang’s Most Bizarre Short Films
True to their words, the evening’s programming features some truly mind bending films, grouped together under ‘themes’ like ‘films that feature bread’ or ‘films that start with the letter D’. For every serious film about war or depression, there are five that are totally absurd. (Frank assures me that they’ve got “plenty of movies with dicks and poop and stuff like that!”) There’s the lesbian eldritch love story inspired by The Thing (The Fling), and there’s a meat-witch orgy movie (Plant Mom). One film is simply about a haunted bidet (Bidet), another features every cinematic iteration of Vin Diesel (Dom’s Spaghetti). Then there’s the mixed media movie Dog Shit, described perfectly as “parfum de caca, marteau dans les couilles” (I’ll leave you all to translate that one yourselves).
As the evening wraps up, Frank reminds the audience to return the following week, before yelling “Shout out bébé Jésus!” to enthusiastic applause, given that we are all sitting in a church. “Over the years, people have come from all over, from Abitibi, from the US,” Marc-Antoine tells me. “Ya, they fly in!!” adds Frank, “we don’t have the money to fucking pay for their flights!” Marc-Antoine continues, saying, “that shows that this really connects with people, locally, yes, but people all over are moved by what we’re doing. We’re going up against some big machines, some big productions, but we’re able to connect with people all the same.”
Cabane à Sang Proves That Micro-Budget Horror is More Important Than Ever
“People are fed up also, and I don’t want to get into the whole fucking AI thing,” Frank adds, “but I think a lot of people are irritated about it. We’re sitting in a great position right now.” When talking about the upcoming film competition on May 9th, I learned that they’ve got 22 unique micro budget works lined up, with an additional slate of films that will soon be on their streaming site, Caban à Sang TV. “AI cannot fucking make this shit up,” Frank says. “This is honest, this is real.”
