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2009 New York City Horror Film Festival Featured Film Selection

The 2009 New York City Horror Film Festival (NYCHFF) today announced their 2009 feature film lineup that includes over fifty feature & short horror and sci-fi films not just from New York or The United States, but from numerous countries around the world that rang in subject matter from terrifying, to gory, and to hilarious.

"This year we received more entries than ever before and are thrilled by the high caliber of excellent films submitted for consideration to this year's festival," said Michael Hein, founder of The New York City Horror Film Festival. "The 2009 NYCHFF will prove to be one of the best years for the festival, as well as for film aficionados and horror fans."

The festival's 2009 feature film presentations are:

Must Love Death
(Feature / Horror / Comedy) / Directed by Andreas Schaap
Disappointed by love and suicidal, Norman arranges to meet a group of like-minded people. But when he arrives at the meeting for the alleged suicide pact, things go very wrong and hilarity and blood start to flow freely.

Sweatshop
(Feature / Horror) / Directed by Stacy Davidson
A group of rave promoters decide to throw a party in an enormous vacant factory... But when the oversexed friends throw back a few drinks and begin setting up, they soon realize, a beastly all-seeing presence resides in this enormous place, and it drags a mammoth, inhuman weapon that serves only one purpose: to end the lives of anyone who trespasses here.

The Revenant
(Feature / Horror / Comedy) / Directed by D. Kerry PriorOfficer First Class Bart Gregory is killed while fighting in Middle East. His body is shipped back to the United States and laid to rest, but before the lid can be put on his tomb, Bart inexplicably awakens in his coffin and climbs from his grave; A Vampire? A Zombie? No.....A Revenant! Now, this average guy must feed on human blood or rot away.

Nosferatu; Orlok The Vampire in 3D!!
(Feature / Retrospective) / Directed by F.W. Murnau
This classic 1921 silent film Directed by F.W. Murnau and staring the immortal Max Shriek as Count Orlok is reborn completely restored, remastered and brought back to life in gorgeous 3D. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for film fans to see one of the greatest and one most recognizable classic silent horror films in 3D on the big screen!

Maidenhead
(Feature / Horror / Art House) / Directed by Jim Spanos
Poor Martin doesn't have much of a life. He doesn't have a girlfriend, he hasn't been sleeping well, and he still lives at home... with his father, who is an obnoxious, bloodthirsty monster strapped to a bed. Did we mention he isn't sleeping well? Martin (AJ Bowen of House of the Devil and The Signal) spends his days going numbly a business of tending to his Dad's grisly needs. Every day is just like the last, until Martin meets an innocent church-going girl named Meredith, who gives him hope of something more. But what about Dad?

The Shadow Within
(Feature / Horror / Ghost) / Directed by Silvana Zancolo
In a gloomy and sinister atmosphere, little Maurice Dumont can't escape his infernal reality. Dominated by an inhuman mother who rejects him, an absent father and the ghost of his brother who refuses to die. In a claustrophobic overwhelming environment, obsessed by dead and living presences, Maurice seems to have no way out, as death silently creeps into his old gothic house.

Maniac
(Feature / Retrospective & Achievement Award) / Directed by William Lustig
This 1980 grindhouse classic is back on the big screen! Maniac stars Joe Spinell as the deranged Frank Zito. Frank is an embittered loser who talks to himself and his dead mother, stalks a pretty model (legend Caroline Munro), and spends his spare time brutally murdering and scalping women. A pristine 35 mm print will screen as part of this Lifetime Achievement Award program dedicated to Director / Producer William Lustig.

The 2009 NYC Horror Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award - William Lustig
As a kid, auteur William Lustig avidly watched a huge volume of lowdown trashy exploitation fare on 42nd Street's grindhouse theaters. Working way through the film business, Lustig found himself at the center of a storm of controversy when he made the grim, and gory landmark horror film "Maniac" which boasts an incredibly intense performance by legendary character actor Joe Spinell and hideously graphic make-up f/x by horror icon Tom Savini. Lustig followed up with the tough, gritty and exciting urban revenge thriller "Vigilante." He delivered another winner with the terrific "Maniac Cop," and the series follow ups 2 & 3, "Hit List" and the suspenseful serial killer thriller "Relentless" all excellent and entertaining. Lustig's last film as a director was the nifty fright flick "Uncle Sam." William Lustig has also produced a staggering 84 films and TV projects to date. He went on to create the distribution company Blue Underground that lovingly restores and puts out some of the best classic genre films of all time!

Cornered
(Feature / Horror) / Directed by Daniel Maze
A serial killer is stalking the gritty streets of Los Angeles, but that doesn't stop the crew at a local convenience store from their weekly poker game. Now, trapped inside the store with a deranged killer the group must fight to make it through the night alive. The film stars Steve Guttenberg, James Duval and the hysterical Ellia English.

Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet
(Feature / Horror) / Directed by Frank Sabatella
Long Island, 1978: A young girl named Mary Mattock gruesomely murders her family and is locked away at the notorious Kings Park Psychiatric Center. Ten years later Mary escapes, leaving a grizzly wake of bodies and blood. Gunned down by the police, Mary meets her own demise outside the sanitarium walls. This incident gave birth to the legend of Mary Hatchet's walking ghost and the mischievous night named in honor of her death, BLOOD NIGHT! Starring genre favorites Bill Moseley and Danielle Harris, Blood Night puts a neck-breaking spin on the gory and gut wrenching slasher films of the 80's

The 2009 NYCHFF takes place November 18 thru 22, 2009 at the Tribeca Cinemas, located at 54 Varick Street at Canal Street. The Festival's Opening Night Gala will take place this year at BLVD (Spring & Bowery) on November 18 at 8:00pm. The gala is open to the public and will feature live performances, 20 short films, complimentary cocktails and more.

Tickets for the 8th Annual NYCHFF and complete schedule of films in competition are now available online at the festival's website: http://www.nychorrorfest.com/.

The New York City Horror Film Festival (www.NYCHorrorfilmfest.com) was established in 2001 by Festival Director Michael J. Hein. The festival is dedicated to the international genre film community. There are no restrictions on the films that are screened at the festivals. The program includes films screened both in and out of competition.

The Festival jury presents awards to films in the categories of Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best Cinematography, Best Special Effects, Best Actor/Actress, Best Screenplay for films showcased, and Audience Choice. The NYCHFF also presents an annual Lifetime Achievement award. Past recipients include director George A. Romero, Special Effects Artist and Director Tom Savini, Producer / Director Roger Corman, and Producer / Director Mick Garris.

Press Inquiries Contact:
Michael J. Hein
Phone: (201) 666-6729
Email: NYCHorrorFest@aol.com

Joseph B. Mauceri
(917) 604-4878
josephmauceri@nyc.rr.com

The 2009 NYC Horror Film Festival kicks off on November 18th, 2009, with the opening night party at a new venue, BLVD, located at 199 Bowery, in New York City. Doors open at 7:30 pm, with the festivities to kick off at 8:00 pm. The opening night party serves as one of the few fundraisers for the festival and a $10.00 donation is suggested.

Shorts screened at the party in between the performances include "Barbee Butcher," "Aaragh, a Monster," "Carved," "The Stings of Clarity," "Burn the Whole Place Down," "Black Suit Youth," "Elder Sign," "Mascacator," "You Better Behave," "Close Call," and "X-Mess Detritus."

BLVD (www.blvdnyc.com), located at 199 Bowery, adjacent to the termination of Spring Street, BLVD features a world-class restaurant, cafe, nightclub, event space, live music venue and recording studio, all within one bi-level complex. Noted for its stunning high-tech computer controlled creative lighting and state-of-the-art sound installations that bring both warmth and excitement to the spaces inside, each area of the complex is crafted to support the best in dining, events and entertainment. The main area of BLVD provides a comfortable and spacious lounge and ultra-premium bar where guests can meet and mingle for a pre-dinner drink, or to spend an entire evening.

At just 23 years old Hayley Griffiths (www.hayleygriffiths.com) is achieving global recognition and critical acclaim for her classically trained vocal abilities. Her "stunningly pure soprano voice" (Chicago Medhill review) earned her roles as the lead singer in both "Riverdance" and Michael Flatley's "Lord of the Dance" world tours. Along with acting accomplishments in performances for both the RSC and the BBC, Hayley is ready to pursue her career as a recording artist for the Classical Crossover market. Currently recording her debut album in collaboration with Surefire Music Group, and working with producers who have written/produced for Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Ne-Yo, Brooke Hogan, Makio, Ryan Toby and many others, Hayley's New Age sound infuses the purity and beauty of her classical background with the solid rhythm and striking arrangements of pop and R&B music. Expect high drama, powerful lyrics and a captivating sound from Hayley's debut EP, due out Fall 2009.

Brewed in a cauldron deep in Brooklyn, Witches In Bikinis (www.witchesinbikinis.com) combines beach party movie and low-budget horror flick themes into a unique rock 'n roll experience. Composed of stunning female vocalists and a solid three piece band, the group's sound is reminiscent of 60's girl groups, Rocky Horror and B-52's. Witches In Bikinis has been featured in the NYC Halloween Parade and Fangoria Sirius Radio.

The Tarantinos NYC (www.tarantinosnyc.com) play music that is total twang and severe reverb an instrumental smorgasborg flavored by the films of Quentin Tarantino.

M-16 (www.myspace.com/m16metal) is a Latin Hardcore band that has been redefining heavy music since its inception. In the late 90's three friends and musicians emigrated from the Dominican Republic to New York in search of a wider audience for their brand of metal. Scathing, pulsing, louder than hell, M-16's music is at times bombastic and scalding yet poetic in style and nature. Unapologetic lyrics sung entirely in Spanish, scream and whisper tales of mortal disillusion, political terror, and the chaos of modern times. A band that firmly believes in substance over style, M-16 is all the angst and frustration of real people channeled through guitars, drums and bass. Currently the band is composed of original member Daniel Estrella and guitarist Marcos Medina. Ex-member Ray Reed is dominating the live drums.

The New York City Horror Film Festival (www.NYCHorrorfilmfest.com) was established in 2001 by Festival Director Michael J. Hein. The festival is dedicated to the international genre film community. There are no restrictions on the films that are screened at the festivals. The program includes films screened both in and out of competition. The Festival jury presents awards to films in the categories of Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best Cinematography, Best Special Effects, Best Actor/Actress, Best Screenplay for films showcased, and Audience Choice. The NYCHFF also presents an annual Lifetime Achievement award. Past recipients include director George A. Romero, Special Effects Artist and Director Tom Savini, Producer and Director Roger Corman, and Producer and Director Mick Garris.