This year's exciting horror weekender is packed full of treats, from big budget supernatural shocker The Shrine to the distinctly oddball Rubber. There's some classic exploitation fun courtesy of documentary Machete Maidens Unleashed (brought to you by the man behind last year's hit Not Quite Hollywood) and you can also enjoy the latest edge-of-the-seat performance from Rutger Hauer - just remember that you shouldn't trifle with a tramp and his rifle. Look out for our exclusive Frightfest feature coverage.
The Shrine and Amer
Amer (Bitter)
(Country: France, Belgium; Year: 2009; Director: Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani; Stars: Marie Bos, Delphine Brual, Harry Cleven, Bianca Maria D'Amato, Cassandra Forêt, Charlotte Eugène Guibeaud, Bernard Marbaix, Jean-Michel Vovk),
Official Site
A surreal look at three stages of a woman's life, drawing heavily on the giallo tradition.
Hobo With A Shotgun
(Year: 2011; Director: Jason Eisener; Writer: John Davies, Jason Eisener, Rob Cotterill; Stars: Rutger Hauer, Gregory Smith, Robb Wells, Brian Downey, Jeremy Akerman, Nick Bateman, Molly Dunsworth, Mark A. Owen, Michael Ray Fox, David Brunt, Glen Matthews, Scott Vrooman, Rhys Bevan-John, Gregory Richardson, John Awoods),
Official Site
A hobo hops from a train with dreams of a fresh life in a new city, but instead finds himself trapped in an urban hell.
Little Deaths
(Country: UK; Year: 2011; Director: Sean Hogan, Simon Rumley, Andrew Parkinson; Stars: Amy Joyce Hastings, Luke de Lacey, Kate Braithwaite)
A triptych of disturbing tales exploring interrelated themes of sex and death.
Machete Maidens Unleashed!
(Country: Australia; Year: 2010; Director: Mark Hartley; Writer: Mark Hartley; Stars: Carmen Argenziano, Allan Arkush, John Ashley, Roger Corman, Joe Dante, Pam Grier, John Landis)
A documentary celebrating the Filipino exploitation films of the Seventies and Eighties, where lax health and safety regulations led to remarkable thrills.
Rubber and Machete Maidens Unleashed!
Mother's Day
(Country: US; Year: 2010; Director: Darren Lynn Bousman; Writer: Scott Milam; Stars: Deborah Ann Woll, Shawn Ashmore, Lisa Marcos, Rebecca DeMornay, Frank Grillo)
Brothers fleeing a bank robbery invade a yuppie housewarming party at their mother's recently foreclosed home and sadistically attack the guests, but when mother arrives, events take a still nastier turn.
Rubber
(Country: France; Year: 2010; Director: Quentin Dupieux; Writer: Quentin Dupieux; Stars: Stephen Spinella, Jack Plotnick, Wings Hauser, Roxane Mesquida),
Official Site
Rubber is just an ordinary tyre, but one day he develops intelligence and telekinetic powers. Horrified by what he discovers about the fate of other tyres, he sets out on an implacable quest for revenge.
The Shrine
(Country: Canada; Year: 2010; Director: Jon Knautz; Writer: Jon Knautz; Stars: Aaron Ashmore, Ben Lewis, Meghan Heffern)
Three journalists find themselves in danger when on the trail of a cult which just might be practising human sacrifice.
Territories (Checkpoint)
(Country: France, Canada; Year: 2010; Director: Olivier Abbou; Writer: Olivier Abbou, Thibault Lang Willar; Stars: Roc LaFortune, Sean Devine, Nicole Leroux)
Three American friends returning from a trip are arrested at customs and taken to a strange backwoods camp where they suddenly realise their lives are on the line.