2023 Midwest Monster Film Fest at the Village Theatre -- September 23 and 24 (pictured: Joe Bob Briggs).
Saturday, September 23, and Sunday, September 24
Village Theatre, 2113 East 11th Street, Davenport IA
A premier autumnal event for fans of all things horror, the 2023 Midwest Monster Film Fest takes over Davenport's Village Theatre on September 23 and 24, this terror- and fun-filled weekend filled with special guests, vendors, live music, a panel discussion, an awards presentation, and scream-ings of more than two dozen features and shorts, among them a full-length creep-out starring famed critic and cult-film aficionado Joe Bob Briggs.
This year's scheduled film blocks and movies include:
Saturday, September 23
Short Film Block A (10:30 a.m.): They're Everywhere, directed by Hudson James Williams; The Cross Roads, directed by Julie Niera Campoverde; Parish, directed by TJ Hill; An Eye for an Eye, directed by Andre Rodrigues of Portugal; Jingle Hell, directed by Sean Cruser.
Feature Film 1 (11:45 a.m.): Fang, directed by Richard Burgin, starring Dylan Laray and Lynn Lowry.
Short Film Block B (1:50 p.m.): Tax Repair & You, directed by Andreas Petersen; Strange Excursion, directed by Alan Hiscott; Whitetail Lake, directed by Dominic Wieneke; For What the Door Bell Tolls, directed by Nori Uchida of Japan; Day of the Deb, directed by Rachel Whittle and Matthew Garvin; No Grave for the Dead, directed by Jordan Selander; Glovebox, directed by Joseph and Matthew Matarrese; 2:40 a.m., directed by Mike Saunders.
Feature Film 2 (3:05 p.m.): In Search of All American Massacre: The Lost Texas Chainsaw Film, directed by Edward Franklin Payson, strarring Greg Herger and Felissa Rose.
Short Film Block C (4:15 p.m.): The Haunted Baby Carriage from Hell, directed by JT Seaton; Uninvited House Guest, directed by Mike Saunders; Drud, directed by Florian Ecker of Germany; Party's Over, directed by Neil Willoughby; Hellvira on the Run!, directed by Morgan Welborn.
Feature Film 3 (5:45 p.m.): Cryptids, directed by Justin M. Seaman, Zane Hirschberger, Billy Pon, John William Holt, Brett DeJager, and Robert Kuhn, starring Joe Bob Briggs.
Following Saturday's screenings will be an 8 p.m. after-party featuring a live performance by Dead Ginger, and the next day's events will include:
Sunday, September 24
Short Film Block (11:30 a.m.): Beach Zombies, directed by Peter Hantz and Edward Hamilton; A Grave Mistake and Twas the Fright Before Christmas, both directed by Izzy Sutton.
Feature Film 1 (12:30 p.m.): Elditch, USA, directed by Ryan Smith.
Filmmaker Panel (2:30 p.m.) featuring Kevin Lockhart, Ben Lewandowski, and Bobby Blood.
Feature Film 2 (3:15 p.m.): Hell Nurse, directed by Bobby Blood.
Awards Ceremony (4:40 p.m.) hosted by Izzy Sutton and Chris McElyea.
Included among vendors at the 2023 Midwest Monster Film Fest are: Mellow Blue Planet; Prescribed Films; Scare Shop Quad Cities; Hicktown Entertainment; September Son Films; Starving Corpse Productions; Autumn's Fantasy Di Art; Maskboy Studio; Kelly Grubbs' Bone Art; Above and Beyond Causeplay; House of 1000 Creations; and Nikki M Artistry. There will also be an on-site food tent and a cash bar for patrons 21 and older.
The 2023 Midwest Monster Film Fest hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. on September 23 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 24, admission is $10 for a weekend pass, and because the films may contain scenes of graphic violence, gore, and sexual content, viewer discretion is advised, and patrons under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, visit Facebook.com/midwestmonsterfilmfest.
