Women in Horror Nia Edwards-Behi discusses Women in Horror Recognition Month Late in 2009 a month was claimed to be Women in Horror Recognition Month. What started as a simple call to unite horror fans in the celebration and promotion of female artists in the industry became a movement: fans engaging in online discussion, running festivals, running blood drives. Why was such a month even needed? Women have always been important to horror, from Mary Shelley to Fay Wray to Mary Lambert. Despite this, horror is still popularly seen as a boys’ club. It was the indie scene that got behind WIHRM; the fans, the bloggers, the filmmakers in it for the love of a genre. Meanwhile, the horror news giants, online and in print, continue to plaster their pages with women as decoration, and label any model who takes her clothes off in a film the latest ‘Scream Queen’. Well, Scream Queen used to mean something. is year, Abertoir opens with an unforgettable showcase of a proper Scream Queen. Ingrid Pitt, talented and gorgeous, established herself in horror and is, to this day, proud of the fact. From e Vampire Lovers to e Wicker Man to today’s opening film Countess Dracula, Pitt embodies what is lacking from today’s popular horror but found in abundance in the independent scene: an authentic, proud female horror star. Tomorrow’s first film, Dead Hooker in a Trunk, was a stand-out discovery of WIHRM, and is reviewed in tomorrow’s daily. You can read a quickfire Q&A with its stars Jen and Sylvia Soska in the main Abertoir brochure. For more on WIHRM, see www.womeninhorrormonth.com DAY 1 DYDD ABERTOIR
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Women in HorrorNia Edwards-Behi discusses Women in Horror Recognition Month
I’ve been watching a fair few Mexican films over the past few months and have discovered some real gems - if you’ve not caught Depositarios around the festival circuit yet, then don’t miss out on this fantastic sci-fi thriller. We Are What We Are is no exception - a truly remarkable piece of film making - not just as part of Mexican cinema but as part of filmmaking more generally. Part of its beauty is director Jorge Michael Grau’s strikingly realistic depiction of a family in crisis. "e film takes the most effective narrative approach by focusing upon the characters as by working in this way, you find yourself sympathising and ultimately caring for these people in spite of their horrific traits. "is is a very well written and superbly crafted film which is in fact one
of the Abertoir team’s favourite films of the year so far.
Review: Countess DraculaBy Nia Edwards-Behi
Undoubtedly a film designed to showcase its star, Ingrid Pitt, Countess Dracula is a wonderfully lurid version of the oft-adapted legend of Elisabeth Bathory, the noblewoman who killed young virgins for their youth-preserving blood. A Hammer Horror classic, Countess Dracula is an exercise in horrific charisma and star power.
Daily TweetsA selection of the weeks’ Tweets
AxelleCarolyn@stonecypher @AbertoirFest Have to say, the programme is pretty awesome. I'm tempted...
ShockHorrormagIf you are a Horror fan you need to add @AbertoirFest and get your ass to their Film Festival in Wales! Shock Horror will be there too,woop!
bestforfilm#novemberfilmevents We're diggin on the Abertoir Horror Festival in Wales - @Abertoirfest
Hellbound_HeartFinal #FF mention to my favourite UK #horror festival - I can't wait - @AbertoirFest!
stonecypherHappy #Abertoir2010 day, everyone! :D
AberystwythArtsAbertoir Horror Festival begins today! See you all at 5pm for Countess Dracula! @AbertoirFest #Abertoir2010
AbertoirFestToday's the day - #Abertoir2010 kicks off at 5pm! Safe journeying to all travelling to deepest, darkest Aberystwyth today - see you later
"e ageing Countess discovers by accident that the blood of young virgins has an unnatural restorative effect on her celebrated beauty. Years later, she becomes engaged to a handsome young Hussar and is forced to repeat vile atrocities with ever-increasing regularity to hold off old age.
We Are What We Are 7.15pmPLUS SHORT FILM INTERCAMBIO
Already being heralded as the new Let the Right One In, this Mexican film is a powerful and compelling look at cannibals in a modern-day society.
Dream Home 9.45pmSPONSORED BY THE LAMPETER CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE
Probably the first horror film about the sub-prime mortgage crisis, this enjoyably violent film tells of a frustrated prospective home-buyer who will do anything to reduce the price of a Hong Kong apartment she has her eyes on…
Mutant Girls Squad 12.00am
"e ultimate in Japanese splatter, teaming up three of the country’s leading gore experts: Noboru Iguchi (Robo-Geisha, !e Machine Girl), Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police, Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl) and Tak Sakaguchi (Death Trance, Versus, Samurai Zombie).
For more details, buy your Festival Programme at the festival reception.