At the Knoxville Horror Film Fest, it is encouraged to thrust a little glow-in-the-dark pitchfork into the air when something awesome happens.
The festival, founded in 2009, is designed to celebrate regional filmmakers and the horror genre. It presents three days of shorts, feature films in independent and international horror, and the Grindhouse Grind-Out film making contest.
Bringing together an audience full of dedicated KHFF followers and newcomers, the festival offers an alternative experience for the average moviegoer.Chad Cunningham, local filmmaker and founder of Wild Heart Studios, decided to enter his short film, “Daisy,” into the festival. Although horror is not necessarily his genre, he decided it would be a good chance to gain more exposure. The film, classified as more of a thriller than horror, was an example of the diversity found at the event.
“It was an honor to have my film chosen as an official selection,” Cunningham said.
Shane Smith, a local actor and star of “Daisy,” was excited to be a part of the KHFF crowd for the first time.
“It’s clear that these people are extremely compassionate,” Smith said, “and it’s really cool to see that happen.”
Accompanying the short films was the most attended event at the film festival: The Grindhouse Grind-Out. The Grind-Out is a local film making contest that challenges filmmakers to make a four minute trailer in 6 days and 66 minutes revolving around a given genre. William Mahaffey, festival director, warned the audience of the graphic nature of the trailers to come before they started though.
“There are not nearly as many dicks and vaginas this year,” Mahaffey said, “but there are butt cheeks.”
These Grindhouse Grind-Out trailers, including the shorts and feature films, are given awards at the end of the three-day weekend to celebrate the best, funniest and wackiest entries of the year.
Several of the awards included short film winner for best effects, funniest film and best performance. The wackier awards, such as a “Prize for Gratuitous Nudity,” go to the Grindhouse winners like “Bad Bad Bunny” for the best trailer about an evil bunny who must be stopped by nuns.
After the awards ceremony, Nick Huinker, the festival’s producer, and Mahaffey reflected happily on this year’s festival. Despite some technical difficulties, they explained that everything went exceptionally smooth this year.
“This may be the best festival we’ve put on,” Mahaffey said.
Their shared love for not only horror but also filmmaking has helped developed the festival into what it is today. Huinker explained that the festival attracts a special crowd who is willing to come out and sit all day to watch these films over the weekend. Huinker and Mahaffey work every year to present this festival to film fanatics who appreciate filmmaking and want to enjoy watching video they can’t see in any other place.
“We show these films because we aren’t going to see these in the theater,” Huinker said to which Mahaffey added, “And we just think horror movies are fun.”
Year after year, the Knoxville Horror Film Fest delivers a weekend packed full of films and opportunities for filmmakers and audiences to come together and enjoy the film making process.
Ultimately, it was a weekend to encourage the more devilish works of art.
“Put your pitch forks in the air and have a good time this weekend,” Mahaffey said to an audience who eagerly waited all the weird and evil moments to come.
