MATT CHEETHAM
Arts Writer
      
Thrills and chills are coming to Saskatoon in the form of Dark Bridges, a new film festival highlighting horror and genre films. Dark Bridges, the brainchild of John Allison, is having a preview launch party on Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Roxy Theatre to drum up interest before debuting next fall.

Allison got the idea from going to several different festivals such as Toronto’s After Dark, which also highlighted smaller independent horror and genre films. Allison hopes to get similar types of movies to play at the Saskatoon festival.

“I want movies that fit the genre crowd: horror, fantasy, sci-fi, cult — stuff like that. Anything that’s strange.”

The launch party will show Grace and Ink, two independent films having their Canadian premieres at Dark Bridges. Also included are four short films that should definitely whet your appetite for next year, when he hopes to have eight to 10 films in the festival.

For next year, however, Allison is doing an open call for submissions, meaning that anyone interested can submit their movies and potentially wind up in the festival.

“I would love to do some Saskatchewan films,” he said.

Allison wants to incorporate a midnight madness atmosphere into the festival, which would showcase films that are quirky and weird and that push boundaries.

“What I want to try and create is the midnight madness aspect, where it’s just this energy that’s there.”

Allison is worried there might not be a big enough following for an annual festival such as what he wants to create.

“That’s my biggest fear. Aside from little things once every so often, there’s nothing in Saskatchewan doing this. I hope that’s what the festival becomes. I want to try to re-create the experience and atmosphere of Place Riel.”

Allison hopes the launch party will be a big push and provide buzz and excitement that will hopefully carry on to next fall. Allison said there will be prizes involved and hopes to encourage people to volunteer and show support. Allison has set up a website, newsletter and a Facebook page to keep people informed and involved.

“Right now we are going to need fundraisers to keep this going. We’re going to need six to seven thousand dollars. My goal is that we can bring in enough money to bring in some of the people who created these movies and have a Q-and-A or panel discussion afterwards.”

So if you are a horror and genre fan in the mood for something that promises to be different, check out the launch party of the Dark Bridges Film Festival Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Roxy Theater.

“It’s just so much fun going to an actual film festival where everyone is just pumped for movies. It’s great being scared. I don’t want to water things down. I want things that play well for an audience that are willing to have their boundaries pushed a little bit and have a lot of fun in the process.”