SNACK was invited along to FrightFest Glasgow for some scares. So, we sent horror movie obsessive and all-round weirdo Louise Holland to enjoy the fun. She managed to grab a chat with one of the directors of the festival, Greg Day, to talk gateway movies, origin stories and unexpected birthday celebrations. She’s still smiling but now it just looks a bit creepy…
Can you tell me please a little of the FrightFest origin story I can share with our readers?
FrightFest was formed in 2000 by Paul McEvoy, Alan Jones and Ian Rattray, who decided it was about time that London has its own horror and fantasy film festival, on par with Sitges and Fantastic Fest. I became the fourth ‘horseman of the apocalypse’ in 2002 to help create a buzz about the event, which then was housed at the iconic Prince Charles Cinema. It was absolutely crammed in those early years, with the likes of Christopher Nolan, Edgar Wright and Ron Perlman joining in the fun, so we had to move home and went to the then Odeon West End on the corner of Leicester Sq. We have been in the square ever since, constantly growing our audience, and in 2024 we settled in the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square. Quite a journey!
What is the selection process like?
Alan (Jones) and Paul McEvoy are the main selectors, although Ian selects the ‘First Blood’ strand and I’m brought in when there are divisions.
The selection process goes on all year round as we have three events to programme. Attending industry events such as Cannes and Berlin play an integral role, as does the Film Freeway submissions process, but we also go directly to filmmakers, sales agents and distributors. Also, a lot of films are pitched to us directly.
What was your gateway horror film?
THE FROGS, with Ray Milland, when I was 15. I sneaked into an all-night horror event in Hastings and that was the first film on. Not a great movie but it stayed with me. Been a fan of ‘eco-horror’ ever since. I love genre films about serial killers too!
Any standout moments for you?
Lots, but I will never forget the zombie invasion we staged in the square. The police were called when they stormed McDonalds. All good fun.
And I remember the first time I joined the others on stage and getting a rousing round of applause. Brought tears to my eyes. Usually, no one cares about the PR person but I realised then how inclusive the Frightfest family is. We welcome everybody.
Oh, and how can I forget when the audience sang ‘Happy birthday’ to David Soul?
