Canada's Best Kept Secret Weapon

'Some people are just so talented that it really isn't fair. CJ Wallis is one of those people. You probably haven't heard of him, but Wallis is an enormously gifted director, actor, cinematographer, producer, editor, writer and musician. And to top it all off, I have it on good authority from a certain female FanGirlTastic staffer that he's cute too. Totally not fair.'

Stole the words right out of my mouth, Mr. Neel. I am speaking in reference to the mother-fucking spectacular article written by Theron Neel of FanGirlTastic.

For those of you new to the bloggings - catch up on the gentleman that is Theron Neel here and check out FanGirlTastic - the site for the fangirl that has everything but a ... - for wonderful informative pieces on everything a horror nerd could ever want and more. The piece to which I am referring is 'CJ Wallis - Canada's Best Kept Secret'.



And Theron, as usual, hits it all on the nose with his wonderfully written article and you really get to know this man who is personally and professionally, one of the most important men in my life.

'When not tending goal for his team, Wallis and his dad spent hours playing an improvised game called Minis, which was "essentially a basement hockey equivalent of Pong," Wallis recalls. "The room was fairly small and the puck was often some unnecessarily overactive bouncy ball, which made for a very fast, challenging and competitive game."

But even as Wallis was developing his shooting skills, he was discovering another obsession. "Being competitive sorts, heated debates would often escalate. So, I grabbed the family video camera and created 'the Net Cam.' All debates were quickly erased by reviewing the footage frame by frame instantly," he says. "I started to notice more and more than I was becoming obsessed with where the camera should be put to better capture everything happening in the room . . . and suddenly my hockey marriage had an adulterous filmmaking mistress."'

Now I could pull genius quotes from the pitch perfect article all day, but it would take away from the fun and pleasure of actually reading the piece - which what I suggest you do because it's a inside look to our group that doesn't get explored all too often. Click here and read and love and share and repeat - like shampooing and conditioning. I could go on on how 'stupidly talented' this man is, but Theron in his entertaining and witty, informative writing has it mastered in his article.



Thank you so kindly to Theron and FanGirlTastic for getting the secret out about CJ Wallis and his career, skills, and contributions. I love this article to insane amounts. After I post this, I am re-reading it. No joke. It's that fucking rad.

~Sylv

Heidi Martinuzzi

When it comes to Women In Horror, there are some names that come up over and over again. Women who have long fought for gender equality in the horror industry. Have I written about this woman before? Oh, hells yeah! But when you speak about WiH month, this woman simply needs to be paid her dues. She is known by all as a champion in the independent film scene. She is a disgustingly talented horror and cult journalist. She has appeared in numerous indie films. She was featured on E!: Entertainment Television is a series of episodes on Scream Queens. She is the co-founder and co-head of the Viscera Film Festival alongside Shannon Lark. She is the woman behind Fangirltastic.com. She has written for numerous publications including Fangoria, The Dark Side, and Femmes Fatales and she's written for Bloody Disgusting and Film Threat.

Of course, there is only one woman I could be talking about. A woman who truly needs no introduction...

HEIDI MARTINUZZIA woman whose collective accomplishments more than speak for themselves. However, it's this woman's genuine "say-whatever-the-fuck-I-feel-like-and-I-don't-give-a-shit-what-you-think" attitude has won her a legion of loyal followers, unparalleled respect for her honesty, and cult classic status.

"I never do anything because of how people perceive me - I gave up on that a long time ago. If there's a bit of 'whore' in me or what I do it's because it's genuinely there - maybe I'm a whore that day. If I express a desire to enjoy gore, it's because it feels right at the moment. Women need to stop pretending to be something they're not to impress people who don't give a fuck who they are. I genuinely just try to be myself, which is why there are people who don't like me!" ~ Heidi Martinuzzi

It's not only her refreshing honestly that has captivated the masses, but her trademark sense of humor as well. Often, she appears in films where the horror gives way to moments of that delicious brand of inappropriate humor. Some titles include Retardead, Come Get Some More!, Fistful of Brains, Slaughter Party (featuring a special appearance from Seymore Butts as he tried out his acting chops), and the upcoming Amateur Porn Star Killer 3D: Inside The Head.

But horror is where this femme fatale really shines. Her film, WRETCHED, her directing debut alongside of Leslie Delano. The piece which she also wrote features a woman who is trapped in an abusive marriage. She struggles to cope by controlling her food intake, with the focus being on purging.

The most incredible aspect of this short is that Heidi opens herself up in a very personal and commendable way as she based the story on her own personal experiences with bulimia, depression, and abusive relationships. It is a rarity to see this level of honesty in anyone's work, especially in regards to experiences that are so clearly painful and scarring. This is another place where her honest self expression excels and furthers the respect her peers and her legions of loyal fans have for the woman.

Heidi, also, makes an appearance as a Junkie in the film giving an unexpected moment of levity in this disturbing short.

Bulimia, depression, and abusive relationships are things that plague the lives of so many women and men, as well. In the US alone, between 5 per cent and 10 per cent of girls and women (i.e. 5-10 million people) and 1 million boys and men suffer from eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or other associated dietary conditions.

"Wild and Gutwrenching!" - Lucky McKee (director of May)

"It's a disturbing portrait of a serious subject. Bloody in the best sense of the word. The acting was excellent. Joe Bob Briggs is terrific. It's really a different kind of horror." - Don Coscarelli (director of Beastmaster and Phantasm)

“Extraordinarily well written, Wretched is a cerebral treat for fans of quirky dialogue and unique storytelling. Intelligent viewers looking for something different won’t want to miss it.” - Art Ettinger, Ultra Violent Magazine

You can see Heidi appearing as a performer in the short film BOX, which has now been completed, and in the upcoming AMATEUR PORN STAR KILLER 3D: INSIDE THE HEAD.

As I've mentioned earlier and many of you in the know already, well, KNOW, Heidi also runs Fangirltastic.com (formerly known as PrettyScary.com) and holds the Viscera Film Festival annually in LA with the sensational Shannon Lark. The festival is the only of it's kind and they is no submission fee.

"Viscera specifically focuses on women gaining self confidence, knowledge, and growth through the creation of horror films.

This process is to achieve equality in the film industry, not domination.

Specializing in short horror films made by the female gender, the Viscera Film Festival hosts an annual bloody carpet event in Los Angeles for the selected Filmmakers, Special Celebrity Guests, and a live audience. Each Filmmaker receives a hand crafted Viscera Statue, along with promotional materials and the option to be distributed on the next Viscera DVD Compilation. Throughout the year, Viscera is continuously working to get the Viscera films screened and promoted all over the world."

And they are currently taking submission RIGHT NOW. Submit here. I know we will be and we most sincerely hope to see you all there.

Heidi is a truly inspiring Woman In Horror and it would be impossible to speak of Women In Horror without taking the time to look at the astounding achievements of this bold and strong woman. She is genuine and it is more than simply a breath of fresh air in this business. It's something we can all aspire to be more like. When a man is strong in business, confident, and not afraid to speak his mind, he's just being a man. No one even bats an eye. When a woman does the same, she is often labeled a bitch, a cunt, or even a dyke. That is beyond disgusting. It's intolerable. Women like Heidi who so tirelessly fight for equality amongst the genders is a true champion. It is impossible to not admire this strong business woman and who she encourages women everywhere to be fearless and stand strong. And united.

With women like Heidi and events like WiH month, I firmly feel that future generations will be able to see a day where there is equality and gender will not be a basis for discrimination. The work deserves to speak for itself. Regardless of whether it be by a man or a woman.

Thank you, Heidi, for being such a strong voice not only in horror, but for women everywhere.

~Jen

Shannon Lark

"The love of exploiting everything terrible in life makes me excited to get up in the morning. It turns the horror into love and beauty, the negative into sheer positive." ~Shannon Lark

If you look at the woman above and see only a beautiful vision spattered in blood comfortably cradling a chainsaw, you haven't even begun to scratch the surface of the exquisite creature that is Shannon Lark. It is with great honor that I bring her to the attention of those of you who already know and adore her and to introduce her to those of you who are a little late to the horror scene.



Shannon caught world wide attention as the first ever Fangoria Magazine Spooksmodel. A vision that effortlessly combines beauty with strength and power, she is so much more than a pretty face. Shannon has been a reigning champion for gender equality and advancement of the female role in horror cinema, standing at the forefront of the evolving genre of cinematic horror with her tireless contributions. A talented writer, dancer, director, producer, editor, actress, and professional Scream Queen, Shannon Lark is the Co-Director/Founder of the Viscera Film Festival (along with the sensational Heidi Martinuzzi), Founder/Adviser and former CEO of The ChainSaw Mafia.

Let me speak for a moment about the incredible Viscera Film Festival. Among the films, played a stunning piece titled "LIPSTICK". It was provocative, sexually charged, and with moments of mutilation that had even the most hardened of gore hounds shifting uncomfortably in their seats. I remember thinking, "oh my God. Who is that woman?" The film, a collaboration between Shannon and the very gifted Stacie Ponder, told the tale of a woman who had been so severely mentally abused and damaged that she believed she was good for only for sex. The result was a series of sexual mutilations and self loathing with a climactic moment so shocking, that even yours truly crossed her legs and had to force herself to keep watching. The film is a must see.

Seeing a stage performance of ROMEO AND JULIET at a young age, Shannon's destiny was set. No, not with that mushy, lovey, dovey bullshit. We're talking BLOOD, boys and grrls. She got a taste for the red stuff and the rest is pretty much history. It is nothing short of an esteemed honor and pleasure to know miss Lark. She conducts herself with incredible professionalism. A combination of brilliance, business savvy, talent, grace, professionalism, strength, and, of course, beauty, Shannon Lark perfectly embodies what brings more and more women into this business. That feeling we all had as little girls staring at the heroines of cinematic past with child like awe saying, "I want to be her."

~Jen

February Preview

February is home to Women In Horror Recognition Month, but what exactly does that mean? Before we move further into this question, let's take a moment to look at who we're sharing February with. February is also home to these other great causes--

Black History Month (in Canada and the US)

Heart Month (in Canada)

Raynaud's and Scleroderma Awareness Month (in the UK)

American Heart Month (in the US)

AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month (in the US)

National Children's Dental Health Month (in the US)

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, 3rd Feb - 9th Feb (in Canada)

Tinnitus Awareness Week, 4th Feb - 10th Feb (in the United Kingdom)

Contraceptive Awareness Week, 11th Feb - 17th Feb (in the United Kingdom)

Australian Organ Donor Awareness Week, 21st Feb - 28th Feb (in Australia)

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, 6th Feb - 12th Feb (in Canada)

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, 24th Feb - 1st Mar (in the United States)

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, 25th Feb - 2nd Mar (in the United Kingdom)

Give Kids A Smile Day, 1st Feb (in the United States)

National Wear Red Day, 6th Feb (in the United States)

Sexual Health Awareness Week, 14th Feb - 21st Feb (in Australia)

National Condom Day, 10th Feb (in the United States)

Sexual and Reproductive Health Day, 12th Feb (in Canada)

National Donor Day, 14th Feb (in the United States)

Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day, 14th Feb (Worldwide)

National Impotence Day, 14th Feb (in the United Kingdom)

There is a huge focus on human rights to liberty, life, and health here and I think that is amazing. Please take this time to make yourself aware of these causes - especially the ones you may have never heard of before. In example, scleroderma -- which is a horrible sickness not enough of us are aware of the fight against. It's an awful one and it needs to be put away for good. Here is a great foundation that great research for the cause, the Scleroderma Research Foundation.


With the Women In Horror recognition and celebration, we thought of (well, Jen thought of...) a cool concept that not only embraces a very special element of horror (blood) but also raises awareness to something that people find scary (donation) that is actually a bloody good cause... a Massive Worldwide Blood Drive. Here, our good friend and fellow PSA participant, Jennifer Cooper speaks Women in Horror --



A new PSA, but more of a healthy tune to inspire those scaredy cats amongst us to have some bravery, some humor, and get yours (and as many butts as you can take with you) down to your local blood bank is on its way. It will feature some ladies from the horror scene from around the world that have the balls to bleed for a cause and they are huge inspirations.


So, back to the original question. What is Women In Horror Month actually about? Power, unity, respect, acknowledgment, feminism, horror - where we started, how far we've come, and the bodies (I use the term 'bodies' figuratively as in the issues we have fought against - our right to vote, sexism, and the constant battle of medieval notions of what women are 'supposed to be', etc.) left in our wake. This is a month to recognize women like Mary Harron, Mary Lambert, Kathryn Bigelow - who are behind the camera, directing incredible work. Outdated are the days were women are a tit-flash here and an ass cheek there, then off to the male characters to save the day. I think there is a gross misconception that horror degrades women rather than empowering them and that is a great deal in direct result to some of the films out there. The genre is filled with lots of films - some remarkable and meaningful, some an utter waste of time where you feel bad for all involved.


So many people have fought, are fighting, and will fight for feminism. For the concept that men and women are created equal and should be respected equally. There is a change coming and each and everyone of us have to be responsible for that change. You don't have to take a shitty part that you hate or work on a film that is fluff, if you don't want to. The industry not giving you something challenging with substance? Create your own films with your won characters and be a part of what you want to see changed. As the brilliant Hannah Neurotica (of Ax Wound Zine who this event is the brainchild of) so perfectly said:

"If I have ever been sure of anything in this life it is that the last thing women need recognition for is their breasts, just as we do not need a month to raise awareness about porno films ending in women getting a hot load of cum shot all over their face lifts."

Read the whole article where Hannah alongside Heidi Marinuzzi speak feminism and the real message of Women In Horror here on the incredible (and shame on you if you don't creep this site daily) Fangirltastic.


Let's raise awareness of what women have contributed and continue to contribute to the genre. Let's recognize the women standing on the front lines, saying the things that some of us haven't found our voice to say yet.


Let's celebrate the strong female characters - Ripley, Regan, Laurie Strode - that make us feel strong who we grow up wanting to kick ass like. The month is almost upon us. Stay tuned.

~Sylv

New Interview on Fangirltastic, Hear Us Roar~!!

"From damsels in distress to bad-ass: the changing personae of women throughout slasher films is about to be changed by the Soskas." ~ Corrinne Brownhill, Fangirltastic

The above quote fills us with indescribable pride and happiness. I'm sure it'll make my mom feel the same way. Heck, even my dad, for as we all know, feminists come in all forms, all ages, and both genders. We're far from your stereotypical feminists. One theme we keep prevalent in our work is the presence of strong female characters. Many people have discussed DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK's Badass as the future of females in horror. From the helpless victims of the past to the virgin heroines of the 70's, our present and most likely our future has seen a new breed of women rise up in the horror industry, the femme fatale. And it's about fucking time.


We had the opportunity to chat with the very talented Corrinne Brownhill about the history of women in horror, the future, and our work.

You can read the FULL ARTICLE HERE.

With strong women like Mary Harron, Kathryn Bigelow, Katharine Hepburn and Sigourney Weaver paving the way and characters like Ripley (Alien), Alice (Resident Evil), Ginger (Ginger Snaps), Regan (The Exorcist), and "She" played by Charlotte Gainsbourg (Antichrist) leading us into the future, I'm excited to see what lies ahead.

And in closing, one of my favorite lines ever uttered...

"You make it so easy, don't you? Always waiting for some Batman to save you. I am Catwoman, hear me roar."

XO,
Jen

What is "American Mary" anyway?

Curious? Our dear friend, and talented writer and reviewer, Theron Neel, sheds some light on the question that's on everyone's mind.

Read on HERE...

XO,
Your friendly neighborhood Twisted Twins

Theron Neel gets a peek at American Mary

We love Theron Neel. Not only has this very talented gentleman been a long time supporter of this Twisted Twosome and our DEAD HOOKER, but he is an incredibly gifted writer, articulate, intelligent, and well spoken. He launched a FULL WEEK of Soska sisters goodness for us filled with interviews, reviews, and things both wicked and awesome.


If you're a stranger to his site, naughty, naughty. Go rectify that little inequity and treat yourself to some good old fashioned brilliance here.

He has recently begun writing for the insatiable FANGIRLTASTIC site, the sexy new site and name for PRETTY SCARY. It's run by the gore~geous and gifted Heidi Martinuzzi who also heads up the Viscera Film Festival with the lovely femme fatale Shannon Lark. They are, by the by, currently seeking submissions for the 2011 fest and you can submit your film here.


But I digress... I'll leave that to Holden Caulfield and get back to creamy juicy center of this blog...

Being a close personal friend as well as someone we respect in this business, we couldn't help but give Theron a sneak peek at the AMERICAN MARY teaser (being officially released THIS SATURDAY on our site!!) and a little insider info. What did we say when we unsealed our wicked lips? Well, you'll just have to give it a read to see....

Check out Theron's FULL ARTICLE here!!



It's almost AMERICAN MARY time, boys and grrls!! This Christmas, we're catering to the naughty AND the nice. Something wicked this way comes...

Look forward to hearing from you all this Saturday!

XO,
Jen

There Will Be (monthly) Blood

Monthly Genre celebration BLEEDFEST FILM FESTIVAL announces schedule for its Thriller installment December 5th, 2010

The schedule for the highly anticipated second BleedFest Film Festival has been announced. It includes a dozen female filmmakers' short films and concludes with international genre superstar's Caroline Du Potet's thriller feature IN THEIR SLEEP, her follow up to the sensational and disturbing INSIDE.

Special guests sitting in their own VIP section include World Famous Scream Queens/producers Michelle Tomlinson and Tara Cardinal, prominent journalist/filmmaker Heidi Martinuzzi, Emmy winning filmmaker Barbara Stepansky, and horror filmmaking duo Marichelle and Drew Daywalt.

The Bleedy Award, a bronze statue designed by Neal Harvey of RubberGorilla.co.uk, will finally be revealed in a video presentation at the Awards Ceremony. It will be awarded to the In Competition short voted on by the audience, and to the feature IN THEIR SLEEP. All films screened will receive an award certificate and Winner laurels to add to their publicity.


The In Competition category is comprised of five short films by female writer/directors. They are BAD GIRLS by the Soska Sisters (sensational feature films DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK and AMERICAN MARY), ALGESIA by Cathy Alberich, DEAD BOYFRIENDS by Xstine Cook, MOCKINGBIRD by Marichelle Daywalt, and MORBID CURIOUSITY by Cindy Baer (acclaimed feature film PURGATORY HOUSE).

The Out of Competition block screens short films produced and/or written by women. December's BleedFest will feature SCREAM MACHINE written by Julia Camara (screenwriter of Spring 2010's Brazillian sci-fi blockbuster AREA Q), and UP UNDER THE ROOF produced by Danielle Stallings.

The Works in Progress section of BleedFest gives the audience top secret first looks at short films by several acclaimed female filmmakers including an Emmy winner, and are screening unofficially to get editing feedback from the audience of genre lovers and and generate buzz with BleedFest's press partners.

The festival will have two Open Bar sessions featuring free wine and beer, giving the audience a crucial chance to network. During these breaks, BleedFest will screen trailers of upcoming genre films (World famous Tara Cardinal's actioner LEGEND OF THE RED REAPER taracardinalactress.com), and trailers of genre work that is now available online (Marion Kerr's acclaimed feature GOLDEN EARRINGS indieflix.com/film/golden-earrings-30830/. Music videos by Sophia Segal will also be played at this time.

BleedFest's coveted Partnership Award is bestowed each month to a male filmmaker whose genre film has captured the spirit of BleedFest in its unusual, bold, and refreshing female protagonist. The recipient of December's Partnership Award is feature filmmaker Dave Reda, whose music video THE HORROR OF OUR LOVE will screen.

BleedFest has a red carpet, an event photographer, a VIP Guest section, and an open bar for only ten dollars cash at the door. You may buy half price tickets at Goldstar the week before the event, and can get two tickets for $12 by donating to their IndieGoGo campaign or using the PayPal link on BleedFest.com http://www.indiegogo.com/BleedFest-Film-Festival

Local renowned artist Kami Lerner will be present with a display of paintings and jewelry available for purchase. www.KamiArt.com


Festival founders and directors Elisabeth Fies and Brenda Fies are a filmmaking duo whose critically acclaimed feature thriller THE COMMUNE was embraced by the genre community in 2009 and 2010. They are thrilled to be filling a hole in the community by providing access to fantastic genre content by indie female filmmakers, and to disprove the widely spread myth that there are no female filmmakers making indie genre. Explains Elisabeth Fies about the discrepancy between reality and industry attention for genre female filmmakers, "It's not even about being taken seriously. It's about being discounted to the point that you're invisible and told you don't exist. BleedFest aims to prove to the world that hundreds of us ovary-challenged filmmakers are here, and we're making bold, exciting movies filmlovers need and don't want to miss. We're positive, we're fun, we're in partnership with men, and we're unstoppable." The Fies Sisters thank everyone for the outpouring of support and excitement about BleedFest that helped them reach their IndieGoGo fundraising campaign in under two weeks.

The BleedFest website will be updated Sunday November 28th 5pm Pacific time at http://www.BleedFest.com with the full schedule, and include bio info and links for each filmmaker featured in the festival. There will also be a Paypal link to purchase tickets now at a discount of 40%.

The lineup for the January 2nd BleedFest event will be announced live on the 5th, and includes a sci-fi western feature and a fairytale thriller. The schedule will be released to the press December 6th.


Submissions are free to filmmakers, and BleedFest is always looking for quality genre work. There is only one space left for the January and February screenings. Submit your film.

Tell us about a film we should screen

Find out how you can participate, attend as a vendor, VIP, or support us with a donation


Sunday December 5th, 2010

TIME: 11am-3:30pm

Location: CAP Theatre

13752 Ventura Blvd.

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

$10 cash at door for all day ticket and open bar


Schedule subject to change, personal appearances dependent on schedule:
11am-11:15 Mixer and greeting

11:15-11:45pm
Works in progress:
Titles are top secret and will be revealed at event
(32 minutes)

11:40-12:00 break (open bar)

12:00-1:05
In Competition:
ALGESIA by Cathy Alberich (15 minutes) Q & A
MOCKINGBIRD by Marichelle Daywalt (3 minutes) Q & A
MORBID CURIOUSITY by Cindy Baer (6 minutes) Q & A
DEAD BOYFRIENDS by Xstine Cook (7 minutes)
BAD GIRLS by The Soska Sisters (7 minutes)
(39 minutes)

Ballots collected from audience

Partnership Screening and Award:
THE HORROR OF OUR LOVE by Dave Reda (6 minutes)

BREAK:
1:05-1:25pm open bar

1:25-2:10pm
Out of Competition:
SCREAM MACHINE Written by Julia Camara (15 minutes)
UP UNDER THE ROOF Produced by Danielle Stallings (20 minutes)

2:10pm
Reveal of the new Bleedy Award design
Bleedy present to the Audience's choice

2:15-3:40
Feature:
IN THEIR SLEEP (90 minutes)

By Caroline du Potet and Eric du Potet, the duo behind Inside. The film stars Anne Parillaud, Arthur Dupont, Thierry Fremont, and Jean-Hugues Anglade.


Now, you better start driving, pack all your friends in the car, and get your bum to Bleedfest Film Festival and support some rad film makers that you wouldn't get the chance to see otherwise!

~Sylv