From Aliens to Serial Killers: Pigeon Shrine FrightFest Halloween 2024 Line-Up

Pigeon Shrine FrightFest, the UK’s leading genre film festival, is back with a thrilling Halloween special, returning to the Odeon Luxe West End in Leicester Square on November 1 and 2, 2024. Following the spectacular celebration of its 25th anniversary in August, the festival promises another adrenaline-fuelled weekend with a selection of nine new genre films from around the world.

This year’s line-up features premieres from six countries, representing an exciting variety of cinematic talent from Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. Festival-goers will have the opportunity to experience each film twice, as both screens at the Odeon Luxe will be taken over by FrightFest’s special Halloween showcase.

Opening the event is the UK premiere of Magpie, directed by Sam Yates. This tense psychological thriller stars Daisy Ridley, who will be in attendance alongside her husband, actor Tom Bateman. The film explores the unraveling of a family as Ridley’s character, a wife on the edge, teeters on the brink of psychosis when her husband’s affair threatens their lives.

Next on the schedule is Parvulos, a UK premiere from Mexican director Isaac Ezban. This haunting post-apocalyptic film presents a stunning, monochromatic portrayal of three young brothers living in isolation, hiding a dark secret in the woods. Ezban’s unique gothic vision turns this coming-of-age zombie story into something truly unforgettable.

Rounding off the first night is the world premiere of Advent, a supernatural horror film directed by Airell Hayes. Inspired by the terrifying urban legend of the cursed advent calendar, Advent follows a young girl who begins opening doors to a nightmarish Christmas countdown. Stars of the film, including Nicholas Vince, will be in attendance for the premiere.

Saturday kicks off with The Bitter Taste, a high-octane, gore-filled adventure directed by Guido Tölke. This world premiere sees a retired athlete fighting for survival in a deadly hunt against undead enemies. It’s a relentless, action-packed spectacle set to get hearts racing.

Next is the UK premiere of Alien Country, a sci-fi comedy that blends wild extraterrestrial invasion chaos with small-town drama. Directed by popular YouTubers Boston McConnaughey and Renny Grames, who will also attend, the film delivers a fun and frenetic rollercoaster of alien mayhem.

Then, the festival showcases The Draft!, an Indonesian horror film that takes a familiar cabin-in-the-woods scenario and turns it into a fresh, terrifying nightmare. The group of college students must outwit a dark and powerful force that tests their endurance in horrifying ways.

The highly anticipated Time Travel Is Dangerous follows, making its UK premiere with a star-studded cast including Johnny Vegas, Sophie Thompson, and Jane Horrocks. The comedy-fantasy film, directed by Chris Reading, sees two friends accidentally disrupt the fabric of time with their bric-a-brac shop time machine, unleashing chaos on the universe.

As the night intensifies, Catch a Killer makes its international debut. This neo-noir thriller follows a determined bioremediation specialist who uses his love of horror films to track down a serial killer. Director Teddy Grennan, along with lead actors Sam Brooks and Tu Morrow, will be on hand to introduce the film.

The festival concludes with the UK premiere of Animale, a French horror drama about a young woman with mysterious powers who battles supernatural forces to save her rural village from a rogue bull with deadly intentions.

FrightFest co-director Paul McEvoy commented, “This Halloween line-up is an exceptional mix of new talent, iconic performances, and genre-bending stories. We can’t wait to share these films with our audience.”

Pigeon Shrine FrightFest Halloween Screening Line-Up

Friday, 1 November

• Magpie (UK Premiere) – Directed by Sam Yates. 90 mins.
  Time: Screen 1: 6.00pm, Screen 2: 6.30pm
  Synopsis: Daisy Ridley stars as a neglected wife on the edge, spiralling into psychosis as her husband becomes entangled with a glamorous movie star.
• Parvulos (UK Premiere) – Directed by Isaac Ezban. 118 mins.
  Time: Screen 1: 8.25pm, Screen 2: 8.50pm
  Synopsis: Three brothers navigate a post-apocalyptic, infected world while hiding a sinister secret beneath their isolated cabin.
• Advent (World Premiere) – Directed by Airell Anthony Hayles. 77 mins.
  Time: Screen 1: 10.55pm, Screen 2: 11.30pm
  Synopsis: A young girl obsessed with urban legends tests her luck with a cursed advent calendar, but the dark challenges behind each door lead her to a disturbing supernatural reality.

Saturday, 2 November

• The Bitter Taste (World Premiere) – Directed by Guido Tölke. 125 mins.
  Time: Screen 1: 11.10am, Screen 2: 11.35am
  Synopsis: A retired athlete must dig deep into her rusty skills to survive a brutal hunt led by a cursed undead countess and her followers.
• Alien Country (UK Premiere) – Directed by Boston McConnaughey and Renny Grames. 96 mins.
  Time: Screen 1: 1.45pm, Screen 2: 2.10pm
  Synopsis: A couple accidentally unleashes an alien invasion on their small town, leading to an extraterrestrial fight for survival and plenty of laughs.
• The Draft! (UK Premiere) – Directed by Yusron Fuadi. 84 mins.
  Time: Screen 1: 4.10pm, Screen 2: 4.35pm
  Synopsis: Five college students spend a weekend at an isolated cabin, only to discover they must survive an all-powerful dark force testing their survival skills.
• Time Travel Is Dangerous (UK Premiere) – Directed by Chris Reading. 99 mins.
  Time: Screen 1: 6.20pm, Screen 2: 6.45pm
  Synopsis: Two friends stumble upon a time machine and use it to stock their shop with quirky artefacts from the past, not realising the chaos they’ve unleashed upon the universe.
• Catch a Killer (International Premiere) – Directed by Teddy Grennan. 74 mins.
  Time: Screen 1: 8.45pm, Screen 2: 9.10pm
  Synopsis: A bioremediation specialist with an unusual passion for horror films helps track down a serial killer, combining brains and guts to stay ahead of the deadly game.
• Animale (UK Premiere) – Directed by Emma Benestan. 95 mins.
  Time: Screen 1: 10.40pm, Screen 2: 11.05pm
  Synopsis: A young woman with mysterious abilities faces a supernatural threat to protect her village from a rogue bull on the prowl.

Passes and tickets for the event will be available for purchase starting on 5 October. for more infomation and to get your tickets, visit frightfest.co.uk/2024Halloween/