Grimmfest’s Grim Tidings from Justin McConnell writer and director of Clapboard Jungle

Grimmfest returns this Easter to but a spring in every horror fans step with five nights of fantastic films. Especially or the event we created a brand new interview feature entitled Grim Tidings which will give you the low down on some of the amazing movies they are showing.

Easter is traditionally a time for rebirth, renewal, resurrection. But as the Pandemic continues to rage, and the world remains on lockdown for the foreseeable future, it is also a time for rethinking. Thus, while the Grimmfest team had hoped to be hosting a ‘live’ Easter event, the Grimmfest Easter Edition will now be taking place online and will build on the success of the Grimmfest 2020 online experience.

Originally set for eight feature films over four nights, the event has drawn so much interest from film makers and distributors alike, that they decided to expand the scope to incorporate six more feature films, turning their Easter Horror Nights into a full on festival in its own right!

Grimmfest’s first Easter Edition kicks off on the evening of Thur April 1st, 2021 with our preview night, and then continues across the evenings of 2-5 April, with a series of feature film premiere double bills with supporting shorts and Q&As with the cast & crew of each feature. In addition, there’ll be an exclusive pass holder double bill and an ARROW double bill both of which can be accessed any time across the weekend.

Below we get some Grim Tidings from Justin McConnell writer and director of Clapboard Jungle

1. Tell us why you are at Grimmfest?
Well, physically I’m not there, considering the global pandemic and all. But in spirit, I’m right there with everyone. I’d assume I’m there this year because they are playing my documentary CLAPBOARD JUNGLE as part of the feature film program. I’m looking forward to having another film play the festival, as my film LIFECHANGER played Grimmfest in 2018 and the experience (even from a virtual distance) was great.

2. How did you get into horror?
That’s a story I’ve told so many times at this point. It’s like the go-to question. I think I may have even answered this exact question on this very website in an interview I did in 2018. Long story short – I’ve been a horror kid since I was very young, and I owe it to my dad. Starting with things like Mr. Boogedy, Gremlins, The Monster Squad, Critters, The Lost Boys, and then when I got a little older (but still really young) he’d rent R-Rated horror flicks while I was home sick from school (which was frequently). I got the love from horror there and then just dove headfirst into discovering all that I could.

3. What scares you the most?
The loss of my mental faculties forcing me to continue to live on without the ability to think. Dementia, Alzheimer’s, stuff like that. My mind is where I spend some of my best and worst times, and the thought of the synapses firing in a way that makes my thoughts unmoored and unconnected and unfocused and deteriorating is terrifying. I’ve dealt with family who had that happen to them and it’s not easy. After that, the inevitable fear of losing more people I love. So yeah, the typical stuff that scares a lot of people.

4. Who or what is your favourite horror character?
This is a really tough one, as there are so many that stand out. But since I have such a love of small monsters and puppets, I’m going to have to go with Chucky. His series has the most consistent re-invention while maintaining a great internal continuity, and they are the horror franchise I can rely on to deliver a fun time regardless of which part I choose to rewatch. I’m also big into The Tallman and Freddy… and there’s something so charming about the Caterpuppy from House II: The Second Story. And special mention goes to Clint Howard’s Ice Cream Man and any character played by Jeffrey Combs. But honestly, the list would go on forever, as the genre has so many memorable characters.

5. What is the grimmest thing you ever saw?
The gradual collapse of western democracy and the growing denial of science and the realities we face as we head toward increasingly devastating climate-driven catastrophes. But I’m assuming you want this answer to be horror-related, so… the first hour of Bad Boy Bubby?

Grimmfest Easter Edition runs from the 1st to the 5th of April and you can find out more and book your ticket HERE.