Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival release

Buffalo, New York – Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival, a multi-genre event rated “one of the top 100 best reviewed film festivals” on the submission platform FilmFreeway, returns to Dipson Theatres Eastern Hills Cinema Friday, Nov. 2nd and runs through Thursday, Nov. 8th. The festival spotlights the best independent horror, science fiction, fantasy, action and animated films from around the world, with many out of town filmmakers attending screenings and holding Q&A sessions.

Now in its sixth year, Buffalo Dreams will screen 102 films: 22 features and 80 shorts. Some opening weekend highlights include the world premiere of local filmmaker Sam Qualiana’s comedy Post Apocalyptic Commando Shark (Fri, 11/2, 9 pm); young Niagara Falls filmmaker Hope Muelhlbauer’s anti-bullying slasher film I Dare You To Open Your Eyes (Sat, 11/3, 12 pm); and festival co-director Gregory Lamberson’s teen horror film Johnny Gruesome (Sat, 11/3, 7 pm). Black Fawn Films (Bite) returns with the critically acclaimed horror film I’ll Take Your Dead (Fri, 11/2, 6:45 pm). Other post-Halloween horrors include the ghost story The Child Remains (Sat, 11/3, 9:30 pm); the Canadian vampire opus Red Spring (Sun 11/4, 7 pm); and the gory Spanish home invasion tale Framed (Sun 11/4, 9 pm). A Thanksgiving home invasion feature, Derelicts (Mon, 11/5. 9:20 pm), will be presented by its writer and director, Brett Glassberg.

Among the more unusual fare are the live action/animated hybrid The Next Kill, which has its US premiere Sat 11/3 at 2:30 pm; local filmmaker Mick O’Keefe’s experimental thriller Will o’ the Wisp (Mon, 11/5, 7 pm); the musical drama Tommy Battles the Silver Sea Dragon (Tuesday, 11/6, 7 pm); and Mickey Reece’s experimental thriller Strike, Dear Mistress, and Cure His Heart, which screens twice (Sun, 11/4, 5:15 pm; Wed, 11/7, 3 pm). Eullenia, a thriller filmed in Bangkok, is the Dexter-like story of a wealthy UK banker (Alex Newman) who is also a serial killer who preys upon desperate teenage girls.

The festival’s Dreamer Awards presentation will be held Sun, 11/4, 5 pm in the WBBZ TV studio, located in the mall, and is open to the public. In addition to competition awards, several Special Awards will be presented. Canadian filmmaker Brett Kelly, whose film noir Murder in High Heels screens Sunday, 11/4 at 12:30 pm, has been named Filmmaker of the Year. Sophia Cacciola and Michael J. Epstein, who collaborated on the horror satire Clickabit (Sat, 11/3, 4:30 pm), will receive the Lois Weber Award and the Dedication to Excellence in Independent Filmmaking Award, respectively. And Sam Qualiana will receive the Indie Genre Spirit Award.

Admission follows Dipson’s regular prices, including bargain matinees and Discount Tuesdays. Day Passes ($20) and All Festival Passes ($70) are available at the Eastern Hills Cinema box office. Advance tickets are available at www.dipsontheatres.com.