The Evil In Us is a Canadian-made horror film screening with the one-day Badass Film Festival Feb. 21.
A movie described by one reviewer as “one of the most brutal horror films I have ever seen” is coming to Vancouver as part of the 2nd Annual Badass Film Festival.
The movie is Atroz (lit. translation: Atrocious) by Mexican filmmaker Lex Ortega. It’s one of two feature films being screened at the festival, which takes place Feb. 21 at Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour St.). On the VBAFF website, the one-day event is described as a showcase for “the best in extreme cinema (including horror, noir, SF/fantasy, avant-garde, and wild action) from local, Canadian and international short and feature films.”
The second feature is The Evil In Us, a Canadian-made movie by writer/director Jason William Lee. A description reads: “While on a fourth of July holiday, six best friends fall victim to the insidious plan of a terrorist organization when they unknowingly take a bio-active drug that transforms them into bloodthirsty cannibals.”
The Badass Film Festival also features 21 short films as well as hosts Tristan Risk, Samantha Mack and Tyler James Nicol, and special guests.
According to the Badass Film Fest website, the festival was founded and is directed by David Aboussafy and Marc Boily. “Badass 2015 was a completely sold out showcase of new extreme film with a focus on local emerging filmmakers,” the website tells us. “Badass 2015 veteran El Gigante subsequently went on to win numerous awards worldwide and is now being developed into a feature film, while another Badass 2015 film, Swingers Anonymous went on to Cannes and a fully funded feature film for the film’s director.”
Why bring these kinds of “shocking” films to town? “We champion unsettling films because they don’t pander to us – their style and subject matter challenge us,” the website says.
A scene from Atroz.
“Horror is ancient and real and can teach us much, not creating fear but releasing it. To embrace them is to engage something worth hanging onto. The different, the disturbing, the difficult establish their own authority. While the audience for truly bold filmmaking might start small, the extreme may be what endures while the run of the mill are forgotten. Badass films also have a premium on straight up attention-grabbing fun and visceral excitement.”
Advance tickets are $10 at brownpapertickets.com.
Horror film fans might also want to check out the new horror anthology Southbound, on this weekend at Vancity Theatre as well.
