Vancouver-made Harpoon and the Irish thriller The Perished are highlights of this year’s Badass film festival (postponed)

A promotional image for the Vancouver-made Harpoon, one of the movies screening at Badass 6.

Looking for the latest and weirdest in genre films? Badass 6 has your backside.

A privately-funded film festival, Badass showcases features and shorts in genre cinema from around the world. Now in its sixth year, the festival takes place March 27-29 in East Vancouver, at four Commercial Drive-adjacent locations: the Rio Theatre (1660 E. Broadway), Havana Theatre (1212 Commercial Dr.), and the Vancouver East Cultural Centre (1895 Venables St.), along with the Legion Branch 179 (2205 Commercial Dr., for the March 27 launch party).

In all, there are 12 events, including eight features, 50+ shorts, and the Genre Film Awards gala closing show which will include reptiles, fire burlesque, and circus sideshow acts. See below for some highlights from Badass 6—if you dare. (Click on film titles to view trailers.)

In The Perished, from Limerick Ireland, a young woman (Courtney McKeown) goes to an old to recover from an abortion. But the house has secrets of its own. “This is an impressively dark tale rooted in real-life horrors with the full, unashamed courage of its convictions that will appeal to genre fans and liberal activists alike – no mean feat,” wrote Joey Keogh at wickedhorror.com. (Canadian premiere)

Courtney McKeon in the Irish horror movie The Perished. It screens with Badass 6.

Making its BC premiere is the Vancouver-made Harpoon, which Variety called “enthusiastically violent, sharply packaged and gamely acted by three able young thesps who make the most of their roles’ frequently over-the-top nature.”

Described by Film Threat as plotless, Atlanta-based writer/director Brian K. Williams’ Jessie’s Super Normal Regular Average Day features telepathic snails, a non-sequitur rap music video, couch driving, magical food items, and a rockabilly evangelical reverend. “None of this makes sense. None of this goes anywhere. It’s just a balls-to-the-wall journey to the credits of the movie. Depending on your personal tastes, this could be a complete waste of your time, or it could be exactly what you’re looking for,” says Film Threat’s Anthony Ray Bench. (Canadian premiere)

“Brilliant, original, and not what you expect,” Montreal’s Dead Dicks premiered at the 2019 Fantasia Film Festival, where at least one reviewer called it “surprise hit” of the festival. “The script alone is a marvel of subtlety and intelligence, and for a micro-budget film made in a span of only ten days, Dead Dicks is funny, unexpected, and engaging,” writes Ricky Fernandes Da Conceição at goombastomp.com.

Other features include Bullet Trip (Japan, 2019), Beyond the Woods (B.C., 2019), Open for Submissions (BC, 2019), and 2030 (USA, 2019).

Among the shorts are two of last year’s Badass script contest winners, including local Tristan Risk’s Reptile House. In all, eight new features and 50+ shorts will screen. Organizers promise that the Genre Film Awards gala closing show (at the Rio, 1660 E. Broadway) “will also be the biggest yet with reptiles, fire burlesque, and circus sideshow acts.”

For tickets and showtimes visit vbaff.com.

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