The Boston Underground Film Festival (BUFF) is an annual event held in the

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

area that specializes in alternative film and video. BUFF is the largest underground film festival in New England, spotlighting short films and feature-length films that would not otherwise find an audience. It was the only film festival in the world to give an award for "Most Effectively Offensive" films, an accolade it awarded from its inception until 2017; on the festival's twentieth anniversary, the award was retired and replaced with "Best First Feature Film," marking a shifting focus towards celebrating new voices in filmmaking. Despite the festival's title, BUFF has not taken place in Boston proper since 2003. The 2004 festival was held mainly in

Arlington, Massachusetts Arlington is a New England town, town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The town is six miles (10 km) northwest of Boston, Massachusetts, Boston, and its population was 46,308 at the 2020 census. History ...

. In 2005, BUFF was held entirely in

Somerville, Massachusetts Somerville ( ) is a city located directly to the northwest of Boston, and north of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total population of 81, ...

. From 2006 on, BUFF has taken place entirely in

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...

. Although BUFF, as an organization, has hosted year round programming at various Boston venues (such as Space 242 in the South End, The Savant Project (now defunct) in Mission Hill and the Milky Way Lounge in

Jamaica Plain Jamaica Plain is a neighborhood of in the City of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Settled by Puritans seeking farmland to the south, it was originally part of the former Town of Roxbury, now also a part of the City of Boston. The commun ...

), there seem to be no current plans to hold the festival in the City of Boston. Starting in 2016, the festival expanded operations to include a monthly screening series called ''Dispatches from the Underground'' at the

Somerville Theatre The Somerville Theatre is an independent movie theater and concert venue in the Davis Square neighborhood of Somerville, Massachusetts, United States. Over one hundred years old, the Somerville Theatre started off as a vaudeville house and movie ...

Microcinema. The series screens "the ones that got away," highlighting films that weren't selected for the official festival, as well as occasional repertory titles and guest curated programs from other New England festivals, as well as traveling festivals. BUFF is one of the longest continuously-running underground film festivals in the world, second only to

Chicago Underground Film Festival Chicago Underground Film Festival (CUFF), founded in 1993, is the longest running underground film festival in the world. It's an internationally recognized program providing a venue for documentary, experimental and avant-garde narrative film and ...

Recognition

BUFF was listed as one of

MovieMaker Magazine ''MovieMaker'' is a magazine, website and podcast network focused on the art and business of filmmaking with a special emphasis on independent film. The magazine is published on a quarterly basis. See also * List of film periodicals Film period ...

's "World's 50 Best Genre Festivals" in 2021 as well as one of

Dread Central Dread Central is an American website founded in 2006 that is dedicated to horror news, interviews, and reviews. It covers horror films, comics, novels, and toys. Dread Central has won the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award for Best Website f ...

's "Best Horror Festivals in the World" in 2021. BUFF was named one of

's "Bloody Best Genre Fests in the World" in 2019. Following the 2018 festival, BUFF was recognized on

Boston Magazine ''Boston'' is a monthly magazine concerning life in the Greater Boston area and has been in publication since 1805. History and profile ''Boston'' magazine was started in 1805. Metrocorp, Inc. bought the magazine in 1970. The company also owns ...

Best of Boston ''Boston'' is a monthly magazine concerning life in the Greater Boston area and has been in publication since 1805. History and profile ''Boston'' magazine was started in 1805. Metrocorp, Inc. bought the magazine in 1970. The company also owns ...

2018 list as Best Film Festival and received a special commendation at the

Boston Society of Film Critics The Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC) is an organization of film reviewers from Boston, Massachusetts in the United States. History The BSFC was formed in 1981 to make “Boston’s unique critical perspective heard on a national and internati ...

' 2018 Special Awards. The festival received

DigBoston ''DigBoston''—formerly known as the ''Weekly Dig'' and known colloquially as ''The Dig''—is a free alternative newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts. It covers news in the Greater Boston area and offers commentary on music, arts, politics, busin ...

's DIGTHIS! Award in 2014 and 2015 for Best Film Festival.

History

Started in 1998, by film professor/curator David Kleiler, BUFF was an extension of an all night film marathon produced by Kleiler and

Dima Ballin Dima or DIMA may refer to: Acronym * Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (1996–2001), Australian federal government agency * Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (2006–2007), Australian federal government age ...

. The First Annual Boston Underground Film Festival took place in February 1999 at the now defunct Revolving Museum in

South Boston South Boston is a densely populated neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, located south and east of the Fort Point Channel and abutting Dorchester Bay. South Boston, colloquially known as Southie, has undergone several demographic transformati ...

. Described by programmer Bernard Broginart as "a wonderful hoax of a film festival," the first BUFF was an extremely informal event. Patrons were encouraged to wander from room to room for a single ticket price in the art gallery converted to a cinema. This format was continued for the 2000 festival. In the years following, BUFF has adopted a more traditional festival format with set screening start times and using actual cinemas and screening rooms. Between 2001 and 2004, BUFF had expanded and contracted with no central location or venue and no set duration. The festival took place during the month of February from 1999 to 2002. In 2003, it was moved to October; then to May in 2004. During this period, numerous venues housed BUFF screenings, including the Milky Way Lounge in

, The

Allston Cinema Underground Allston is an officially recognized neighborhood within the City of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was named after the American painter and poet Washington Allston. It comprises the land covered by the zip code 02134. For the most par ...

(now defunct), The Arlington Regent Theatre, and the

Brattle Theatre The Brattle Theatre is a repertory movie theater located in Brattle Hall at 40 Brattle Street near Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The theatre is a small movie house with one screen. It is one of the few remaining movie theaters, if ...

. By 2005, BUFF was under new management, with Anna Feder and Kevin Monahan taking over as co-managing directors and bringing on Bryan McKay as graphic designer. David Kleiler retained Executive Director duties this year. One of Feder and Monahan's first actions was to feature the Bacchus bunny front and center by using McKay's striking designs. They also centralized operations during this year, with all screenings taking place at the

Davis Square Davis Square is a major intersection in the northwestern section of Somerville, Massachusetts where several streets meet: Holland Street, Dover Street, Day Street, Elm Street, Highland Avenue, and College Avenue. The name is often used to refer ...

. In 2006 they made

Harvard Square Harvard Square is a triangular plaza at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, Brattle Street and John F. Kennedy Street near the center of Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. The term "Harvard Square" is also used to delineate the busin ...

BUFF's new home, using the

as the primary venue. The Brattle also hosted the festival in 2007 and 2008. Kleiler stepped down as Executive Director after the 2006 festival. According to BUFF's website, the 2009 festival was held at the Kendall Square Cinema and the Brattle Theatre, both in Cambridge. The 2010 and 2011 festivals were held exclusively at the Kendall Square Cinema. Anna Feder stepped down as Director after the 2011 festival. As of the 2012 festival, Kevin Monahan and Nicole McControversy stepped up into dual festival director roles as Artistic Director and Director of Programming, respectively, and restructured the festival as an officially registered LLC. The festival's graphic designer, Bryan McKay, was promoted to Media Director in 2012. BUFF's core staff is currently: Artistic Director – Kevin Monahan, Director of Programming – Nicole McControversy, Media Director – Bryan McKay. BUFF is organized by an entirely unpaid, volunteer group of dedicated film fans. In 2012, BUFF moved back to the Brattle Theatre where it has remained the festival's primary screening venue. The festival also used the

Harvard Film Archive The Harvard Film Archive (HFA) is a film archive and cinema located in the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Dedicated to the collection, preservation and exhibition of film, the HFA houses a c ...

as a secondary venue from 2016 to present. BUFF's 22nd annual festival, originally scheduled for March 2020 was postponed due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

. BUFF was one of the five genre festivals (including Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, North Bend Film Festival, the Overlook Film Festival, and Popcorn Frights) that organized

Nightstream Nightstream was an online film festival, launched in the United States in 2020.Dino-Ray Ramos"Genre Film Festivals Across The Country Partner For Nightstream Virtual Event" ''Deadline Hollywood'', August 13, 2020. Created as a partnership of seve ...

, an online film festival, in October 2020.Dino-Ray Ramos
"Genre Film Festivals Across The Country Partner For Nightstream Virtual Event"
''

Deadline Hollywood ''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. The site is updated several times a day, with ...

'', August 13, 2020. Four feature films and five short programs originally intended for the 22nd BUFF were featured in Nightstream. In 2021, four of the original Nightstream festivals, including BUFF, joined again for another edition of Nightstream in October of that year. In March 2022, BUFF returned to the Brattle Theatre for its first physical edition since 2019; as a result, the festival held its 22nd edition in 2022.

The Bacchus Awards

Rather than giving cash or trade value prizes for awards, BUFF doles out a trophy in the shape of a demonic black bunny with red eyes; various iterations of the award also had a vibrating feature. The Bacchus Award was incorporated into BUFF in its second year and has since become the official mascot of the festival, a focal point in poster/logo design, and the rationale behind the festival's red/black/white color scheme. "And the bunny goes to..." is the much-anticipated phrase at the award ceremony that closes the festival. A new version of Bacchus, clad in white briefs and clutching a liquor bottle was unveiled for the 2008 festival and designed by Casey A. Riley. Riley designed an updated version of the award in 2009, featuring a slightly svelter Bacchus wearing a pink bunny suit, clutching a liquor bottle and exhibiting a raised middle-finger. This version of the Bacchus Award remained in use through 2017. As of 2018, a new Bacchus was designed in celebration of the festival's twentieth anniversary. Designed by Jason Rosen of Skinwalker Studios, the latest version of Bacchus is entirely ebony and emphasizes more demonic and occult-suggestive traits.

Awards Categories

Audience Choice Award: Best of Fest Short, Best of Fest Feature Best First Feature (as of 2018) Director's Choice (BUFF organizers): Best Short, Best Feature Retired: Most Effectively Offensive Award Occasionally awards for Lifetime Achievement and Best New England Film are selected as well.

Notable films featured

*'' I Stand Alone'',

Gaspar Noé Gaspar Noé (, ; born 27 December 1963) is an Argentine filmmaker based in Paris, France. He is the son of Argentine painter, writer, and intellectual Luis Felipe Noé. In the early 1990s, Noé along with his wife Lucile Hadžihalilović were ...

(2001) *'' Shucking the Curve'',

Todd Verow Todd Verow (born November 11, 1966) is an American film director who resides in New York City. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design and the AFI Conservatory. With his creative partner James Derek Dwyer, he formed Bangor Films in 1995. ...

(2001) *'' We Sold Our Souls for Rock 'n Roll'',

Penelope Spheeris Penelope Spheeris (born December 2, 1945 or 1946; sources differ) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. She has directed both documentary and scripted films. Her best-known works include the trilogy titled ''The Decline of ...

(2001) *''

Don't Ask Don't Tell "Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) was the official United States policy on military service of non-heterosexual people, instituted during the Clinton administration. The policy was issued under Department of Defense Directive 1304.26 on December ...

'', Doug Miles (2002) *'' Zero Day'',

Ben Coccio Benjamin Coccio (born August 2, 1975) is an American filmmaker from Niskayuna, New York. He is best known for his feature film work, directing '' Zero Day'' and co-writing ''The Place Beyond The Pines''. Biography Coccio attended the Rhode Islan ...

(2003, Best of Fest winner) *'' Horns and Halos'', Galinsky/Hawley (2003)) *'' Dear Pillow'',

Bryan Poyser Bryan Poyser (born 1975) is an American film director and screenwriter. He is known for films such as '' Dear Pillow'', '' Lovers of Hate'', and ''Love & Air Sex''. Career A two-time Independent Spirit Award nominee, his second feature 'Lovers ...

(2004, Best of Fest winner) *'' Family Portraits: A Trilogy of America'',

Douglas Buck Douglas Buck is an American film director. Buck grew up on Long Island, in New York State. He later moved to New York City, where he began making films while working as an airport electrical engineer. Buck started by making short films, inclu ...

(2005) *'' Graveyard Alive: A Zombie Nurse in Love'',

Elza Kephart Elza Kephart, is a Canadians, Canadian filmmaker, from Montreal, Quebec. She owns her own production company, Midnight Kingdom Films. Career Kephart's first feature film was ''Graveyard Alive, Graveyard Alive: A Zombie Nurse in Love'', which sh ...

(2005, Best of Fest winner) *''

Thundercrack! ''Thundercrack!'' is a 1975 Pornographic film, pornographic black comedy horror film written, edited, shot and directed by Curt McDowell, and written by George Kuchar based on a story by McDowell and Mark Ellinger. It stars Marion Eaton, Ken Scud ...

'',

Curt McDowell Curtis A. McDowell (January 9, 1945 – June 3, 1987) was an American underground filmmaker. Biography McDowell was born in 1945 in Indiana. He moved to San Francisco in the late 1960s to study painting at the San Francisco Art Institute. Afte ...

, (2005) *''

Stryker The Stryker is a family of eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicles derived from the Canadian LAV III. Stryker vehicles are produced by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-C) for the United States Army in a plant in London, Ontario. It ...

'',

Noam Gonick Noam Gonick, (born March 20, 1973) is a Canadians, Canadian filmmaker and artist.Ingrid Randoja"Gonzo Gonick" ''Now (newspaper), Now'', May 31, 2021. His films include ''Hey, Happy!'', ''Stryker (2004 film), Stryker'', ''Guy Maddin: Waiting for T ...

, (2005) *'' A Forked World'',

Carey Burtt Carey Burtt is a filmmaker and musician based in New York City, mainly working in the underground genre. Films Known for their disturbing humor and dark narratives, the films of Carey Burtt include ''The Psychotic Odyssey of Richard Chase'' and ...

James DiGiovanna James DiGiovanna is a film reviewer and filmmaker, and the author of a number of published short stories. Together with Bob Grimm and Colin Boyd, he was one of three cinema writers on the staff of ''Tucson Weekly''.

(2005) *''

Neighborhood Watch A neighborhood watch or neighbourhood watch (see spelling differences), also called a crime watch or neighbourhood crime watch, is an organized group of civilians devoted to crime and vandalism prevention within a neighborhood. The aim of neig ...

'' (aka '' Deadly End''), Graeme Whifler (2006) *''

The French Guy ''The French Guy'' (russian: Француз) is a 2004 Russian comedy film directed by Vera Storozheva. Plot The film tells about the relationship of the French baron Paul de Russo and the modest translator Anna from a quiet provincial town. C ...

'',

Ann Marie Fleming Ann Marie Fleming is an independent Canadian filmmaker, writer, and visual artist. She was born in Okinawa, USCAR (nowadays Japan), in 1962 and is of Chinese, Ryukyuan and Australian descent. Her film '' Window Horses'' was released in 2016. ...

(2006, Best of Fest winner) *''

Psychopathia Sexualis ''Psychopathia Sexualis: eine Klinisch-Forensische Studie'' (''Sexual Psychopathy: A Clinical-Forensic Study'', also known as ''Psychopathia Sexualis, with Especial Reference to the Antipathetic Sexual Instinct: A Medico-forensic Study'') is an ...

'',

Bret Wood Bret Wood is an Atlanta-based film director and author. Film career Wood was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and attended the University of Tennessee. After living in New York City, where he was hired by Kino International, he moved to Atlanta ...

(2006) *'' American Stag'', Benjamin Meade (2007) *''

Dante's Inferno ''Inferno'' (; Italian for "Hell") is the first part of Italian writer Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem ''Divine Comedy''. It is followed by ''Purgatorio'' and '' Paradiso''. The ''Inferno'' describes Dante's journey through Hell, guid ...

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Sean Meredith Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish language, Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (Anglicisation of names, anglicized as ''Shaun/Shawn (giv ...

(2007) *''

Viva Viva may refer to: Companies and organisations * Viva (network operator), a Dominican mobile network operator * Viva Air, a Spanish airline taken over by flag carrier Iberia * Viva Air Dominicana * VIVA Bahrain, a telecommunication company * ...

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Anna Biller Anna Biller is an independent American filmmaker who has directed two feature films. Biller considers herself a feminist filmmaker and consciously explores feminist themes throughout her work, including exploring the female gaze in cinema. She i ...

(2007, Best of Fest winner) *''

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'', Larry Kent (2007) *''

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Angela Bettis Angela Marie Bettis (born January 9, 1973) is an American actress, film producer, and director. Following her breakthrough role as Janet Webber in the drama film ''Girl, Interrupted'' (1999), she earned acclaim for her portrayals of Carrietta Wh ...

(2007) *'' La Belle Bête'',

Karim Hussain Karim Hussain (Ottawa, born July 16, 1975) is a Canadian filmmaker and cinematographer. As a director he is best known for his 2000 film ''Subconscious Cruelty'', and as co-writer of Nacho Cerdà's '' The Abandoned''. In 2006, he adapted French-C ...

(2008, Best of Fest winner) *''

The Wizard of Gore ''The Wizard of Gore'' is a 1970 American fantasy splatter film directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis and starring Ray Sager, Judy Cler, and Wayne Ratay. The screenplay was written by Allen Kahn. Plot Magician Montag the Magnificent delivers hec ...

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Jeremy Kasten Jeremy Craig Kasten (born March 25, 1971) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and editor. Kasten is best known for his arthouse horror pieces, which range from psychological horror films such as '' The Attic Expeditions'' (20 ...

(2008) *''

Pop Skull ''Pop Skull'' is a 2007 American horror film directed by Adam Wingard. In 2003, filmmaker Adam Wingard approached Mexican American actor Lane Hughes with the idea of doing a semi-autobiographical film about a recent breakup. They conceived the fil ...

'',

Adam Wingard Adam Wingard ( ; born December 3, 1982) is an American filmmaker. He has served as a director, producer, screenwriter, editor, cinematographer, actor, and composer on numerous projects. Following an early career as a member of the mumblecore ...

(2008) *'' Who is KK Downey?'' Darren Curtis & Pat Kiley (2008) *''

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Tony Krantz Tony Krantz (born June 16, 1959) is an American film and television producer, writer, and director. Krantz started his career in the American entertainment industry as an agent, spending 15 years at Creative Artists Agency (CAA). He started the ...

(2008) *'' The Last American Freak Show'', Richard Butchins (2009) *''

Bad Biology ''Bad Biology'' is a 2008 American black comedy horror film directed by Frank Henenlotter. Produced by rapper R.A. the Rugged Man, it stars Charlee Danielson and Anthony Sneed as sexually unfulfilled people who are drawn together because of their ...

'',

Frank Henenlotter Frank Henenlotter (born August 29, 1950) is an American film director, screenwriter and film historian. He is known primarily for directing horror comedies, especially '' Basket Case'' (1982), ''Brain Damage'' (1988), and ''Frankenhooker'' (199 ...

(2009) *''

Deadgirl ''Deadgirl'' is a 2008 American horror film written by Trent Haaga and directed by Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel. It stars Shiloh Fernandez and Noah Segan as teenage boys who discover a naked, female zombie, played by Jenny Spain. When one of ...

'',

Marcel Sarmiento Marcel Sarmiento is a film director and writer who has created both comedy and horror films and commercials. He wrote and directed the 2007 comedy '' Heavy Petting'', co-produced and directed the 2008 horror film '' Deadgirl'', and directed a se ...

& Gadi Harel (2009) *'' Modern Love is Automatic'',

Zach Clark Zachary Higgins Clark (born April 10, 1983) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for the Baltimore Orioles in 2013. Career Clark graduated from Newark High School in Newark, Delaware, in 2001. H ...

(2009, Best of Fest winner) *''

Mock Up on Mu ''Mock Up on Mu'' is a 2008 science fiction collage film directed by American experimental filmmaker Craig Baldwin. The film is a fictionalized continuation of the stories of L. Ron Hubbard, Jack Parsons, and Marjorie Cameron. Baldwin assembled it ...

'',

Craig Baldwin Craig Baldwin (born 1952) is an American experimental filmmaker. He uses found footage from the fringes of popular consciousness as well as images from the mass media to undermine and transform the traditional documentary, infusing it with the ...

(2009) *'' Morris County'',

Matthew Garrett Matthew Garrett is an Irish technologist, programmer, and free software activist who is a major contributor to a series of free software projects including Linux, GNOME, Debian, Ubuntu, and Red Hat. He has received the Free Software Award ...

(2009) * ''

Love Exposure is a 2008 Japanese comedy-drama film written and directed by Sion Sono. The film gained a considerable amount of notoriety in film festivals around the world for its four-hour runtime and themes including love, family, lust, religion and the crim ...

'',

Sion Sono Sion may refer to * an alternative transliteration of Zion People * Sion (name) or Siôn, a Welsh and other given name and surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Shion or Sion, a Japanese given name Plac ...

(2010) * '' Red White & Blue'',

Simon Rumley Simon Rumley (born 22 May 1968) is a British screenwriter, director and author. Mostly associated with the horror genre, he was described by '' Screen International'' as "one of the great British cinematic outsiders, a gifted director with the k ...

(2010, Best of Fest winner) * '' Stuck!'',

Steve Balderson Stephen Clark Balderson (born January 19, 1975) is an American film director. Early life Balderson was born in Manhattan, Kansas and raised in nearby Wamego, Kansas until the age of twelve, when his family moved to Manhattan. Balderson attended ...

(2010) * '' The Life and Death of a Porno Gang'', Mladen Djordjevic (2010) * ''

Amer Amer may refer to: Places * Amer (river), a river in the Dutch province of North Brabant * Amer, Girona, a municipality in the province of Girona in Catalonia, Spain * Amber, India (also known as Amer, India), former city of Rajasthan state ** Am ...

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Hélène Cattet Helene or Hélène may refer to: People *Helene (given name), a Greek feminine given name * Helen of Troy, the daughter of Zeus and Leda *Helene, a figure in Greek mythology who was a friend of Aphrodite and helped her seduce Adonis * Helene (A ...

Bruno Forzani Bruno may refer to: People and fictional characters *Bruno (name), including lists of people and fictional characters with either the given name or surname * Bruno, Duke of Saxony (died 880) * Bruno the Great (925–965), Archbishop of Cologne, ...

(2010) * ''

Hobo with a Shotgun ''Hobo with a Shotgun'' is a 2011 exploitation action black comedy film directed by Jason Eisener, written by John Davies, from a story by Eisener, and starring Rutger Hauer. It is based on a faux- trailer of the same title featured in the Quentin ...

'',

Jason Eisener Jason Eisener is a Canadians, Canadian screenwriter, producer, editor and Film director, director. Life and career ''Grindhouse'' faux trailer contest and ''Hobo with a Shotgun'' (2007 - 2011) In 2007, Eisener entered and won the ''Grindhouse (f ...

(2011) * '' The Woman'',

Lucky McKee Edward Lucky McKee (born November 1, 1975) is an American director, writer, and actor, largely known for the 2002 cult film ''May''. He is best known for his work in horror films. Life and career McKee was born in Jenny Lind, California. He has ...

(2011) * '' Profane'',

Usama Alshaibi Usama Alshaibi ( ar, أسامة الشيبي) (born in Baghdad, Iraq on November 20, 1969) is an Iraqi American, Iraqi-American independent film, independent filmmaker and visual artist.Kozarski, Ed:, From Iraq to Iowa', Chicago Reader, published ...

(2011, Best of Fest winner) * '' Frankie in Blunderland'', Caleb Emerson (2011) * '' Chop'',

Trent Haaga Trent Haaga (born 1971) is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, and director. He is best known for his work on independent horror films, such as ''Deadgirl'' (2008), '' Cheap Thrills'' (2013), and '' 68 Kill'' (2017). Career Haaga came to ...

(2011) * ''

A Horrible Way to Die ''A Horrible Way to Die'' is a 2010 American horror film directed and edited by Adam Wingard, written by co-producer Simon Barrett, and starring A. J. Bowen, Amy Seimetz, Joe Swanberg, Brandon Carroll, and Lane Hughes. The story follows an escaped ...

'',

(2011) * ''

Helldriver is a 2010 Japanese splatter film directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura. It stars Yumiko Hara and Eihi Shiina, and was written by Nishimura and Daichi Nagisa. Synopsis A girl named Kika and her father hide from her mother, Rikka, who has gone insane an ...

'',

Yoshihiro Nishimura is a Japanese film director, special effects and makeup effects artist, and a screenwriter who has worked predominantly in the horror genre. Nishimura has been described as "a legendary director and effects artist" and "the Tom Savini of Japan" ...

(2011) * ''

John Dies at the End ''John Dies at the End'' is a Comic novel, comic horror fiction, horror novel written by David Wong (writer), David Wong that was first published online as a webserial beginning in 2001, then as an edited ebook, manuscript in 2004, and a printe ...

'',

Don Coscarelli Don Coscarelli Jr. (born February 17, 1954) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Born to Italian settlers in Libya, he is best known for his work in horror films. His directing credits include the first four films in the ' ...

(2012) * '' Excision'', Richard Bates, Jr. (2012) * ''

Smuggler Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations. There are various ...

'',

Katsuhito Ishii is a Japanese film director best known for directing ''The Taste of Tea'' (2004), ''Funky Forest'' (2005), and ''Smuggler'' (2011). Career After graduating from Musashino Art University, Ishii got a job at Tohokushinsha Film and began direct ...

(2012) * ''

Inside Lara Roxx ''Inside Lara Roxx'' is a 2011 EyeSteelFilm Canadian documentary film by Canadian film director Mia Donovan. It covers the circumstances of a 21-year-old Canadian woman Lara Roxx who in the Spring of 2004, left her hometown Montreal heading to Los ...

'',

Mia Donovan Mia Donovan is a Canadian photographer and filmmaker. She is best known for her documentary '' Inside Lara Roxx'' released through EyeSteelFilm about 21-year-old Canadian Lara Roxx who in the spring of 2004, left her hometown Montreal heading to ...

(2012) * ''

Manborg ''Manborg'' is a 2011 Canadian science-fiction action film, directed by Steven Kostanski, and released by Astron-6. Plot Count Draculon (Adam Brooks) and his Nazi vampire forces seek to take over Earth during the Hell Wars. A soldier (Matthew ...

'',

Steven Kostanski Astron-6 is a Canadian film production and directing company founded in 2007 by Adam Brooks and Jeremy Gillespie. The company later expanded to include Matt Kennedy, Conor Sweeney and Steven Kostanski, who are now equal partners in the company. A ...

(2012, Best of Fest winner) * '' See You Next Tuesday'', Drew Tobia (2013) * '' White Reindeer'',

(2013, Best of Fest winner) * ''

Crimes Against Humanity Crimes against humanity are widespread or systemic acts committed by or on behalf of a ''de facto'' authority, usually a state, that grossly violate human rights. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity do not have to take place within the ...

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Jerzy Rose Jerzy is the Polish version of the masculine given name George. The most common nickname for Jerzy is Jurek (), which may also be used as an official first name. Occasionally the nickname Jerzyk may be used, which means "swift" in Polish. People ...

(2014, Best of Fest winner) * '' Starry Eyes'', Dennis Widmyer & Kevin Kölsch (2014) * ''

Blue Ruin ''Blue Ruin'' is a 2013 American thriller film written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier and starring Macon Blair. Saulnier funded production on the film through a successful Kickstarter campaign, which MTV called "the perfect example of what crow ...

'',

Jeremy Saulnier Jeremy Saulnier (; born June 10, 1976) is an American film director, cinematographer and screenwriter. Career In 2007, he released his first feature film, ''Murder Party'' which he wrote and directed starring his childhood friend, Macon Blair. ...

(2014) * '' The Editor'', Adam Brooks & Matthew Kennedy (2015) * '' We Are Still Here'', Ted Geoheghan (2015) * '' I Am a Knife with Legs'',

Bennett Jones Bennett Jones LLP is a law firm based in Canada. Firm Bennett Jones is a Canadian business law firm with 400 lawyers and business advisors. The firm has five offices in Canada ( Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa and Vancouver), and one i ...

(2015, Best of Fest winner) * ''Remedy'', Cheyenne Picardo (2015) * ''

Trash Fire Trash may refer to: Garbage * Garbage, unwanted or undesired waste material ** Litter, material discarded in inappropriate places ** Municipal solid waste, unwanted or undesired waste material generated in a municipal environment Arts, enter ...

'', Richard Bates, Jr. (2016) * ''

Blood of the Tribades ''Blood of the Tribades'' is a 2016 horror film directed by Sophia Cacciola and Michael J. Epstein. The script, style, and look are heavily influenced by 1970s Euro lesbian vampire films. The film is distributed in North America on VOD and DVD/Blu ...

'',

Sophia Cacciola Sophia Cacciola is a Los-Angeles-based, American filmmaker, artist, and musician. Career overview Film Cacciola is known for her sociopolitical genre feature films that showcase women: '' TEN'', Magnetic, Blood of the Tribades, Clickbait, a ...

and

Michael J. Epstein Michael J. Epstein (born 1976), is an American filmmaker, musician, writer, and auditory scientist. Epstein has also spoken and written about the impact of local media on the arts, music service gatekeeping, effective social networking, and crowd ...

(2016) * '' A Life In Waves'', Brett Whitcomb (2017) *''

Dave Made a Maze ''Dave Made a Maze'' is a 2017 American fantasy adventure comedy horror film directed by Bill Watterson, and starring Nick Thune, Meera Rohit Kumbhani, Kirsten Vangsness, Stephanie Allynne, James Urbaniak and John Hennigan. The film centers on th ...

'', Bill Watterson (2017, Audience Award for Best Feature) * '' Tigers Are Not Afraid'',

Issa López Issa Laura López Lozano is a Mexican producer, writer and film director. Eleven Spanish language features have been produced from her scripts, four of them directed by herself. She has won several literary awards, including the National Novel A ...

(2018, Audience Award for Best Feature) *'' Laissez bronzer les cadavres'',

Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani are husband-and-wife filmmakers based in Brussels, Belgium. They have worked as a writing and directing team for their entire professional film careers. Their most acclaimed works include ''Amer (film), Amer'' (20 ...

(2018) *'' My Name is Myeisha'', Gus Krieger (2018, Director's Choice Best Feature) *''Tone-Deaf'', Richard Bates, Jr. (2019) *'' Hail Satan?'',

Penny Lane "Penny Lane" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released in February 1967 as a double A-side single with "Strawberry Fields Forever". It was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney songwr ...

(2019) *''Werewolf'', Adrian Panek (2018) *''Industrial Accident: The Story of Wax Trax! Records'', Julia Nash (2018) *''Mope'', Lucas Heyne (2019) *''

Clickbait Clickbait is a text or a thumbnail link that is designed to attract attention and to entice users to follow that link and read, view, or listen to the linked piece of online content, being typically deceptive, sensationalized, or otherwise misl ...

'',

and

(2019) *''

Knife+Heart A knife ( : knives; from Old Norse 'knife, dirk') is a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, usually attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least 2.5 million years ago, as evidenced ...

'',

Yann Gonzalez M83 are a French electronic music group formed in Antibes in 1999 and currently based in Los Angeles. Initially a duo of multi-instrumentalists Nicolas Fromageau and Anthony Gonzalez, Fromageau parted ways shortly after touring for their second ...

(2019) *''

Dinner in America ''Dinner in America'' is a 2020 American coming of age dark comedy film written, directed, and edited by Adam Carter Rehmeier. It stars Kyle Gallner, Emily Skeggs, Griffin Gluck, Pat Healy, Mary Lynn Rajskub, David Yow, Hannah Marks, Nick Chinl ...

'', Adam Carter Rehmeier (2020, Nightstream Audience Award) *''

You Won't Be Alone ''You Won't Be Alone'' is a 2022 horror film written and directed by Goran Stolevski in his directorial debut. It stars Sara Klimoska, Anamaria Marinca, Alice Englert, Félix Maritaud, Carloto Cotta, and Noomi Rapace. in the movie, a naive p ...

'',

Goran Stolevski Goran Stolevski, born 1985/1986, is a Macedonian Australian film director and screenwriter. He made his feature film directorial debut with the 2022 film '' You Won't Be Alone'', which premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. His second fe ...

(2022) *''

Nitram ''Nitram'' is a 2021 Australian biographical film, biographical psychological drama film directed by Justin Kurzel from a screenplay by Shaun Grant. The film revolves around the life and behaviors of a mentally distressed young man called "Nitr ...

'',

Justin Kurzel Justin Dallas Kurzel (; born 1974) is an Australian film director and screenwriter. Early life Kurzel was born 1974 in Gawler, South Australia to a family of immigrant roots, his father hailing from Poland and his mother from Malta. His youn ...

(2022) *'' The Innocents (2021 film)'',

Eskil Vogt Eskil Vogt (born 31 October 1974) is a Norwegian film director and screenwriter. His films include ''Reprise'' (2006), ''Oslo, August 31st'' (2011), ''Louder Than Bombs'' (2015), and ''Thelma'' (2017) all of which were directed by Joachim Trier f ...

(2022) *''

Watcher (film) ''Watcher'' is a 2022 psychological thriller film written and directed by Chloe Okuno in her feature directorial debut, based on an original screenplay by Zack Ford. The film stars Maika Monroe, Karl Glusman, and Burn Gorman. ''Watcher'' had ...

'',

Chloe Okuno Chloe Alexandra Okuno (born August 1, 1987) is an American horror film director. She co-directed ''V/H/S/94'' (2021)''.'' Her feature film directorial debut, '' Watcher'', premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S Dramatic Competitio ...

(2022, Director's Choice Best Feature) *''

Vortex (2021 film) ''Vortex'' is a 2021 Independent film, independent psychological drama film written and directed by Gaspar Noé. The film premiered in the Cannes Premiere section at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. It stars Dario Argento as a father and author, Lu ...

'',

(2022) *''

Lux Æterna (film) ''Lux Æterna'' (stylized as ''LVX ÆTERNA'') is a 2019 French independent experimental meta-art film written, produced and directed by Gaspar Noé. The piece heavily employs epileptic imagery through grey and color strobes, split-screen, and ...

'',

(2022) *''

Hatching (film) ''Hatching'' ( fi, Pahanhautoja) is a 2022 Finnish psychological body horror film directed by Hanna Bergholm, written by Ilja Rautsi and starring Siiri Solalinna, Sophia Heikkilä, Jani Volanen, Reino Nordin and Saija Lentonen. It premiered at ...

'', Hanna Bergholm (2022) *''

Neptune Frost ''Neptune Frost'' is a 2021 science fiction romantic musical film co-directed by Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman, and starring Cheryl Isheja, Elvis Ngabo and Kaya Free. It follows the relationship between Neptune and Matalusa, coltan miners wh ...

'',

Saul Williams Saul Stacey Williams (born February 29, 1972) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, poet, writer, and actor. He is known for his blend of poetry and alternative hip hop, and for his lead roles in the 1998 independent film ''Slam'' ...

and Anisia Uzeyman (2022, Best First Feature)

Notable guests

Bill Plympton Bill Plympton (born April 30, 1946) is an American animator, graphic designer, cartoonist, and filmmaker best known for his 1987 Academy Awards-nominated animated short '' Your Face'' and his series of shorts featuring a dog character starting ...

(2003) *

George A. Romero George Andrew Romero (; February 4, 1940 – July 16, 2017) was an American-Canadian filmmaker, writer, editor and actor. His ''Night of the Living Dead'' series of films about an imagined zombie apocalypse began with the 1968 film of the ...

(2004) *

(2005) *

(2006) *

Lloyd Kaufman Stanley Lloyd Kaufman Jr. (born December 30, 1945) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and actor. Alongside producer Michael Herz (producer), Michael Herz, he is the co-founder of Troma Entertainment film studio, and the director ...

(2006) *

(2007) *

(2007 & 2011) *

(2007) *

Terence Nance Terence Nance (born February 10, 1982) is an American filmmaker, writer, director, actor and musician from Dallas, Texas. He is best known for his directing debut ''An Oversimplification of Her Beauty'', and as the creator of the avant-garde TV p ...

(2007) *

(2007) * Larry Kent (2007) *

(2008) *

(2008–2010) *

(2008) *

(2009 & 2016) *

George Kuchar George Kuchar (August 31, 1942 – September 6, 2011) was an American underground film director and video artist, known for his "low-fi" aesthetic. Early life and career Kuchar trained as a commercial artist at the School of Industrial Art, now kn ...

(2010) *

Mink Stole Nancy Paine Stoll (born August 25, 1947), known professionally as Mink Stole, is an American actress from Baltimore, Maryland. She began her career working for director John Waters, and has appeared in all of his feature films to date (a distinc ...

(2010) *

Gorman Bechard Gorman Bechard (born March 15, 1959) is an American film director, screenwriter and novelist best known for his independent feature films ''Psychos in Love,'' ''Friends (With Benefits), Friends (with benefits),'' and ''You Are Alone''; his four r ...

(2010) *

(2011) *

(2011) * Caleb Emerson (2011) *

(2012) *

John Fasano John Michael Fasano (August 24, 1961 – July 19, 2014) was an American screenwriter, film producer and director. In the length of his career, Fasano directed six films, produced twenty more, and wrote screenplays for at least eighteen others. F ...

(2012) * Richard Bates, Jr. (2012 & 2016) *

(2014) *

Larry Fessenden Laurence T. Fessenden (born March 23, 1963) is an American actor, producer, writer, director, film editor, and cinematographer. He is the founder of the New York based independent production outfit Glass Eye Pix. His writer/director credits inclu ...

(2016) *

Suzanne Ciani Suzanne Ciani (; born June 4, 1946) is an American musician, sound designer, composer, and record label executive who found early success in the 1970s with her electronic music and sound effects for films and television commercials. Her career ha ...

(2017) *

(2018) *

(2019)

References

External links

Boston Underground Film Festival
website Annual events in Boston Film festivals in Boston Underground film festivals Experimental film festivals