As we enter the final hours of 2014, I can’t help but reflect on all the great opportunities that Bonfire Films has been lucky enough to experience over this past year.
Overall, 2014 was a year of both old and new. We would celebrate the continued success of our short films NATAL and Mother, as well as create some new shorts such as Tickle, Bloody Mary and Tongue Tied. We’d travel across the US to make some music videos, and we’d even release our first feature film The Hanover House at festivals.
FESTIVALS
Both Mother and NATAL would continue on the festival circuit throughout 2014. NATAL would eventually go on to win Best Paranormal Short and Best Short Film Actress at the Fear Fete Film Festival in Mississippi. Mother, now part of the World of Death series, produced by Brad Miska (VHS Trilogy, Bloody-Disgusting) would offend audiences across the United States and Australia. World of Death should see international distribution is 2015.
ON THE ROAD
Bonfire embarked on it’s first cross country road trip during the summer as we headed to Indiana to shoot two music videos for The Contortionist. I found this project to be an extremely personal one, as it gave me the opportunity to once again collaborate with long time friend Michael Lessard. Who would have thought that an isolated barn, buried deep within a corn field could become two extremely diverse performance locations. But you know what they say, all work and no play… On the return trip, we stopped off at Niagra Falls for breakfast and a trip on the Maid of the Mist. This, hands down, my favorite memory of the year.
GET TICKLED
Being part of Damnationland in 2013 was such an amazing experience, that when we were asked to participate for a second year, we jumped at the opportunity. Tickle, the first project written solely by Haley Norman, premiered to a packed house of over 600 people on October 17th at the State Theatre in Portland. The same night it would also premiere at the Strand Theatre in Shelbyville, IN as part of Friday Night Frights. Movie goers across the state would continue to enjoy the film throughout the month at venues such as: The Strand (Rockland, ME), The Nickelodeon (Portland, ME), The Magic Lantern (Bridgton, ME) and many more.
The Hanover House
Perhaps the most life changing event of this past year was the festival release of our first feature film, The Hanover House. Initially slated to premiere at the 4th Annual Lewiston Auburn Film Festival in April, we were shocked when the festival was cancelled due to the arrest of it’s director only weeks before the event. The Maine film community is a resilient bunch, and quickly banded together creating a new event called Dead at the Drive-In. This two day event, that saw both the world premieres of The Hanover House and How to Kill a Zombie, alongside some of the best shorts in the country, brought in nearly 1200 moviegoers to the country’s second oldest drive-in. The film would continue to screen across not only the United States, but in Mexico as well. During its travels, it won several awards, including: Best Feature Film (HorrorHound Film Festival), Best Feature Film and Best Maine Film (Sanford International Film Festival), Best Director and Best Actor (HorrorQuest Film Festival) and Runner up for Best Supernatural Film (Fright Night Film Festival). We were even fortunate to be featured in: Fangoria Magazine, HorrorHound Magazine, Dread Central.com and Bloody-Disgusting.com. We’re finalizing our distribution deal as we speak, so this film will be available nationally in 2015. But what was even better than the accolades we received for the film, were all the new friends we made in our travels. For that I am truly greatful.
LOOKING FORWARD
2014 has been grand, but 2015 will be even better. Look for a second feature film from Bonfire Films to begin preproduction soon, as well as a new short film based on a story by Maine’s “other” master of horror. More information will be available in the coming weeks. Until then, thanks for sharing 2014 with Bonfire Films.
Thank you all for your continued support and friendship. Without it, Bonfire Films would not exist. Here’s to making the next year the best it can be.