NEW YORK - eTradeWire -- The milestone edition will feature a lineup of short films, the festival's inaugural feature presentation, and a special screening of Trick 'r Treat with director Michael Dougherty.

October 16 - Opening Night

The evening kicks off with a pre-screening happy hour featuring complimentary "boo-ze" from returning sponsor The Bronx Brewery, with fun drinks from Culture Pop joining as a new festival sponsor. Bayou Arts returns with festive art mementos for attendees. Guests will walk the orange carpet before taking their seats for the evening's programming and a live Q&A.

Official Programming:

The Night Alone, Yoko Higuchi, USA - World Premiere
Steak, Sarah Kim, USA - World Premiere
Dogs Reign, Axel Zeltser, France - U.S. Premiere

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Bullet and Lace, Nick Noyes, USA -  East Coast Premiere
The Digitizer, Chris Jadallah, USA - New York State Premiere
Ghost In The Road, Andy Matthews & Aaron Tharp, USA - New York State Premiere
Late Night at Video-Smart, Dustin Tidwell, USA

October 17 - Lights! Camera!! Scream!!! at Stuart Cinema

On October 17th the festival will premiere the indie horror feature Lights! Camera!! Scream!!! The screening will be joined by director Nick Noyes and followed by an in depth Q&A with the cast and crew.

The feature marks a full circle moment for the festival: Noyes previously screened a short film at the festival before taking the leap into making a feature. The screening celebrates the festival's mission of giving emerging filmmakers a platform and encouraging them to take the next step in their creative work.

October 18 - Trick 'r Treat with director Michael Dougherty

The festival will close with a special screening of Michael Dougherty's Trick 'r Treat (2007), followed by a Q&A session.

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The program will also feature Season's Greetings (1996), Dougherty's award-winning animated short that introduced Sam, who would later become the iconic face of Trick 'r Treat. Dougherty will join the audience for a conversation exploring the origins of the films, the development of Sam, and the connection between the work and New York City.

The festival's five year celebration reflects its continued commitment to showcasing emerging filmmakers while creating opportunities for artists, filmmakers, and horror fans to connect and build community.

Tickets:

For ticket purchases and more details about the festival, visit https://nychalloweenfilmfest.com or follow us @nychalloweenfilmfest.

About NYC Halloween Film Festival:

The NYC Halloween Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that exhibits the creative visions of killer up-and-coming filmmakers while cultivating a space that encourages inspiration and collaboration between film lovers and creatives.