LINCOLN SQUARE — Horror fans will take over Lincoln Square later this month as the Davis Theater hosts the three-day “Windy City Horrorama” — which will feature a 20th anniversary screening of “Idle Hands.”

The “Idle Hands” screening will be followed by an audience Q&A with director Rodman Flender.

The organizers of the festival said horror festivals aren’t just for the fall.

“We need horror in the spring too. In the fall, there are so many horror film festivals and events and we didn’t want to overcrowd that,” said Alex Vazquez, co-director of Windy City Horrorama. “We wanted to find a good time a year when people would be hungry for horror films.”

Now in its second year, Windy City Horrorama will return to the Davis Theater, 4614 N. Lincoln Ave., April 26 through April 28. Tickets start at $12 for a single film. Attendees can also buy a day pass ($35 for Friday, $50 for Saturday and $40 for Sunday) or for the entire weekend festival ($110) here.

The screening of the zombie-stoner-comedy “Idle Hands” (1999) starring Devon Sawa, Seth Green and Jessica Alba will take place on Saturday, April 27.





Many of the other films screened at the festival will be new releases like “Bloodline” (2018), which features Seann William Scott as a new father who takes an unexpectedly dark turn when his job of protecting his family is handled a little too intensely. Director Henry Jacobson and co-writer Avra Fox-Lerner will also be at the screening to chat with the audience.

“Our catchphrase, or our buzzword is DIY. We like to find films that were made by a small, passionate group of filmmakers,” Vazquez said. “And for this year’s festival we ended up with a few titles like that. For instance the film ‘The Rusalka’ (2019).”

The film’s director, Perry Blackshear, won a special jury award at the Slamdance Film Festival for his directorial debut “They Look Like People” (2015). With his second film, “The Rusalka,” Blackshear focuses on a folkloric water spirit, the vengeful man hunting her and the handsome stranger caught between them.

“There’s a lot of raw emotion that Perry is able to mine in these movies. It’s a monster movie but a heartbreaking romance as well,” Vazquez said.

The festival will also include a screening of “Straight Edge Kegger” (2019) by Midwest director Jason Zink — a punk-rock slasher featuring music and appearances by Chicago bands. The festival will also be showcasing short horror films by local directors.

The festival will feature food and drink specials courtesy Carbon Arc and Pipeworks Brewing Co. Check out windycityhorrorama.com for more information.

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