Salem Horror Fest 2025 Line-Up Includes ‘Hellbound: Hellraiser II’ with Special Guest Ashley Laurence

Salem Horror Fest has announced the initial wave of programming for its 8th annual event, running April 30-May 4 in nine venues across Salem, Massachusetts. Over 60 Official Selections — shorts, interludes (15-60 minutes), and feature length — will screen, in addition to repertory screenings, live podcasts, and other special events. The annual opening night […] The post Salem Horror Fest 2025 Line-Up Includes ‘Hellbound: Hellraiser II’ with Special Guest Ashley Laurence appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Mar 20, 2025 - 15:45

Salem Horror Fest 2025 Line-Up Includes ‘Hellbound: Hellraiser II’ with Special Guest Ashley Laurence

Salem Horror Fest has announced the initial wave of programming for its 8th annual event, running April 30-May 4 in nine venues across Salem, Massachusetts.

Over 60 Official Selections — shorts, interludes (15-60 minutes), and feature length — will screen, in addition to repertory screenings, live podcasts, and other special events.

The annual opening night celebration at the Peabody Essex Museum will feature a Q&A with horror icon Ashley Laurence moderated by Rue Morgue‘s Andrea Subissati; a screening of Hellbound: Hellraiser II; keynote speaker Professor Tananarive Due, author of The Reformatory and executive producer of Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror; announcement of jury prizes; and a screening of the winning short.

Special Events

Local Mass Hysteria – A collection of shorts from New England filmmakers (April 30)
Opening night with Ashley Laurence, Tananarive Due, and a screening of Hellbound: Hellraiser II (May 1)
Book signing and panel with five horror authors including Tananarive Due
Special appearances by resident scream queen Linnea Quigley
The Faculty of Horror live podcast with a screening of The Substance
Girl, That’s Scary! live podcast with special guest Tananarive Due
Bloody Disgusting’s The Horror Show live podcast and horror trivia party

Repertory Screenings

Re-Animator – 40th anniversary restoration
Chain Reactions – New documentary about The Texas Chain Saw Massacre with Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Stephen King, and Karyn Kusama
More to be announced

Features

Catch a Killer
directed by Teddy Grennan

When a horror movie buff gets kicked off the police force, he and his girlfriend hunt a serial killer copy-catting the murders from famous horror films.

Head Like a Hole
directed by Stefan MacDonald-Labelle

In financial dire straits, a man accepts a strange, high-paying job where he must take up residence in a home and measure a hole in the wall of the basement to determine whether or not it’s growing in size.

House of Ashes
directed by Izzy Lee

Grieving widow Mia must survive psychological and supernatural horrors while under house arrest.

Pater Noster and the Mission of Light
directed by Christopher Bickel

Max, a young record store clerk, stumbles upon a rare vinyl LP and is drawn into the world of a 1970s hippie commune. An invitation to the remnants of the cult and its unholy spawn leads to grave circumstances for Max and her friends.

So Fades the Light
directed by Get Super Rad

Sun was worshiped as a child by a cult. 15 years later, Sun lives on the road hiding from her past. Tormented by memories, she travels back to the compound, unaware that the cult’s former leader is on his way back home.

The Dæmon
directed by David Yohe & Matt Devino

Haunted by his father’s suicide, Tom abandons his wife and seeks refuge at the lakeside cottage where he met his tragic end. Unaware of the sinister malevolence seeping from the lake, Tom becomes a willing vessel for the same evil that claimed his parents and now threatens all who dare draw near.

The Rebrand
directed by Kaye Adelaide

Nicole, an eight months-pregnant bisexual videographer, is hired by a lesbian lifestyle influencer couple to film a redemption documentary after they’ve been publicly cancelled, but Nicole quickly discovers that the couple have nefarious ulterior motives.

Interludes