Get ready for Chattanooga Film Fest!

Both Hybrid and Virtual badges are available now at chattfilmfest.org. Individual tickets will become available closer to the festival. In-person screenings and events are taking place June 23 – 25 at The Read House located in downtown Chattanooga, plus additional party locations around the city with the virtual component of the festival taking place June 23 – 29.

You can see the first round of movies here.

The Chattanooga Film Festival (CFF) loves everything about cinema: the films, filmmakers, and the open-minded cinephiles that have watched films with us since early popup screenings as the Mise En Scenesters film club. The club evolved into the first-ever Chattanooga Film Festival, which began in 2014 and over the last 10 years has made a name for itself among film lovers, filmmakers, and the entertainment industry. Over the years the festival has been hailed as the “Southern Sundance” by Southern Living Magazine and was chosen as one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” by MovieMaker Magazine in 2022  and made their “Bloody Best Genre Fests in the World” for 2020 and 2019. In addition, the festival has been included in “Dread Central’s Best Horror Festivals in the World” for 2021 and 2022.

CFF shares films and events that are unique, challenging, and, significant, that showcase a diverse roster of up-and-coming filmmakers worldwide. CFF’s ultimate goal is to remember, discover, and cultivate cinema worthy of everyone’s love and respect. As always, CFF is proudly continuing its mission to “Respect Cinema,” in hopes of increasing film exhibition, education, and production in the state of Tennessee.

For more information, visit chattfilmfest.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Here is what is playing:

FEATURES

American Meltdown: Director Andrew Adams

A ‘Millennial Coming-of-Rage’ story about a young woman who loses her job and struggles to pay rent… Until she befriends a pickpocket who convinces her that the only way to survive in America is by committing petty crime.

Bad Girl Boogey: Director Alice Maio Mackay, Presented by Dark Star Pictures

One Halloween, blood was shed by the wearer of a parasitic mask cursed with black magic and bigotry. Sixteen years later, when Angel’s best friend is slaughtered by a killer with the same mask, they must overcome their personal struggles, fight their fear, and find the masked killer before he, or it, slaughters everyone they hold dear. Filmmaker Alice Maio Mackay made Bad Girl Boogey at just 17. The film is a gory throwback slasher with a very diverse cast and very representative of the trans community including filmmaker Alice Maio Mackay.

Blow Up My Life: Directors Ryan Dickie, Abigail Horton 

A disgraced pharmaceutical employee accidentally discovers a deadly opioid vape conspiracy, sending him on the run to expose the crime with a trail of chaos in his wake.

Brutal Season: Director Gavin Fields 

In 1948, the Trouths are facing no income and the hottest summer on record. When their estranged son inexplicably returns, the apartment is full again – but is it big enough for the gambling, trauma, and substantial life insurance policy that comes in his wake?

End Zone 2: Director August Kane  

Fifteen years after the events of End Zone, Smash-Mouth is back to finish off the cheerleaders who killed his mother.

Followers: Director James Rich  

As the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, the past rises from the dead to claim its revenge. A year after surviving a brutal attack, a social media influencer and her friends find themselves once again in the crosshairs of a dangerous and relentless dark web cult, thirsting for retribution and willing to stop at nothing to get it.

Hell Hath No Fury: Director Zachary Burns 

A husband and wife separately and unknowingly plot to murder each other on the same fateful night.

Lola: Director Andrew Legge, Presented by Dark Sky Films

In 1941, sisters Thom and Mars have built a machine, LOLA, that can intercept radio and TV broadcasts from the future. This allows them to listen to iconic music before it has been made, place bets knowing what the outcome will be and embrace their inner punk well before the movement came into existence. But with World War II escalating, the sisters decide to use the machine for good to intercept information from the future that could help with military intelligence. The machine initially proves to be a huge success, rapidly twisting the fortunes of the war against the Nazis. While Thom becomes intoxicated by LOLA, Mars begins to realise the terrible consequences of its power.

Mind Body Spirit: Directors Alex Henes, Matthew Merenda, Presented by Art Brut Films

An aspiring yoga influencer embarks on a ritual practice left behind by her estranged grandmother.

Poundcake: Director Onur Tukel  

Poundcake is the story of a New York City serial killer who is murdering straight white men in unspeakable ways. Podcasters are chiming in with their theories on who the killer is, what his motives are, and how to stop him. Is it all a hoax to garner sympathy for cisgender white men? Some people think so. Others find the murders cathartic, even funny. Are the victims finally getting what they deserve after inflicting centuries of oppression? Can the killer be stopped? New Yorkers must find a way to end the hate and embrace positivity instead. It might be the only way to kill the beast!

Soft Liquid Center: Director Perry Home Video  

A recently single woman moves out on her own, but her newfound relief soon curdles as alarming, inexplicable events turn her home into a house of horrors.

Stag: Director Alexandra Spieth  

An urban loner fights for a chance at redemption when she’s invited to her estranged BFF’s bachelorette party.

Subject: Director Tristan Barr, Presented by Screambox

Compiling suppressed footage, Subject follows a man on his way to prison when he gets intercepted by a secretive government agency to have him serve his sentence by observing a terrifying creature in a close quartered, isolated facility.

Summoning the Spirit: Director Jon Garcia and Lacy Todd, Presented by Dark Star Pictures

When Carla and Dean decide to escape the hustle of the big city and buy a nice quiet house in the woods, they bring some big plans with them: start a family, grow a garden, write the next great American novel. Now their nearest neighbor is nearly a mile down the road, but a mile doesn’t seem so far when they find out that he’s the leader of a cult who claims to telepathically communicate with Sasquatch. Danger threatens their new home as the cult leader tries to get Carla and Dean to join his followers on ‘The Farm.’

The Bigfoot Trap: Director Aaron Mirtes

A journalist’s life is changed forever when he’s locked inside of a bigfoot trap by an insane sasquatch hunter.

The Haunting of Hype House: Directors Brandon Douglas, Matt Farren

With his brother visiting for the weekend, social media star Jared Zenith attempts to contact the ghost haunting his home, but instead finds himself possessed by it.

The Legend of MexMan: Director Josh Polon  

Germán Alonso strives to create his first feature film, the fantastical sci-fi epic MEXMAN, in spite of struggles with his producers, an unrequited love, and tensions with a documentary crew.

The Once and Future Smash: Directors Sophia Cacciola, Michael J. Epstein  

In 1970, Mikey and William both portrayed football cannibal Smash-Mouth in the influential cult hit, End Zone 2. Now, 50 years later, only one can wear the mask.

The Third: Director Manuel Lagos, Jr. 

A couple’s Fourth of July weekend is interrupted by the arrival of an estranged childhood friend.

The Weird Kidz: Director Zach Passero 

On a weekend campout, a dark monster terrorizes a group of campers who fall prey to an ancient legend and conspiring local townsfolk. For pre-teen Dug, Mel and Fatt, and Dug’s older brother and girlfriend, a night out in the desert becomes a survivalist horror adventure. 

TRAP: Director Anthony Edward Curry  

Facing life in prison, a hood dreams of the violent streets that forged his identity, but cursed his soul.

Wintertide: Director John Barnard  

Beth, a volunteer watch person of an isolated northern city, battles a plague of depression that transforms the few remaining residents into empty, zombie-like automatons. She discovers that by entering an alternative dimension through her own dreams, she’s able to stave of the illness during the long, possibly endless winter. But will her power be enough to sustain her?

EVENTS

Children of the Night: Music and Horror Panel

Join CFF, LVCRFT, and a ghoulish gaggle of special guests as we do a good and geeky deep dive into two great tastes that taste great together – music and horror cinema. From the synth scores of Carpenter classics, to DePalma’s Phantom of the Paradise. to the heavy metal madness of cult favorites like Trick or Treat and The Gate, we firmly believe that iconic horror is made even more iconic by great music.

Stretch that Buck: Film Budgeting 101 with Seed & Spark

Presented by the Tennessee Entertainment Commission

You’ve got a script you’re proud of, and now you want to bring it to life! But first: what should your crowdfunding goal be? In this workshop, Seed&Spark’s Meghan Ross will teach you how to build your first budget, utilize loans to make up your budget (conceptually as well as literally), navigate the ask, break down your script, and cut costs without sacrificing your vision. Make that dollar stretch!

Rustic Films 4th Annual Screenplay Pitch Competition

Presented by the Tennessee Entertainment Commission

Rustic Films producer David Lawson, Jr. is back and this time with guest judges Gil Adler and A L Katz. Chosen finalists will pitch their film for the chance for a mentoring session with David, which will include advice on next steps forward. If you’ve got a project you’d like to submit for this year’s competition, simply a paragraph write-up of your project to scripts@chattfilmfest.org. Submissions are open now and close on Thursday June 15 at 11:59pm PT.

Oddity Roadshow

Oddity Roadshow is an actual play TTRPG comedy horror podcast run by Joel Ruiz and produced by the Do You Validate Network. They’ll be putting on a live TTRPG show for CFF this year featuring a story about a haunted movie theater that is filled with ghosts of past guests, movie stars, and workers as the cast of Oddity Roadshow must find a way to help clear out the theater before the big film festival starts the next day.

PinPalz: Partying is Such Sweet Sorrow

For those attending in-person, join us for a special closing night party at the Classic Arcade Pinball Museum. Grab a pint, exchange info with the friends you’ve made and tell everyone you’ll write them on Discord as the fest continues to party on virtually. Our hope is an evening filled with endless vintage pinball can take the sting out of the bittersweet goodbyes.

CFF Salutes Johnny Disco

Meet Hollywood’s most famous extra, Johnny Disco, also known as “The Invisible Man.” Disco has done and seen it all, from going cross-eyed in Steve Martin’s iconic film THE JERK to arresting ‘Kramer’ on an episode of “Seinfeld.” Virtual attendees will be able to join CFF in an exclusive chat with Disco to hear the amazing stories behind some of his favorite appearances in film and television ahead of the new documentary film being made about his incredible career.

Monster Squad Pint Night

Want to get a head start on the fest? Join us at Chattanooga’s own Hutton & Smith Brewery on Thursday, June 22,  to grab your badge (or tickets) and slam some pints with Andre Gower of The Monster Squad. We’ll screen the film, have some special door prizes and hang as we all get ready for three days of on the ground mayhem. (Time to be announced.)

SHORTS

CFF SALUTES YOUR SHORTS (Student and Tennessee FIlmmakers)

After Hours

Anya

Crossing Tides

Don’t Look Too Far Ahead

Greenhouse

Harmonious

Morse Code

netneutral

Punch The Boss

Retribution

Solitude

Stephen King’s: All That You Love Will Be Carried Away

The Businessman 

Dangerous Visions

Dead Enders

Fetal Position

Glitch

Gnomes 

Keep Scrolling

Memento Mori

Mickey Dogface

No Overnight Parking

Seaborne

Splinter

Stop Dead

Tell Alice I Love Her

The Inverts 

They Call It… Red Cemetery!

VEXED