On Saturday, May 5, 2012 I attended the highly-anticipated World Premiere of Huff at Texas Frightmare Weekend. A capacity crowd of 600 packed into the Enterprise Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency DFW in Dallas, Texas.

In this twisted and gruesome tale, a mother steals drug money from her abusive boyfriend (“Huff,” played by the frighteningly brilliant Charlie O’Connell) for her three teenage daughters to seek better lives for themselves. A bloody pursuit ensues. In this masterfully clever take on the classic children’s fable The Three Little Pigs, the would-be father of three girls is both wolf and butcher. This big bad dad doesn’t just blow houses down — he turns their occupants into bacon. Huff is a graphic demonstration that children’s fables can be, indeed, a gateway to torture porn. This Huff will blow you away, too.

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With a grand total of 460 titles, the 38th Seattle International Film Festival is the largest, longest, and most highly attended event of its kind in the United States. This year’s lineup includes 273 features and 187 short films from 75 countries, including 24 World Premieres, 25 North American Premieres, and 16 US Premieres spanning 25 days. The festival runs from May 17 to June 10.

On Monday SIFF released the list of premieres — World, North American, and US. Galas and showcase titles were also revealed, along with the competition lineups. The balance of the list was announced today.

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Texas Frightmare Weekend runs from May 4-6 in rockin’ Dallas, Texas. I’ve attended 56 film festivals since the start of 2006 and there isn’t another state in America that hosts events like this with as much spirit and unbridled enthusiasm. “The southwest’s premiere horror convention” is a lot more than just movies, though. Like that state’s SXSW and Fantastic Fest, there are horror memorabilia vendors along with a continuous lineup of celebrity appearances, autograph signings, and exclusive parties in addition to the screenings, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions.

Readers of this blog know of my love for genre films. These generally fall under the “horror” umbrella but can include science fiction, paranormal, and a wide range of spooky and creepy flicks. This weekend should be frightfully packed with ‘em. I’m mainly going for those movies and will try to see as many as possible. I’ll also be photographing the exciting and informative Q&As following screenings as well as meeting the actors and filmmakers. Parties abound although I tend to avoid them in favor of filmgoing. But sometimes a bite to eat and a break from the action are necessary to refuel the body and brain, so there are several schmooze events on my schedule. So, as always, you can expect plenty of pictures and reviews, along with videos and interviews.

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New film festivals appear on the scene every year that vie for exposure and prestige, especially for indies. Many take place across North America but this is the one on dreamy Catalina Island, the only West Coast resort isle. The second Catalina Film Fest will be taking place from May 4-6 in the exclusive resort town of Catalina, 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles.

The West Coast Premiere of Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod’s Bel Ami will be a festival highlight, along with the World Premiere of Boardwalk Hempire: The Rise and Fall of the Medical Kush Beach Club. Star Tommy Chong is slated to attend. A special screening of Will Hess’ documentary With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story will bring Mr. Lee himself to the festival, who will be presented with the Ronald Reagan Foundation’s Great Communicator Award on opening night. Lee will also attend a special screening of The Avengers.

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