Englewood Cinema | Dayton Daily News
A film festival showing classic and independent horror films from local filmmakers will be at the independent theater, Englewood Cinema, later this October.
Gem City Horror Film Fest
Two nights of horror are to be enjoyed by the community on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. at the independent Englewood Cinema.
The single screen, 250-seat cinema, which reopened in 2019 after being closed for four years, presents a variety of films for affordable prices.
Current owner, Cory Floyd, took over the establishment with his wife in 2021. According to Floyd, the cinema had been a lifelong dream.
“After another really bad job experience, I had decided it was time for me to push for my dream life, which was to own a cinema. I saw Englewood Cinema online for sale while we were in Tennessee. We came a few days later and bought the cinema and a house in Dayton in the span of a whirlwind 72 hours,” Floyd said.
The theater’s mission is to give independent filmmakers a platform to share pieces, which, according to Floyd, who has experience in filmmaking, can be difficult to find. This mission drove the creation of the upcoming film festival.
The “Gem City Horror Film Fest” occurs back-to-back Friday and Saturday, and features several terrifying films for viewers, many of which are from local filmmakers. The festival will also host a costume contest, trivia and more.
Those interested in only one night can attend the first night, Homegrown Horror, for $10. The second night, featuring the horror film festival, is $15. Individuals interested in attending both nights can save five dollars, with the two-night special costing $20.
The first night will showcase Homegrown Horror, a night featuring several short films. The following night will kick off the Gem City Film Fest with four unique films playing back-to-back: “The Monster Squad,” “Nosferatu,” “Tucker and Dale vs. Evil” and “Santo and Blue Demon vs. Dracula and the Wolf Man.”
Tickets can be purchased ahead of time through the cinema’s website, which includes additional information and a trailer for the festival.
Homegrown Horror & “Thrust!”
Homegrown Horror, according to the Englewood Cinema, “will be a showcase of independent horror cinema both local and abroad.”
There is no shortage of terrifying entertainment that night, as the cinema is presenting 11 short independent films and one full-length film, “Thrust!”. A full list of short films to be shown are listed on the cinema’s website.
“It is really awesome how we are getting to collaborate with so many local artists for this event in various ways,” Floyd said.
“Thrust!” is a feature film set and shot in Dayton, OH, and is Director Victor Bonacore’s newest film.
The film, according to the cinema, “Follows two lovers, Aloe and Vera living in a girl gang ruled dystopian society, on a quest to kill Dirtbag Mike.”
“Thrust! is honestly not so much a horror film, and more of an exploitation film with horror elements,” Bonacore said.
The inspiration for the full-length film stemmed from Bonacore’s sisters, who were in a punk band called Thrust!, and a feminist-dystopian story the author read. From this, Bonacore expanded on the story to create the film, which was described as a “life-changing” experience to make.
“It took about 20 days of filming and a lot of help from the crew and people who had donated to make the film happen. I learned a lot about directing and acting for that matter,” Bonacore said.
Local viewers may recognize many spots of Dayton, including the Englewood Cinema, which was a location the film was shot at.
Bonacore credited Dayton’s charm and grit as a perfect location to film this post-apocalyptic landscape in.
The filmmaker has several other films rooted in horror, including “Triangle” and “Amityville Apocalypse,” which will be shown the first night.
Bonacore is currently working on writing a new feature film, “Labor Day,” which is to be shot in and around Yellow Springs and Dayton in 2025.
Viewers can attend a Q&A with the local director to ask questions about the film.
Fans of independent and classic horror will not want to miss out on an opportunity to see Dayton on the big screen, while supporting a local establishment at the horror film festival.
