Midnight Madness Flashback: THE LOVED ONES

In  2009, when Sean Byrne’s The Loved Ones had its world premiere at Midnight Madness, the audience was delighted and thrilled by the story of Lola’s DIY prom. Dressed in a blindingly pink dress, Lola and her father kidnapped the boy who wouldn't go to prom with her, and tied him in his bloodied tuxedo, to a chair in their school dance decorated kitchen. The scenes that followed had the crowd eating out of the palm of writer/director, Byrne’s hand, and when the week was over, The Loved Ones was named the Cadillac Midnight Madness People’s Choice Award winner.

The Loved Ones seemed like it was about to take the world by storm, but that didn’t really happen. It wasn’t released theatrically in North America until 2012, and without the promotional push it deserved. Its premiere in 2009 remains one of the best Midnight Madness screenings I’ve attended, and it would be an understatement to say that I’m excited that Sean Byrne is back this year with his new film, The Devil’s Candy.

Will it win the twisted hearts of the Midnight Madness audience in the same way, The Loved Ones did? I can’t wait to find out!

 THE DEVIL'S CANDY screens:

Sun, Sept 13, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Tue, Sept 15, 6:45 PM SCOTIABANK
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK