SOUTHBOUND: Complete World Premiere Post-Screening Q&A With Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner, Radio Silence, Patrick Horvath, Brad Miska

Here is the complete Southbound world premiere introduction and post-screening Q&A featuring Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner, Radio Silence, Patrick Horvath, Brad Miska as well as many of the cast. Moderated by programmer Colin Geddes.

Final Screenings! SOUTHBOUND; THE FINAL GIRLS; SPL 2: A TIME FOR CONSEQUENCES

It's not raining in the theater. Let's hurry!

Look, we get it. Watching all the Midnight Madness movies at midnight can be tough. Why not catch a few during the pre-midnight hours on the last Sunday of the Festival?

You must have a valid ticket for a screening. Injured people do not count as valid tickets.

SOUTHBOUND Final Screening:
Sun, Sept 20, 3:30 PM SCOTIABANK 10

Look at all the celebs red carping!

THE FINAL GIRLS Final Screening:
Sun, Sept 20, 5:00 PM SCOTIABANK 2

WERK.

SPL 2: A TIME FOR CONSEQUENCES Final Screening:
Sun, Sept 20, 6:30 PM SCOTIABANK 2

SOUTHBOUND: World Premiere Video Interviews Roxanne Benjamin, Patrick Horvath & Brad Miska

Southbound world premiered last night. Robert A. Mitchell took a wrong turn on the highway and wound up a desolate stretch of lonesome two-lane blacktop. All was not lost as he spoke with some of the creators of the film. Roxanne Benjamin, Patrick Horvath and Brad Miska.


 SOUTHBOUND screens:
Fri, Sept 18, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK
Sun, Sept 20, 3:30 PM SCOTIABANK

Pics from the World Premiere of SOUTHBOUND!

The precise shade of bluish-grey of the circles under my eyes tells me we're seven days into Midnight Madness, and with that came the world premiere of the anthology horror road movie, Southbound! Ian Goring was there to capture this gargantuan cast and crew as they walked the red carpet.

Conga, conga, conga! With

I think that over the course of these seven days, we've shown that the laws of physics do not apply to the Midnight Madness red carpet. Composer James Bairian obviously agrees.

Fabianne Therese

Hannah Marks

Nathalie Love

Kristina Pesic

Anessa Ramsay models a hat from the Peter Kuplowsky Fall Collection

Zoe Cooper

Tipper Newton

Hey it's that guy! Matt Peters!

The sisters of Southbound are doing it for themselves!

Like most of us, Matt Peters and Davey Johnson enjoy a good reacharound.

There were so many people involved with Southbound that Colin Geddes had to enlist Peter Kuplowsky to wrangle them.

Did you know? If you put the cast and crew of Southbound end-to-end and lined them up along the equator, they would probably be very upset and stab you several times?

Fabianne Therese tells a spooky ghost story from the Southbound set

There's enough people here for a pickup softball game.

Fabianne Therese and Hannah Marks recall staying in the creepiest house ever during Southbound/s production.

Southbound writer Susan Burke takes questions from the audience

Anessa Ramsay talks about the very creepy set of Southbound

You still have two chances to catch Southbound before it heads on down the road and away from TIFF!

SOUTHBOUND Screening Times:
Fri, Sept 18, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK 13
Sun, Sept 20, 3:30 PM SCOTIABANK 10

SOUTHBOUND: Interview with Director Roxanne Benjamin

Director, actor and producer Roxanne Benjamin has two films at Midnight Madness this year. She's a director in the horror anthology Southbound and a producer on The Devil's Candy. In fact, Roxanne Benjamin is probably responsible now for about 30% of the Madness at Midnight Madness, you might remember a little film series she co-produced, V/H/S.

Benjamin took time to answer some questions in advance of the Southbound premiere last night. (The internet passes through Hell itself, and so, you know, the answers got a little delayed in transmission. Demons always think that's funny, that and 404's...).


How did you come to be involved with Southbound and The Devil's Candy?

Brad Miska and I produced the first two V/H/S films together. With those films, we wanted to take found footage, something that felt beat to death as a trope at that point, and find a way to make it interesting and new. With Southbound, we wanted to do the same thing with the actual structure of a multi-director narrative-we wanted to make one world-one mythology with a connected, interweaving story. Brad had been in touch with the Radio Silence boys about it, and I reached out to David Bruckner, and then we had a V/H/S reunion of sorts on our hands.

With Devil’s Candy, I was working under producers Keith and Jess Calder at the time, co-producing some of their film slate over at Snoot Entertainment and basically trying to soak up as much filmmaking knowledge from them as possible. Devil’s Candy was one of the first projects of theirs that I read, and being a huge fan of The Loved Ones (which I learned about from Midnight Madness, of course) I was beyond excited to get to work on Sean Byrne’s film.

You've been involved in many aspects of filmmaking (and tv-making) from the art department to producing and now screenwriting and directing. How did come to directing? And, is there anything you learned in the other ares of filmmaking that you've been involved in that you brought with you to directing?

Yeah. Drink a lot of water. Really though, every day on set in any capacity teaches you something new.  My route to directing isn’t the most traditional, I’ve had a little experience in a lot of different roles, which hopefully informs me as a filmmaker and producer. I think directing was the obvious transition for me after working in the anthology format for so many years now, which is so creatively collaborative by design, and you’re way more involved in shaping the overall vision of the film than in traditional features. Also, working with people better than you makes you better at what you do, it forces you to raise your game.  So I surround myself with as many talented people as possible. I’m also lucky to have some really rad director friends like Jason Eisener (Hobo With A Shotgun) and Dave Bruckner (The Signal) and Evan Katz (Cheap Thrills) that I can learn from, who have all definitely pushed me at various times to get behind the camera myself. It was definitely such an ‘Oh, THIS is what I’m supposed to be doing’ moment the first day on set in that capacity.

You've produced a bunch of anthology movies including the V/H/S series and now Southbound. What's some of the appeal of working in an anthology format for you?

Working with friends, always first and foremost. And you get to collaborate in a way that is not totally available to you with straight features. A feature is really a two to three-year process from development to the release of the film. And there’s so many great filmmakers in genre today. With these types of projects I get to work with a whole gang of talented filmmakers that I respect in that same window. Sixteen, actually, between the V/H/S movies and Southbound, which is pretty crazy. Watching the whole come together as greater than the sum of its parts--these separate visions that we’re helping to bring to screen to make one cohesive narrative--is one of my favorite things about the process. I’d also say I’ve made as many multi-director/multi-writer films as I have because of a love for the writer’s room working in TV, and the entire process of TV production. Particularly with Southbound, we were all coming up with this world together and structured production more like a TV series than a feature. We’d be in my living room once a week breaking story and talking themes, leading up to production. Same thing on set and once we got into the editing process. We’ve probably watched this film no less than 50 times through as a group since the rough cut.

What are some of your favorite horror movies, anthology or otherwise?

Creepshow 2 and Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, particularly the Michael McDowell segment, "Lover’s Vow." That messed me up as a kid. In the Mouth of Madness is also at the top of the ‘probably fucked up my psyche at a formative age’ list.  I probably have way less horror film background than one would expect given my filmography, ha. I was always more of a reader—I grew up on EC Comics, Stephen King, USA Up All Night, and pulp novels.  I remember biking into town to the corner drugstore to get the latest Tales from the Crypt, Haunt of Fear, and Vault of Horror issues (I swear this was the '90s, not the '50s). But I tend to be more obsessed with anything that evokes a sense of creeping dread when it comes to movies, like The Sentinel or Repulsion or Picnic at Hanging Rock. I’m also fascinated by the dynamics of female relationships--there’s so much fodder there to mine-which I don’t think is explored enough in modern horror. I guess you can see that obsession in my part of Southbound.

Exploring the dynamics of female relationships---with DANGER!

What can the Midnight Madness audience expect from Southbound and The Devil's Candy?

Complete pandemonium, hopefully? I’m actually really excited to see both of these films with the Ryerson crowd. 

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Roxanne Benjamin!
 
SOUTHBOUND Screening Times: Fri, Sept 18, 12:45 PM SCOTIABANK Fri, Sept 18, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK Sun, Sept 20, 3:30 PM SCOTIABANK


THE DEVIL'S CANDY Final Screening:
Sat, Sept 19, 1:15 PM SCOTIABANK

SOUTHBOUND Premiere Tonight!!

Horror anthologies have become so widespread in recent years, it's almost expected that at least one will be in most genre film festivals. The horror anthology that's screening in this year's Midnight Madness programme has a twist. It's not ACTUALLY an anthology film. While Southbound is directed by multiple directors, and is from the producers of the V/H/S series, the segments all overlap with each other and tell a single story. None of the segments could stand on their own. This isn't just a slapped together collection of short films.

I think what makes me most excited about the film though, is that Southbound was shot in secret. Until its premiere at TIFF was announced, it didn't even have an IMDb page. In a world where most filmmakers start releasing information, images, teaser trailers, etc. before filming has even started, it's so refreshing to be able to go into a film knowing VERY little about it.

SOUTHBOUND screens:
Wed, Sept 16, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Fri, Sept 18, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK
Sun, Sept 20, 3:30 PM SCOTIABANK

Tweeting #MidnightMadness #TIFF15

 "Twitter actually feels like the street. You can bump into anybody on Twitter." -- William Gibson 

For all of you folks on twitter I've compiled a handy roundup of the various directors and cast that have films in the 2015 Midnight Madness program. -- @RobertAMitchell

THE CHICKENING

Co-Director: Nick DenBoer @Smearballz
Cast: Kenny Hotz @kennyhotz

GREEN ROOM

Director: Jeremy Saulnier @saulnier_jeremy
Cast: Sir Patrick Stewart @SirPatStew
Imogen Poots @imogenpoots
Alia Shawkat @ShawkatAlia
Mark Webber @likemark

BASKIN

Director: Can Evrenol @canevrenol #FiveCopsGoToHell

HARDCORE

Director: IIya Naishuller @Naishuller
Cast: Sharlto Copley @sharlto

THE DEVIL’S CANDY

Cast: Ethan Embry @EmbryEthan
Shiri Appleby @ShiriAppleby
Producer: Keith Calder @keithcalder

 THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS

Director Nick Simon @Simon367
Cast: Kal Penn @kalpenn
Claudia Lee @ClaudiaLeeLive
Kenny Wormald @KennyWormald
Luke Baines @LukeBaines

THE MIND’S EYE

Director Joe Begos @joebegos
Cast: Graham Skipper @GrahamSkipper
Josh Ethier @josh_ethier
Lauren Ashley Carter @LAC_voyager
Jeremy Gardner @TheBATTERYmovie

SOUTHBOUND

Directors: Roxanne Benjamin @roxanne73
David Bruckner @bruckmachina
Radio Silence @HiRadioSilence
Patrick Horvath @PatrickHorvath
Producer: Brad Miska @bradmiska
Cast: Susan Burke @ThatSusanBurke
Davey Johnson @DrDavey
Maria Olsen @mariaolsen66

SPL 2 - A TIME FOR CONSEQUENCES

Cast: Tony Jaa @tonyjaaofficial

YAKUZA APOCALYPSE

Cast: Yayan Ruhian @YayanRuhian

 THE FINAL GIRLS

Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson @strussschulson
Screenwriters M.A. Fortin @SeniorTeenager
Joshua John Miller @JoshJohnMiller
Cast: Taissa Farmiga @t_farmiga
Malin Akerman @MalinAkerman
Alexander Ludwig @alexanderludwig
Chloe Bridges @chloebridges
Angela Trimbur @angelatrimbur

And be sure to follow @mmadnesstiff and Programmer Colin Geddes @colingeddes

THE CHICKENING screens with GREEN ROOM:
Thu, Sept 10th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Fri, Sept 11th, 8:45 AM SCOTIABANK
Sat, Sept 12, 2:15 PM BLOOR HOT DOCS

BASKIN screens:
Fri, Sept 11, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sun, Sept 13, 4:00 PM SCOTIABANK
Thu, Sept 17, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK

HARDCORE screens:
Sat, Sept 12, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Mon, Sept 14, 4:15 PM SCOTIABANK
Fri, Sept 18, 1:00 PM SCOTIABANK

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

THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS screens:
Mon, Sept 14, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Wed, Sept 16, 5:00 PM SCOTIABANK
Fri, Sept 18, 9:15 PM SCOTIABANK

THE MIND'S EYE screens:
Tue, Sept 15, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Thu, Sept 17, 3:30 PM BLOOR HOT DOCS
Sat, Sept 19, 7:00 PM SCOTIABANK

SOUTHBOUND screens:
Wed, Sept 16, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Fri, Sept 18, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK
Sun, Sept 20, 3:30 PM SCOTIABANK

SPL 2: A TIME FOR CONSEQUENCES screens:
Thu, Sept 17, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Fri, Sept 18, 3:30 PM BLOOR HOT DOCS
Sun, Sept 20, 6:30 PM SCOTIABANK

YAKUZA APOCALYPSE screens:
Fri, Sept 18, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sat, Sept 19, 3:00 PM SCOTIABANK

THE FINAL GIRLS screens:
Sat, Sept 19, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sun, Sept 20, 5:00 PM SCOTIABANK

Take a Ride With SOUTHBOUND!

One of the best things about Midnight Madness, and TIFF in general, is that you often get to see a cut of a film, or a film itself, that is off everyone’s radar.  That’s the case with Southbound, the new film from the creators of V/H/S.  I don’t have a trailer, a poster, or much of anything besides a couple of screenshots to convince you that this is going to be one wild ride, but I like to think that you and I have something of a rapport, Midnight Madness fan, and I wouldn’t lie to you would I?

A creepy hallway! This is one of the only images we have from Southbound.  

Anyway, we do have a few scant details about Southbound which should convince you to come on this gnarly road trip with us.  We know that, like V/H/S, this is an anthology piece and all the segments of the film take place on a dusty stretch of highway. We also know that here’s an intriguing slate of directors on board. Here’s the rundown:

The lovely leading lady from Bruckner's Amateur Night

David Bruckner - Though he wrote and directed the chilling "Amateur Night" for the first V/H/S anthology, a lot more people have learned Bruckner’s name since he’s been tapped to direct a new installment of Friday The 13th.  There’s also the feature-length version of "Amateur Night" called Siren which should see release next year. If there are horror director’s rookie cards, I’d hold onto my mint-condition Bruckners.

Roxanne Benjamin is a producer on the creepy cult movie, Faults

Roxanne Benjamin - Benjamin is making her directorial debut here, but has been a producer on V/H/S, Midnight Madness 2015 feature Devil’s Candy, and on Faults, one of my favourite films from last year. Her entry into this anthology is a complete unknown, but if you’re watching an anthology horror, or a Midnight Madness movie in general, and aren’t expecting to be surprised, you’re doing it wrong, friends.

One of Patrick Horvath's surreal illustrations. No followup questions, please

Patrick Horvath - If 2012’s harrowing Entrance didn’t convince you that Patrick Horvath is the real deal, his sequel to The Pact from last year should have. Also under Horvath’s belt is one of the only films, horror or otherwise, whose title alone has made me spray beer out of my nose. Horvath is also a hilarious, awesome illustrator who often tweets out his creations.

Radio Silence's bizarre pregnancy horror

Radio Silence - The directors of the "10-31-08" segment in V/H/S as well as last year’s haunting pregnancy horror Devil’s Due are back with...Well, we don’t really know what they’re back with. Like I said, details are scant, but you’re not going to want to miss whatever they’ve come up with this time around.

Not gonna lie, I don't see this road trip ending well.

With the talent at the helm of Southbound, there’s all the makings of a solid anthology that, like this post, will keep the Midnight Madness crowd guessing at every turn!

Southbound screens: Wed, Sept 16, 11:59 PM RYERSON Thu, Sept 17, 9:30 AM SCOTIABANK Fri, Sept 18, 12:45 PM SCOTIABANK Fri, Sept 18, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK Sun, Sept 20, 3:30 PM SCOTIABANK