Mile High Horror Film Festival

The Mile High Horror Film Festival was founded in 2010 and was the oldest running genre film festival in Denver, Colorado.

It is recognized as one of the 'Top 5 Coolest Horror/Sci-Fi Film Festivals in the World' by MovieMaker Magazine.[2]

In 2015, it hosted over 90 films from several different countries.

The festival was founded by Timothy Schultz and Theresa Likarish. Both avid genre film fans, they regularly attended film festivals across the US before deciding to create the Mile High Horror Film Festival. They wanted to create a festival that didn't exist in Colorado, which they themselves would like to attend. Schultz is a filmmaker himself and gained inspiration from having his own films played around the world in festivals prior to starting this festival.

In 2013, the festival launched a compilation of short horror films titled, the Mile High Horror Shorts package, which is available on demand and in select cable networks.[3]

The Mile High Horror Film Festival has multiple prizes for films, screenplays, and music videos. Prizes include custom built trophies along with publicity and prizes awarded by the festival's sponsors.[4]

2015

A few of the 2015 special guests included:

Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush, and Ryan Lee for the Colorado premiere of Goosebumps (film)

Tobin Bell from the Saw (franchise)

Lisa & Louise Burns + Joe Turkel from The Shining (film)

Sid Haig from The Devil's Rejects and House of 1000 Corpses

Neil Marshall from The Descent, Tales of Halloween, and Dog Soldiers

Adam Green - Director of the Hatchet film series

Linnea Quigley for the 30th anniversary of The Return of the Living Dead presented by Fangoria

Greg MacLennan from Drafthouse Films

Nate Bolotin from XYZ Films

Heather Langenkamp via Skype for a Wes Craven Memoriam screening of A Nightmare on Elm Street

Bailey Jay via Skype for a LGBT in Horror Panel

Ron Chaney for a special 90th anniversary of The Phantom of the Opera (1925 film) w/ live musical score by Paul Buscarello.

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2014

The 2014 MHHFF welcomed many horror icons, actors, and filmmakers, some of which included:

Tony Todd from the Candyman (film) series.

Gunnar Hansen, known for his role as Leatherface, for a special 40th anniversary screening of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Scream queen Julie Adams attended a special 60th anniversary presentation of Creature from the Black Lagoon in 3D.

Directors Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez, and producer Gregg Hale attended a special 15-year anniversary of The Blair Witch Project. Mr. Sanchez and Hale were also in person for a special presentation of their feature film, Exists (film).

Michael Berryman from The Hills Have Eyes, The Devil's Rejects, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (film) was also in attendance, among many other guests.

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2013

In 2013, the Mile High Horror Film Festival hosted top-notch talent from the horror genre.

The festival presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to actor and legendary special effects makeup artist, Mr. Tom Savini for his outstanding contributions to horror film.

For the festival's opening night, film director Jim Mickle appeared for an advanced screening of his film, We Are What We Are (2013) before its theatrical release later that year.

Linda Blair was also in attendance on the opening night for a special 40th anniversary presentation of The Exorcist (1973).

Actor Doug Bradley, who stars as Pinhead from the Hellraiser series was in attendance for an interview before a rare exhibition of Hellraiser on the big screen.

Actors Ken Foree and Tom Savini both attended a special 35th anniversary presentation of George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead (1978).

For the closing night ceremony on Sunday, October 6, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Meg Foster participated in a Q&A discussion with the audience before a sold out 25th anniversary presentation of John Carpenter's film, They Live.

The festival's 2013 guest judges included the writer and creator of the Final Destination series, Mr. Jeffrey Reddick and the writer and director of The Blair Witch Project, Mr. Dan Myrick.

Other notable guests in attendance included scream queen Tiffany Shepis, Jonathan Tiersten, Timothy Quill, and side-show performer, The Enigma (performer).[7]

2012

In 2012, the Mile High Horror Film Festival hosted a wide array of celebrities including actor Corey Feldman to commemorate the 25th anniversary of The Lost Boys.

The festival's 2012 guest judges included the writer and creator of the Final Destination series, Mr. Jeffrey Reddick and the writer and director of The Blair Witch Project, Mr. Dan Myrick.

Actors Kane Hodder and Bill Moseley participated in the 2012 MHHFF Monster Panel discussion before being presented with Mile High Horror Film Festival Slasher Awards for outstanding achievement in the horror genre.

Other notable guests included actress Eileen Dietz who played the demon from "The Exorcist," Jonathan Tiersten from Sleepaway Camp, and horror author Richard Kadrey.[8]

2011

In 2011, the Mile High Horror Film Festival honored actor Michael Berryman with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in the Horror Genre after hosting a special presentation of the original The Hills Have Eyes (1977), directed by Wes Craven.

Festival guest judges included the writer and creator of the Final Destination series, Mr. Jeffrey Reddick and the writer and director of The Blair Witch Project, Mr. Dan Myrick.

Film directors Tim Sullivan and Adam Rifkin were present for the Colorado debut of their horror anthology film, Chillerama. Actor Zach Rand was also in person for his role in Lucky McKee's The Woman, which made its Colorado debut at the 2011 MHHFF.[9]

Mile High Horror Film Festival awards can vary from year to year and have included the following categories:

• Best Feature Film
• Audience Award for Best Feature Film
• Best Actor in a Feature Length Film
• Best Short Film
• Audience Award for Best Short Film
• Best Local Colorado Short Film
• Best Animation
• Most Innovative Short Film
• Best Shock Factor
• Mile High Gore Award

Three new categories were added to the competition in 2013. They include:

• Best Feature Screenplay
• Best Short Screenplay
• Best Music Video

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Additional categories may be created for the 2013 festival, which takes place October 3–6 at the Alamo Drafthouse Denver.

• Official website