Film Festival Brings Horror Back to Thunder Bay’s North Core
By Kris Ketonen
If you’re looking for a pre-Halloween scare, Terror in the Bay has you covered. The annual horror film festival returns to the Maple Tops Paramount Theatre on Court Street this month, with about 50 terrifying films from around the world slated for the big screen.
“We are a tight-knit group of filmmakers, and genre film lovers,” says festival director Chris Borgo. “Each year we try our best to create a grand festival experience for every attendee, and are not afraid to make necessary changes and/or tweaks to our event.”
“I believe people see the passion and dedication put into creating this festival each year, and the love we all share for horror films,” he continues. “I think this is the main reason our festival has reached its seventh year and continues to grow.” This year, the films include features and shorts, as well as music videos and trailers from around the world, Borgo says. “Submissions have averaged around the same number from year to year,” he says. “We did see a slight decrease throughout the pandemic, however this past year, submissions picked up once again.”
“We also received a record amount of Canadian genre films this year,” Borgo adds. “In terms of reputation, it would be fair to say we are well-respected by filmmakers and the genre community from across the world.” The Canadian submissions were so strong, in fact, that the festival is dedicating one night to screening only Canadian films this year. Crowds, too, have been getting larger over the years, Borgo says.
“We are excited to say that crowd numbers have increased slightly each year, with the biggest increase coming last year,” he says. “Approximately 500 people attended our festival last year, and we expect even a greater number this year.”
In addition to the screenings, the festival will also feature vendors and the popular Blood Red Carpet photo shoot; prizes will also be awarded to the attendees with the best costumes.
This year’s Terror in the Bay Film Festival runs from October 18–21. Tickets are available at terrorinthebay7.eventbrite.ca. For more information, visit terrorinthebay.com.
