2016 J-Pop Summit Celebrates Another Year of Celebrating Japanese Pop Culture

J-POP SUMMIT 2016 DELIVERS A MEMORABLE WEEKEND OF JAPANESE POP CULTURE INSPIRED FUN

The San Francisco Bay Area’s Premiere Japanese Pop Culture Celebration Was Another Smashing Success With The Most Diverse Program Of Live Events Ever Presented

San Francisco, CA – J-POP SUMMIT 2016, returned to the Bay Area for its 8th annual all-sensory celebration of vibrant Japanese pop culture. This year, the Festival drew more than 20,000 attendees to historic the Fort Mason Center located in San Francisco’s Marina district.

Recognized internationally as a preeminent platform for showcasing the vivacious and cutting edge latest trends in Japanese pop and rock music, fashion, film, popular art, and pop culture, the J-POP SUMMIT 2016 also added special focused attractions this year that highlighted Ramen, Sake and Travel. An Interactive Summit also featured a display of innovative new Japanese consumer tech products and was complemented by a conference and idea-thon led by a vanguard of visionary entrepreneurs and tech visionaries from Japan and the Bay Area.

“J-POP SUMMIT 2016 was the most successful Festival we have staged to-date in terms of the sheer diversity of programming and the wide range of different attractions,” says Seiji Horibuchi, Chairman of the J-POP SUMMIT Committee. “Each year we strive to present a unique and memorable Festival and we are very gratified that J-POP SUMMIT has continued to evolve and grow and has remained such a vital part of the Bay Area’s annual summertime calendar. We look forward to 2017!!”

Music
Japan’s princess of pop, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, returned for her second headlining appearance at J-POP SUMMIT and kicked off this year’s festival with a frenzied, dance-driven concert for a sold out crowd at The Regency Ballroom. The singer delivered many hits from her newest Best of KPP anthology release.

Continuing throughout the weekend at Ft. Mason, additional J-POP SUMMIT 2016 live music performances were held by the electronic dance group, WORLD ORDER, all-female pop rock band, Silent Siren, pop house unit, Wednesday Campanella, idol dance troupe, Tokyo Performance Doll, kimono cosplay duo, YANAKIKU, and the ani-pop duo, GARNiDELiA.

Fashion
The J-POP SUMMIT 2016 also gathered a colorful vanguard of edgy and unique Japanese fashion labels and purveyors. Highlights of this year’s programming included workshops, exhibits, apparel items and accessories from modern Japanese style clothing brand, SOU•SOU, along with a variety of other handpicked items and brands from Japan in the MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON area. The Festival also celebrated the return of Guest of Honor and fashion visionary, Sebastian Masuda, art director and an extremely influential artist for Harajuku kawaii culture, for a special series of events and attendee meet-and-greet sessions, as well as rising pop star and fashion model, UNA, for a special live performance.

Other Guests of Honor from Japan
A diverse range of Japanese pop personalities, artists and celebrities also appeared as special Guests of Honor. In addition to the aforementioned musical artists, special guests included the pop art creator, Kaori Wakamatsu, visual pop artist Hiroyuki-Mitsume Takahashi, artist Ken Hamazaki a.k.a. “The Red Man”, renowned Japanese chef Tasuo Saito and Japanese celebrity Yu Hayami. Japan’s drag royalty and singer, Mitz Mangrove, along with Domo, the mascot for network NHK, and Japan’s favorite Go-Torch Characters also made live appearances.

Ramen Summit
The Ramen Summit was curated by Yoshiyuki Maruyama, Executive Chef of San Francisco’s own Orenchi Beyond.Five top-rated ramen makers from the Bay Area, New York and Japan joined -  Hinodeya Ramen Bar from Japan (and opening in San Francisco this summer in Japantown), Naruto Ramen from New York, Iza Ramen, Orenchi Beyond and Ramen Taka from Bay Area. Plans are being made for an even larger Ramen Fest next year at J-POP SUMMIT 2017.

Sake Summit
The Sake Summit area was the most extensive yet presented at any J-POP SUMMIT and added a festive libation to the weekend’s events and also gave attendees the opportunity to learn about the world of sake from a variety of premier sake purveyors that included Kikusui; Otokoyama; Hakushika; Kurosawa; Katana; Hakutsuru; Fukuju; Sequoia Sake and Takara Sake USA.

Travel Pavilion
This year, J-POP SUMMIT 2016 debuted an extensive “VIRTUAL TRIP TO JAPAN” attraction from JAPANKURU, a travel organization encouraging millennial tourism to Japan. Guests dove deep into Japanese culture and “visited” three Zones that featured interactive experiences fusing the past, present and future and showcasing what makes Japan a travelers’ delight. Highlights included the debut of KURUKI, Japankuru’s new kawaii (cute) blue dog character that made live appearances on the stage. A visit to “Tokyo Daijingu,” a mock-up of a major Shinto shrine in Tokyo was the most popular experience, and guests prayed for good fortune in the “Shrine" and received fortunes and prizes. The Kawaii Station highlighted “Harajuku,” the world-renowned mecca of “kawaii (cute)” culture and legions of attendees and fashion devotees donned colorful and fancy pop-inspired ensembles and accessories.

J-POP Drag Queen Contest
The first-ever J-POP SUMMIT Drag Contest was held on the Main Stage with local celebrity drag hosts D’Arcy Drollinger and Heklina, and J-POP SUMMIT’s Guest of Honor Mitz Mangrove as a special celebrity judge. Five contestants competed, displaying anime, manga, and cherry blossom motifs and making the event one of the highlights of the Sunday stage activities.

Interactive Summit
J-POP SUMMIT 2016 marked the second annual Interactive Summit, bringing Japanese and Japanese-American tech along for the ride. Startups and worldwide corporations alike debuted the latest in Japanese innovation, from Yamaha’s autonomous motorcycle-riding humanoid robot “Motobot,” to MESH’s network of buttons that make any device smart, to INUPATHY’s dog collar that lights up different colors based on your pup’s emotions.

Mazda zoomed in at full speed with displays of its new CX-3 and MX-5 MIATA cars. But guests didn’t have to wait to drive them: Mazda used Sony’s Gran Turismo to let attendees sit behind a real wheel and drive laps in Mazda’s latest vehicles on a professional raceway without even leaving the venue. Likewise, TOTO brought its A100 Washlet, a toilet seat fit for 2016 with its bidet pump, heating, automatic seat opener and push-button controls to adjust the whole experience.

Meanwhile, the Sessions at Gallery 308 buzzed with the combined entrepreneurial spirit of Japan and San Francisco/Silicon Valley’s unique symbiotic bi-national relationship that is driven by technological innovation. Featuring panels on Designed IoT and Robotics, the event began with a startup pitch contest, “Innovation Weekend SF 2016,” where founders presented their businesses to a wide range of professional attendees. The winner was Velo Lab for its smart key lock called Skylock. The runner-up was to Butterfly. Both teams will be invited to Tokyo at the end of this year for the Innovation Weekend Grand Finale 2016 to compete with other winners and runners-up from all over the world.


About J-POP SUMMIT
J-POP SUMMIT is one of the world’s biggest Japanese pop culture events, held every summer in San Francisco, CA. By introducing the latest in Japanese music, fashion, film, art, games, tech-innovations, anime, food, as well as niche subcultures, the festival has become a landing platform for new trends from Japan.

Official website: www.j-pop.com

Official YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/JPOPSUMMIT/featured

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BET Announces a Star-Studded Fall 2016 Lineup

BET Networks Promises to Tickle Your Funny Bone with a Star-Studded Fall 2016 Lineup of Original Series and Specials

“REAL HUSBANDS OF HOLLYWOOD” Returns for a Fifth Season of Hilarious Antics on Tuesday, October 11 at 9 PM ET/PT

New Series “THE GARY OWEN SHOW” and “HUSTLE & BLOW (Working Title)” Premiere Back to Back Beginning at 9:30 PM ET/PT
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starting this fall, BET Networks will unleash a star studded lineup of can’t miss original programming. From scripted to reality, the new and returning shows promise a season of comedy, family and hustle!

Fan favorite “REAL HUSBANDS OF HOLLYWOOD,” starring superstar comedian and actor Kevin Hart, is back to deliver huge laughs along with an all-star roster of returning characters including Nelly, Nick Cannon and Cynthia Kaye McWilliams. Hart makes his directorial debut this season, which promises hilarious special appearances from previous cast members JB Smoove, Boris Kodjoe and Duane Martin combined with high wattage celebrity guests Nia Long, Keke Palmer, Tyga and many more.

Following “REAL HUSBANDS OF HOLLYWOOD” is the world premiere of the new docuseries “THE GARY OWEN SHOW” starring popular actor and stand-up comedian Gary Owen. “THE GARY OWEN SHOW” will showcase the hilarious and dynamic everyday life of the Owen family like you’ve never seen or heard them before. Not to be outdone, new series “HUSTLE & BLOW (WORKING TITLE)” follows the inner workings of a premier Atlanta salon. Tune in as cameras capture the drama behind what it takes to be one of the hottest celebrity grooming spots in the city!

Also returning are two high-rated specials that continue to captivate audiences year after year: “BET HIP HOP AWARDS” and “THE SOUL TRAIN AWARDS.”

SERIES

REAL HUSBANDS OF HOLLYWOOD - Season 5 Premieres Tuesday, October 11 at 9 PM ET/PT.

The reality show-spoofing “Real Husbands of Hollywood” chronicles newly divorced comedian Kevin Hart and his Hollywood pals as they navigate their way through stardom alongside – or in spite of – their famous wives. Season 5 of the hit mockumentary stars Kevin Hart, Nelly, Nick Cannon, Cynthia Kaye McWilliams as Trina Shaw; with special appearances from JB Smoove, Boris Kodjoe, Duane Martin and Jackie Long. High wattage guest stars include Nia Long, Keke Palmer, Tyga, LeToya Luckett, and Faizon Love. Kevin Hart also makes his directorial debut this season. Kevin Hart serves as Executive Producer along with Jesse Collins, Ralph Farquhar, Stan Lathan, Chris Spencer, and Dave Becky.

THE GARY OWEN SHOW - Series Premieres Tuesday, October 11 at 9:30 PM ET/PT.

The Gary Owen Show chronicles the life of America’s favorite honorary Black comedian Gary Owen and his hilariously offbeat multiracial family. He broke through as the first Caucasian host of BET’s Comic View, and also had star turns in the Think Like A Man films, Ride Along, and Meet the Blacks. Now he’s bringing his own interracial and blended family to BET in a 30-minute unscripted series that is colorful, truthful and hysterical. Gary is constantly pushing the limits of what is politically correct when it comes to kids in small-town Ohio. Gary Owen executive produces alongside Bunim/Murray Productions' Gil Goldschein, Jeff Jenkins and Andrea Metz. Stella Bulochnikov, Brian Sher, and Clifford Harris (T.I.), serve as Executive Producers as well.

HUSTLE & BLOW (WORKING TITLE) - Series Premieres Tuesday, October 11 at 10 PM ET/PT.

Hustle & Blow (Working Title) is what goes down every day at Salon Ramsey, Atlanta's biggest, baddest, one-stop beauty shop. Started by Nas' go-to barber, Ramsey, this urban empire spans 5 locations and houses over 100 employees including hair stylists, nail technicians, barbers and tattoo artists. At the flagship location, Salon Ramsey is the hotspot for Atlanta’s most demanding customers including celebrities, actresses, rappers, and athletes who come through the doors for every kind of service. But the competition for clients can cause best friends to turn into fierce enemies in a matter of seconds. The outrageous and talented staff sees each other more than they see their own families at this 24-hour shop, so anything can happen and it always does. “Hustle & Blow” is produced by T Group for BET Networks, with Jenny Daly and Rob Lobl executive producing. Glenn Carrano also serves as Executive Producer.

SPECIALS

BET HIP HOP AWARDS - Premieres October 2016

For the last decade, the BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” has remained the most prominent hip hop culture showcase on television. The #1 hip hop-themed telecast on television will help celebrate the biggest names in the game, newcomers on the scene, and shine a light on the community. The live performances are the most talked about in the business, and this year will not be any different!

SOUL TRAIN AWARDS - Premieres November 2016

The 2016 “Soul Train Awards,” the first since the acquisition of the Soul Train franchise by BET Networks, returns to showcase its influence on the history of music and dance from the 70s to today. Paying homage to R&B legends and serving as a platform for the next wave of talented artists, the “Soul Train Awards” will celebrate the best in soul music from yesterday and today.


About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

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"Wolf Creek" TV Series Arrives on Pop October 2016

Suspense Thriller “WOLF CREEK” Premieres This October, Exclusively on Pop

30,000 people go missing in Australia each year, with 90 percent found within the first month. The rest are never seen again...

Inspired by the Iconic Cult Film and Executive Produced by its Creator/Director Greg McLean, WOLF CREEK Premieres on Friday, October 14 at 10:00 PM, ET/PT as a Six-Episode Limited Series Television Event

View The Trailer: www.poptv.com/wolfcreek

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Inspired by one of the most terrifying, cult movie franchises ever released in theaters, named one of “The 25 best horror movies since 2000” (AV Squad), one of “The 100 Best Horror films” (Time Out), and one of “The 25 Best Horror Movies Since The Shining” (Vulture), the six-part television event, WOLF CREEK, is a psychological thriller premiering exclusively on Pop on Friday, October 14, 2016 at 10:00 PM, ET/PT.

    “To turn everything you expect from a horror film around and hunt the psychopath through a strong and singularly-focused female protagonist is thrilling to watch. It is probably the scariest series to ever premiere on basic cable and will have viewers hooked 13:40 minutes into the first episode.”

In conjunction with Lionsgate Television and Zodiak Rights (a Banijay Group company), the WOLF CREEK television series on Pop stars John Jarratt, who reprises his movie role as the murdering psychopath Mick Taylor, wreaking havoc in the Australian Outback—except this time, things are different. The television series immediately turns the entire genre on its head when a 19-year-old American college student, played by rising star Lucy Fry, survives the massacre of her parents and little brother and sets out to hunt down the killer and avenge her family.

Based on true events, the original WOLF CREEK movie was introduced in 2005 at the Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals before achieving global box office success and cult film status among horror fans around the world.

“WOLF CREEK is holy !#@$! scary!” said Greg McLean, Executive Producer of the WOLF CREEK television series and the writer, director and producer of the WOLF CREEK movies. “The television series delivers the same pulse-pounding tension and terror of the films combined with a storyline that evolves into a suspense filled, character driven psychological thriller. In many ways, WOLF CREEK is more like a Western—set in the untamed, desolate landscape of the Australian Outback, with gritty characters and an immersive story of revenge and good versus evil.”

“WOLF CREEK is a binge-worthy, premium revenge tale that we are thrilled to bring fans at the perfect time of the year,” said Brad Schwartz, President, Pop. “To turn everything you expect from a horror film around and hunt the psychopath through a strong and singularly-focused female protagonist is thrilling to watch. It is probably the scariest series to ever premiere on basic cable and will have viewers hooked 13:40 minutes into the first episode.”

The story of WOLF CREEK begins when an American family is on vacation in Northern Australia and becomes the unsuspecting prey of Mick Taylor, a sadistic serial killer who hunts and kills tourists in the Outback. The sole survivor is Eve Thorogood, a college student, who vows to bring the killer to justice or die in the attempt. The story of WOLF CREEK reveals her complex and extraordinary journey, traveling every step of the way as she evolves from child to adult, from prey to predator. But can she triumph over Mick Taylor, evil incarnate?

John Jarratt is a television and film actor, producer and director from Australia. Jarratt is best known for his chilling performance as the iconic character Mick Taylor in the feature films “Wolf Creek” and “Wolf Creek 2.” His previous credits also include Peter Weir’s “Picnic At Hanging Rock,” Baz Luhrmann’s “Australia” and Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained.”

Lucy Fry is a film and television actress. Most recently, Fry starred opposite James Franco in the Warner Bros. for Hulu mini-series “11.22.63.” She is also known for her roles in director Joseph Castelo’s indie film “The Preppie Connection,” the Cinelou Films feature “Mr. Church,” the Universal feature “The Darkness,” and Mark Waters’ fantasy feature “Vampire Academy.”

A STAN original, WOLF CREEK is produced by Screentime (a Banijay Group company), in association with Emu Creek Pictures and financed with the assistance of Screen Australia and the South Australian Film Corporation.


ABOUT POP:
Fans don’t sit at the outskirts of pop culture making snarky comments. They live right smack in the middle of it, sharing, creating, and connecting their passions with others. At Pop, fans finally have a destination that celebrates the fun of being a fan. Fans aren’t even fans anymore — they’re gladiators, tributes, human beings and blockheads. Seen in more than 80 million homes, Pop gives fans a dedicated channel that loves being a fan as much as they do. A channel that respects talent over celebrity. A channel filled with optimism, passion, humor, and excitement. A channel that understands the fun doesn’t stop when the credits roll…it’s really just the beginning.

Pop is a joint venture of CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF). The partnership combines CBS’s programming, production and marketing assets with Lionsgate’s resources in motion pictures, television and digitally delivered content. Pop’s ownership structure is comprised of the company with the #1 broadcast network and many of the top first-run syndication series (“Entertainment Tonight,” “The Insider”) and the studio that produces and distributes the blockbuster “Hunger Games,” “Twilight” and “Divergent” franchises and produces such award-winning TV series as “Mad Men” and “Orange is the New Black.”

ABOUT LIONSGATE:
Lionsgate is a premier next generation global content leader with a diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, international distribution and sales, branded channel platforms, interactive ventures and games, and location-based entertainment. The Company has nearly 80 television shows on 40 different networks spanning its primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses. These include the critically-acclaimed hit series Orange is the New Black, the syndication successes The Wendy Williams Show and Celebrity Name Game (with FremantleMedia), the breakout series The Royals and the Golden Globe-nominated dramedy Casual.

The Company’s feature film business spans eight labels and includes the blockbuster Hunger Games franchise, the Now You See Me, Divergent and John Wick series, Sicario, The Age of Adaline, Roadside Attractions' Love & Mercy and Mr. Holmes, Codeblack Films’ Addicted and breakout concert film Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain and Pantelion Films’ Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.

Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rates. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 16,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world. www.lionsgate.com

ABOUT ZODIAK RIGHTS:
Zodiak Rights is the international distribution division of Banijay Group, a leading creator and producer of TV content worldwide. Zodiak Rights represents quality, excellence and experience in the business of television and ancillary sales across all platforms. It is one of the world’s biggest independent distributors, with a catalogue of more than 20,000 hours of globally best-selling content across all genres including drama, formats, factual, entertainment, theatrical. 50% of the catalogue is third party programming from independent producers and networks throughout the world.

Zodiak Rights’ scripted programming includes big-budget Canal+ flagship drama Versailles sold in more than 135 territories; Screentime’s Wolf Creek, based on the international hit feature films; original Belgian French-language drama Public Enemy, winner of the inaugural MIPDrama Screenings; The Returned, an International Emmy Award winner, trilingual political suspense thriller Occupied; Wallander, the BAFTA award-winning drama series for BBC One starring Kenneth Branagh; Braquo, the top-rating French drama; and critically acclaimed Irish serial drama Rebellion.

Zodiak Rights’ theatrical portfolio includes: Millennium: The Trilogy (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest), and UK box office smash The Inbetweeners 1 & 2.

Finished programming and format highlights include global smash format Wife Swap; legendary adventure game show Fort Boyard; Rose d’Or winning game show Wild Things; innovative hands-on social experiment Undressed; extreme reality race 71 Degrees North; Popstars, the original talent quest reality format refreshed for a new generation; the classic, controversial reality format Temptation Island; ratings and format hits The Secret Life Of 4 Year Olds; long running premier property brand Location Location Location, and revelatory special forces selection programme SAS Who Dares Wins.

www.zodiakrights.com

On the Web: www.poptv.com
Pop Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PopTelevision
Pop Twitter: https://twitter.com/PopTV

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Bruce Campbell's Horror Film Festival Announces Full Film Screening Lineup

Bruce Campbell Horror Film Festival Announces Full Lineup, Closing night film Siren, Last Fan Standing Game Show, & Guest of Honor Barbara Crampton for Festival, August 18-21 In Chicago

Presented by STARZ Original Series ‘Ash vs. Evil Dead', in conjunction with Wizard World Comic Con

ROSEMONT, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bruce Campbell’s Horror Film Festival today announced the full lineup for its third annual festivities on August 18-21, 2016, in conjunction with Wizard World Chicago. Sponsored by Shudder and Bloody-Disgusting.com, the festival will open with the critically acclaimed nail-biter Don’t Breathe and close with the chilling Siren. Among many other events and screenings, the festival will feature Bruce Campbell’s Last Fan Standing game show, and actress Barbara Crampton as the “Guest of Honor,” who will host a 30th anniversary screening of From Beyond along with her new film, Beyond the Gates.

    Horror fans can join @GroovyBruce in Chicago @groovyfest August 18-21

"You can have your rom-coms, your indie darlings and your blockbusters,” said Bruce Campbell. “I’ll take a good old-fashioned horror movie any day or night of the week!”

Opening night will kick off with the highly anticipated shocker, Don't Breathe, from director-producer-writer Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead) and produced by Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert. Alvarez and star Stephen Lang (Avatar) will be in attendance. Sony Pictures is set to release Don’t Breathe on August 26, 2016. Closing night will feature the Chicago Premiere of Siren, a feature adaptation of the segment "Amateur Night" from the 2012 critically acclaimed horror anthology "V/H/S", with director Gregg Bishop and star Chase Williamson in attendance.

The festival will offer Bruce Campbell’s all-new game show, Last Fan Standing—a quiz show based on sci-fi, horror, fantasy, and superheroes. Last Fan Standing is the ultimate test of pop-culture knowledge. Four fans are put through their paces by host and Con-favorite Bruce Campbell, battling through devilish speed rounds and a nerve-wracking Final Confrontation until only one remains, and a Last Fan Standing is crowned. The game show will take place at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center on Friday at 3 PM and Saturday at 11 AM.

Writer/director Fred Dekker is slated to receive the inaugural "Groovy as Hell" award, and the festival will host a 30th anniversary screening of the cult classic Night of The Creeps and a very special screening of The Monster Squad with actors Andre Gower (Sean) & Ryan Lambert (Rudy) also in attendance.

Popular stand-up comic and host of the Doug Loves Movies podcast, Doug Benson, will host a very special ‘Doug Benson Movie Interruption’ of Army of Darkness, with guest interrupter Bruce Campbell! Benson and Campbell, along with mystery comedians, will riff on the film live from the front row, and say whatever hilarious thoughts that pops into their heads. Single tickets for this show are SOLD OUT, but you can still guarantee a seat with the purchase of a festival badge.

BCHFF is also thrilled to present a 25th anniversary celebration of everyone’s favorite time-traveling metalhead slackers, a screening of Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey with director Peter Hewitt in attendance, along with Death himself, William Sadler!

The festival will also mark the World Premieres of Found Footage 3D, the long-awaited satirical horror film produced by Kim Henkel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and directed by Steven DeGennaro, and Show Yourself, a haunting & remarkable genre-bending feature debut from Billy Ray Brewton (subject of the wonderful award-winning 2014 documentary Skanks, and programmer for Slamdance Film Festival).

Fans in the region will also experience the Chicago premieres of:

•     The Greasy Strangler - The most hilariously disturbing film of the year. From Elijah Wood's Spectrevision, Drafthouse Films, & Ant Timpson.
•     Here Alone - Winner of the 2016 Tribeca Audience Award.
•     Abattoir - From Darren Bousman, the director of Saw 2, 3, 4, Repo: The Genetic Opera, Mother’s Day, and The Devil’s Carnival. Darren will be in attendance to present the film.
•     Pet - The SXSW hit starring Dominic Monaghan (Lord of The Rings Trilogy).
•     I am Not a Serial Killer - Starring Christopher Lloyd in yet another career defining performance.
•     Beyond The Gates - Winner of the midnight audience award at Los Angeles Film Festival.
•     Antibirth – Premiered at the Sundance Film & starring Natasha Lyonne & Chloe Sevigny.
•     Short Trip To Hell (Shorts Block) – A stunning collection of premiere shorts that will scare you senseless!

The Bruce Campbell Horror Film Festival jury this year includes a few dignitaries well-known to horror fans: Tom Holland (writer/director, Fright Night, Child's Play); Barry Bostwick (Rocky Horror Picture Show); Cerina Vincent (Cabin Fever); and Zach Hagen (producer, He Never Died).

“I couldn’t be any more thrilled with this year’s lineup,” said festival director Josh Goldbloom. “There’s something here for every bloodthirsty horror fanatic: Haunted houses, serial killers, satanic board games, home invasions, monsters with demon wings, possessed guitars, portals to hell, killer clown cookie jars, and last but not least, greasy stranglers. Buy a ticket and I promise you’ll see something you won’t forget.”

Festival badges are $100, and are on sale now at www.bchff.com!

The festival and all screenings will be held at the Carmike Muvico Rosemont 18.

Fans can visit www.BCHFF.com for full details and additions to the slate as they happen and dates and times for each screening. Follow the festival on Twitter: @groovyfest

LINEUP:

INAUGURAL GROOVY AS HELL PRESENTATION:

THE MONSTER SQUAD - Fred Dekker, Andre Gower, & Ryan Lambert in attendance!
A quintet of classic movie monsters invades a small town looking for a lost amulet that will help them rule the world. A bunch of kids decide to fight back by forming the "Monster Squad." Written by Shane Black (THE NICE GUYS, KISS KISS BANG BANG).

Prior to the screening the festival will present director Fred Dekker with the inaugural "Groovy as Hell" award. Following the screening their will be a Q&A with Fred Dekker, Andre Gower, & Ryan Lambert.

Anniversary Screenings!

NIGHT OF THE CREEPS Fred Dekker in attendance!
The night of the prom becomes the "Night of the Creeps" for a small-town college with a big-time problem! No one ever said college would be easy...Johnny (Ken Heron) and his girlfriend Pam (Alice Cadogan), the perfect co-ed couple, are enjoying Lover's Lane one evening in 1959 when suddenly Johnny's attention is diverted to an evil light. He leaves to explore it, never to return again. Twenty-seven years later, when two college boys, Chris (Jason Lively) and J.C. (Steve Marshall), pledge a tempestuous fraternity, they encounter Johnny's frozen body. When life returns to Johnny's corpse, a reign of terror begins as the mysterious" creeps" leave his brain, permeating the bodies of other frat boys and sorority girls, making zombies of their prey!

FROM BEYOND Barbara Crampton in attendance!
Obsessive scientist Dr. Pretorius (Ted Sorel) successfully discovers a way to access a parallel universe of pleasure by tapping into the brain's pineal gland. When he is seemingly killed by forces from this other dimension, his assistant, Dr. Crawford Tillinghast (Jeffrey Combs), is accused of the murder. After psychiatrist Katherine McMichaels (Barbara Crampton) and detective Bubba Brownlee (Ken Foree) take the case, the trio risks a return to the other world in order to solve the mystery. From Master of Horror, Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator)!

BILL & TED'S BOGUS JOURNEY Peter Hewitt & William Sadler in attendance!
Amiable slackers Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) are once again roped into a fantastical adventure when De Nomolos (Joss Ackland), a villain from the future, sends evil robot duplicates of the two lads to terminate and replace them. The robot doubles actually succeed in killing Bill and Ted, but the two are determined to escape the afterlife, challenging the Grim Reaper (William Sadler) to a series of games in order to return to the land of the living.

Opening Night:

DON’T BREATHE (Chicago Premiere) Fede Alvarez & Stephen Lang in attendance

A trio of friends break into the house of a wealthy blind man, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect heist. They’re wrong.

Cast: Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovato, Stephen Lang
Dir: Fede Alvarez
Distributor: Sony Pictures
U.S. Release Date: August 26

Closing Night:

SIREN (Chicago Premiere) Gregg Bishop and Chase Williamson in attendance!

A bachelor party becomes a savage fight for survival when the groomsmen unwittingly unleash a fabled predator upon the festivities. A feature adaptation of the segment "Amateur Night" from the 2012 horror anthology "V/H/S."

Cast: Hannah Fierman, Chase Williamson, Justin Welbourn, Michael Aaron Milligan, Hayes Mercure, Randy McDowell.
Dir: Gregg Bishop

ABATTOIR (Chicago Premiere) Darren Lynn Bousman in attendance

How do you build a haunted house? Ask the enigmatic Jebediah Crone, the main suspect in a case of stolen rooms where horrific tragedies have occurred.

Cast: Jessica Lowndes, Joe Anderson, Lin Shaye, Dayton Callie, Bryan Batt,, J. Larose
Dir: Darren Lynn Bousman

ANTIBIRTH (Chicago Premiere) Guests to be announced.

Hard-drinking, pill-popping, bong-ripping Lou (Natasha Lyonne) and her best friend Sadie (Chloë Sevigny) spend their days adrift in a druggy haze. But one wild night out becomes a bad trip that never ends when Lou wakes up with symptoms of an unexplained, highly abnormal pregnancy. Spiked with blasts of hallucinatory color, surreal shocks, and subversive comedy, the audacious feature debut is a no-holds-barred descent into delirium.

Cast: Natasha Lyonne, Chloë Sevigny, Meg Tilly, Mark Webber
Dir: Danny Perez

BEYOND THE GATES (Chicago Premiere) Jackson Stewart, Barbara Crampton, Chase Williamson & Brea Grant in attendance

Seven months after their father’s disappearance, two brothers reunite to liquidate the family video store. Unfortunately, things go from bad to worse when they find an old VHS boardgame with evil powers, and all hell breaks loose.

Cast: Chase Williamson, Graham Skipper, Brea Grant, Barbara Crampton, Matt Mercer, Jesse Merlin
Dir: Jackson Stewart

FOUND FOOTAGE 3D (World Premiere) Cast & Crew in attendance!

A group of low-budget filmmakers sets out to make “the first 3D found footage horror film,” but find themselves *in* the first 3D found footage horror film when the evil entity from their movie escapes into their behind-the-scenes footage.

Cast: Carter Roy, Alena von Stroheim, Chris O'Brien, Tom Saporito, Scott Allen Perry, Jessica Perrin, Scott Weinberg
Dir: Steven DeGennaro

THE GREASY STRANGLER (Chicago Premiere)

The Los Angeles-set tale follows Ronnie, a man who runs a Disco Walking tour along with his browbeaten son, Brayden. When a sexy, alluring woman comes to take the tour, it begins a competition between father and son for her attentions. It also signals the appearance of an oily, slimy inhuman maniac who stalks the streets at night and strangles the innocent, soon dubbed ‘The Greasy Strangler.’

Cast: Michael St. Michaels, Sky Elobar, Elizabeth De Razzo
Dir: Jim Hosking

HERE ALONE (Chicago Premiere)

A young woman struggles to survive on her own in the wake of a mysterious epidemic that has decimated society and forced her deep into the unforgiving wilderness.

Cast: Lucy Walters, Adam David Thompson, Gina Piersanti, Shane West
Dir: Rod Blackhurst

I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER (Chicago Premiere) Guests to be announced!

In a small Midwestern town, a troubled teen with homicidal tendencies must hunt down and destroy a supernatural killer whilst keeping his own inner demons at bay.

Cast: Christopher Lloyd, Laura Fraser, Max Records
Dir: Billy O’Brien

PET (Chicago Premiere)

Seth works at an animal shelter, and for years has been secretly in love with a waitress named Holly . When he repeatedly fails in his attempts to woo her, he naturally decides to lock her in a cage at the shelter where he works. And that’s just the beginning…

Cast: Dominic Monaghan, Ksenia Solo, Jenette McCurdy, Nathan Parsons
Dir: Carles Torrens

SHOW YOURSELF (World Premiere) Cast & crew in attendance!

When his friend dies unexpectedly, Travis heads into the woods with his ashes to say goodbye. But as he deals with his grief, and the way it has affected the relationships in his life, he starts to realize that he actually might not be alone.

Cast: Ben Hethcoat, Corsica Wilson, Barak Hardley, Stephen Cone, David McElwee, Robert Longsteet
Dir: Billy Ray Brewton

SHORT TRIP TO HELL - Short Film Block

DEATH METAL
A metalhead gets passed down a satanic guitar that riffs to shreds.
Dir: Chris McInroy

GWILLIAM
A recently released criminal is looking for a good time. He can forget his sins but he can never forget...Gwilliam.
Dir: Brian Lonano

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH IT'S KILLING THEM
A pitch-black comedy about Vivian, a lonely serial killer whose three loves in life are math, accounting, and killing random people. This all changes when she meets Alex, the man of her dreams.
Dir: Joel Ashton McCarthy

KOOKIE
Bree, a dishonest 9-year-old receives a terrifying visitor after a parenting lesson goes horribly wrong.
Dir: Justin Harding

MADRE DE DIOS
A woman wakes up bound to an altar, helpless as she is transformed into a flesh and blood statue of Santa Muerte by two elderly Brujos whose sole purpose is to conjure the anti-Christ into our plane of existence.
Dir: Gigi Saul Guerrero

NIGHT OF THE SLASHER
A teenage girl must commit horror movie sins such as drink alcohol, do drugs, and have sex to lure a killer and finish him off.
Dir: Shant Hamassian

PORTAL TO HELL
A crusty and recluse superintendent is thrown into the ultimate fight against evil when a couple of cultists open a portal to the ancient and mystical city of R'lyeh, awakening slumbering god. Starring the late "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.
Dir: Vivieno Caldinelli

SCHEDULE

8/18
7:30 PM: Don't Breathe
10:15 PM: Night of The Creeps (30th Anniversary Screening)

8/19
6:00 PM: Pet
8:00 PM: Doug Benson Movie Interruption
10:00 PM: Show Yourself
Midnight: From Beyond (30th Anniversary Screening)

8/20
1:00 PM: Abattoir
3:30 PM: Beyond The Gates
5:45 PM: I am Not a Serial Killer
8:00 PM: The Monster Squad
10:00 PM: Found Footage 3D
Midnight: The Greasy Strangler

8/21
12:00 PM: Short Trip To Hell (Shorts Block)
2:00 PM: Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (30th anniversary screening)
4:00 PM: Here Alone
6:00 PM: Antibirth
8:00 PM: Siren

For more info on the 2016 Wizard World Comic Con Chicago (August 18-21, 2016 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont), visit http://wizd.me/ChicagoPR.


About Wizard World (OTCBB:WIZD)
Wizard World, Inc. (www.wizardworld.com) produces comic cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, television, cosplay, comics, graphic novels, toys, video gaming, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A's, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard World has also launched Wizard World Store (www.shopwizardworld.com), CONtv, a digital media channel in partnership with leading independent content distributor Cinedigm™ (NASDAQ:CIDM), and ComicConBox™ (www.comicconbox.com), a premium subscription-based monthly box service. Fans can interact with Wizard World on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.

The Wizard World 2016 schedule is available at: http://wizardworld.com/searchby/city/.

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Image Collects Webcomic, "Kill Six Billion Demons" in Trade Paperback

KILL SIX BILLION DEMONS CONJURES A TRADE PAPERBACK EDITION

The webcomic phenomenon arrives in print this September

Tom Parkinson-Morgan will release the first chapter of his fan-favorite webcomic KILL SIX BILLION DEMONS in trade paperback this September 2016.

Sorority sister Allison Ruth must travel to Throne, the ancient city at the center of the multiverse, in an epic bid to save her boyfriend from the clutches of the seven evil kings who rule creation.

KILL SIX BILLION DEMONS TP (ISBN: 9781534300149) hits comic book stores Wednesday, September 7th, 2016, and bookstores on Tuesday, September 13th, 2016, and will be available for $14.99. It can be ordered by retailers with Diamond code: JUL160811, and it can be preordered now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Indigo.

PRAISE FOR KILL SIX BILLION DEMONS:

“This is a project that just gives and gives, and never fails to up the ante.” —The Werd

“Warning: this sumptuous, demon-filled webcomic may break your brain.” —iO9

“Each page is a tour de force of psychedelic imagery.” —The Webcomics Review


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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Image Comics Announces New Storyline for "Saga," Entitled "The War for Phang"

SAGA SURGES AHEAD

A new chapter, “THE WAR FOR PHANG”, begins this August

Award-winning creative team of Brian K. Vaughan (PAPER GIRLS, WE STAND ON GUARD) and Fiona Staples (Archie, North 40) will launch the eagerly anticipated seventh chapter in the multiple Eisner Award-winning series SAGA this August.

Previously in SAGA, Hazel tackled kindergarten—her biggest adventure yet—while her family went up against some difficult lessons of their own.

In SAGA #37, finally reunited with her ever-expanding family, Hazel travels to a war-torn comet that Wreath and Landfall have been battling over for ages. To celebrate the arrival of the most epic arc yet, Fiona Staples graces this issue with a gorgeous wraparound cover!

“There’s a flood of new #1 issues out right now, but with this self-contained SAGA ‘event,' Fiona and I hope to tell the kind of deeply emotional epic that you can only get from an ongoing series at the ripe old age of 37,” said Vaughan. “The War for Phang has huge stakes and will create permanent, real changes for Hazel and her family. Get ready."

SAGA #37 (Diamond code: JUN160601) hits comic book stores Wednesdsay, August 31st, 2016. Final order cutoff deadline for retailers is Monday, August 8th, 2016.


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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Oliver Stone Interviews Edward Snowden in "Snowden Live"

Get Access to the Most Classified Event of the Year with an Early Premiere of Snowden, Featuring an Exclusive Live Interview with Edward Snowden by Filmmaker Oliver Stone, in Cinemas Nationwide

Fathom Events and Open Road Films Premiere the Real Life Account of Snowden’s Unbelievable Story, Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley, September 14 Only

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Get full security clearance for Snowden, one of the most anticipated upcoming releases, ahead of the thriller’s wide release. Fathom Events and Open Road Films are taking an exclusive look into the world of former CIA employee Edward Snowden through the eyes of Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone for a one-night event on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 live at 7:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. CT and tape-delayed to 7:30 p.m. MT/PT. “Snowden Live” gives audiences the opportunity to be the first to see Snowden on the big screen and hear directly from the man who inspired it all and the filmmaker who brought his story to life during an exclusive live interview between Snowden (via satellite in Moscow) and Stone (live from NYC).

    .@FathomEvents News: Get access to the most classified event of the year w/ an early premiere of Snowden + live Q&A

Tickets for “Snowden Live” can be purchased beginning Friday, August 5, 2016, online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

In this biographical political thriller, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is cast in the title role as the one-time former CIA employee who famously leaked classified information to the media. The film also stars Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto, Tom Wilkinson, Scott Eastwood, Logan Marshall-Green, Timothy Olyphant, Ben Schnetzer, LaKeith Lee Stanfield, Rhys Ifans and Nicolas Cage. Snowden is directed by Oliver Stone and written by Stone and Kieran Fitzgerald. It is based on the books “The Snowden Files” by Luke Harding and “Time of the Octopus” by Anatoly Kucherena.

“This is a very special event for a number of reasons,” Fathom Events CEO John Rubey said. “The cast is incredible, audiences nationwide get the opportunity to see this feature before anyone else, and Edward Snowden is going to be participating in an exclusive live interview. This is truly a can’t-miss event and Fathom is honored to help bring this to big screens nationwide.”


About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is recognized as the leading domestic distributor of event cinema, and ranks as one of the largest overall distributors of content to movie theaters. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), Fathom Events offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events that include live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions such as the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live’s Hamlet, sporting events like FS1 Presents USA v Mexico, concerts with Roger Waters and One Direction, the TCM Presents classic film series and faith-based events such as The Drop Box and Four Blood Moons. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 885 locations and 1,348 screens in 181 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

Open Road Films
Open Road Films is a leading, independent, theatrical motion picture company, releasing a diverse slate of star-driven films, which has included multiple #1 releases and enormous critical response. The company was founded in 2011 by AMC Entertainment Inc. (AMC) and Regal Entertainment Group (Regal), the two largest theatrical exhibition companies in the United States. The uniquely formed company is widely known as a filmmaker-focused distributor that supports both box office hits and top prestige titles.

Open Road Films led the 2016 critically acclaimed film, Spotlight, to win the Oscar® for Best Picture, becoming the youngest studio in history win the big prize. The film, which earned almost $45 million at the U.S. box-office, stars Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Brian d’Arcy James, Stanley Tucci and Billy Crudup was directed by Tom McCarthy, who also won the Oscar® for Best Original Screenplay, with his co-writer (and executive producer) Josh Singer. Spotlight has won numerous high profile critics and guild awards, including the Screen Actors Guild Best Ensemble Award and the Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature Film. Spotlight also appeared on over 250 critics’ Top Ten lists for 2016.

The company, led by industry veteran CEO Tom Ortenberg, is based in Los Angeles.

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