FrightFest and Arrow Video announce headline sponsor deal

Arrow Video and FrightFest have agreed a one-year partnership deal, which sees the leading UK independent film distributor become headline sponsor for the UK’s biggest and most popular genre film festival.

Mike Hewitt, Brand Marketing Manager for Arrow Video, said today, “As a long-time fan of FrightFest, Arrow Video are incredibly excited to be partnered with FrightFest for a year-long sponsorship.

The festival is without a doubt the UK’s premiere genre event and is a perfect match for our premiere genre label, especially since we have been recently expanding our output to include fresh, new genre and horror films to bolster our incredible catalogue of classics. We are hugely looking forward to working with the FrightFest team to bring some exciting elements to 2018’s main event.”

FrightFest co-director Ian Rattray added, “FrightFest is thrilled to welcome Arrow Video into the fold as our new headline sponsor. They have been a passionate supporter for many years, not just in terms of providing films and community support, but also as a key sponsor in recent years.

We are delighted to welcome Mike and the rest of the Arrow team onboard to celebrate the horror fantasy genre on an even wider canvas than before, something followers of both of our brands will appreciate.”

Arrow Video becomes the third headline sponsor in the festival’s history, following in the footsteps of Film4 and Horror Channel.

Arrow Video FrightFest 2018 will house its annual 5-day August Bank Holiday event at the Cineworld Leicester Square and The Prince Charles Cinema from Aug 23 – Aug 27.

Dubbed “the Woodstock of Gore” by director Guillermo Del Toro, FrightFest, set up in 2000, has grown in size and stature since its cult roots at the Prince Charles Cinema and today is internationally renowned for discovering exciting and original horror fantasy genre films and for supporting the talent behind them, helping to launch the careers of such directors as Simon Rumley, Christopher Smith, Eli Roth, Neil Marshall and Simon Hunter.

Over the years the festival directors, Greg Day, Alan Jones, Paul McEvoy and Ian Rattray, have developed FrightFest into a brand leader for horror film, expanding its footprint in the UK by hosting special events throughout the year and joining forces with the Glasgow Film Festival, where they run an established three-day event. They have teamed up with FAB Press to publish a series of ‘The FrightFest Guide To…” books and will soon be announcing a new partnership deal for their FrightFest Presents label.

Arrow Video brings the very best in cult, horror and genre films, released in deluxe, definitive editions with uncut versions, newly commissioned artwork, specially curated extras and booklets. Starting as an offshoot label in 2009, the collection now spans more than 400 releases including films from Dario Argento, John Carpenter, Lucio Fulci, Wes Craven and George Romero, plus upcoming releases from the likes of Guillermo del Toro and Edgar Wright.

Recently the label has expanded into the US, whilst also moving into acquiring New Release content, including such titles as Mexican horror We Are The Flesh, BAFTA-nominated The Ghoul, outstanding Australian debut Hounds of Love and The Villainess, all of which have received US and / or UK theatrical releases as part of Arrow Video’s release strategy for new and contemporary films on the label.