Mile High Horror Film Festival
The Mile High Horror Film Festival was a film festival that took place in the Denver metro area of Colorado from 2010-2015. It had a brief return as an online festival in 2020 and 2021. The festival showcased horror, thriller, and sci-fi films from around the world, while hosting celebrities, artists, and filmmakers from thecite horror genre.
== History ==
The Mile High Horror Film Festival was founded in 2010 and was the oldest running genre film festival in Denver, Colorado.
It was recognized as one of the 'Top 5 Coolest Horror/Sci-Fi Film Festivals in the World' by MovieMaker Magazine.
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.
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.
== Special Guests and Honorees ==
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.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.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).
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.
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.
== Festival Award-winning Films ==
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
Best Sci-fi Short Film
Most Innovative Short Film
Best Shock Factor
Mile High Gore Award
Best Feature Screenplay
Best Short Screenplay
Best Music Video
== Past winners ==
=== 2021 ===
Best Feature Film: Alone With You directed by Emily Bennett and Justin Brooks
Audience Award for Best Feature Film: Sweetie, You Won't Believe It directed by Yernar Nurgaliyev
Best Short Film: The Last Marriage directed by Johan Tappert and Gustav Egerstedt
Audience Award for Best Short Film: Last Chance directed by Anthony Fanelli
Best Animation: Death and the Winemaker directed by Victor Jaquier
Best Sci-fi Short Film: Venus directed by Andrew McGee
Best Feature Screenplay: The Extreme Weight Loss Program written by Dana Hammer
Best Short Screenplay: Monster written by Chris Choate
Best Short Screenplay: Your Virtual Assistant written by Suhas Sridhar and Nicholas Barragan
=== 2020 ===
Best Feature Film: Slaxx directed by Elza Kephart
Audience Award for Best Feature Film: The Cleansing Hour directed by Damien Lemick
Best Short Film: Laura Hasn't Slept directed by Parker Finn
Audience Award for Best Short Film: Monsters directed by Steve Desmond
Best Animation: Farce directed by Robin Jensen
Best Colorado Short Film: Schizo directed by Joey Partridge
Creative Colorado Competition Winner: Slices by Jerrod D. Britto
Best Feature Screenplay: Soul Passage written by Patrick Mediate and Kristin Llagan
Best Short Screenplay: Wet Rot written by Stuart Creque
=== 2015 ===
Best Feature Film: Night Fare directed by Julien Seri
Audience Award for Best Feature Film: The Final Girls directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson
Crypt TV Best Short Film: The House is Innocent directed by Nicholas Coles
Crypt TV Audience Award for Best Short Film: Slut directed by Chloe Okuno
Best Sci-Fi Short Film: Helio directed by Teddy Cecil
Best Colorado Short Film: Iris directed by Richard Karpala
Creative Colorado Competition Winner: Pills by James McLaughlin
Creative Colorado Competition Finalist: Crazy Love directed by D.M. Slate
Mile High Horror Slasher Award Honorees: Tobin Bell, Sid Haig
Posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees: Lon Chaney Sr. and Lon Chaney Jr. These awards were accepted by Ron Chaney
Final Draft Best Short Screenplay Competition:1) Dead Sprint by Jason Tostevin
2) Voudon by Stuart Creque
3) Ye Merry Gentlemen by Andrew Wassom
Final Draft Best Feature Screenplay Competition:1) Hominid by Joe Toplyn
2) Hurricane Party by Ned Farr
3) The Rising by Jeremy McCann + SE 3D by Joshua Cohen
=== 2014 ===
Best Feature Film: Housebound directed by Gerard Johnstone
Audience Award for Best Feature Film: Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead directed by Tommy Wirkola
Best Short Film: The Banishing directed by Erlingur Thoroddsen
Audience Award for Best Short Film: Dog Food directed by Brian Cranno
Best Colorado Short Film: M directed by Travis Lupher
Creative Colorado Competition Winner: The High Cost of Easy Living by Greg Palmer
Creative Colorado Competition Finalists: Unsee directed by Larisa Myers and Don't Play With Your Dinner directed by D.M. Slate
Critics' Award Feature Screenplays:1) The Broken by Jeremy McCann
2) Bruja by Margaret McCarley
3) Rue by Kay Poiro
Critics' Award Short Screenplays:1) Hard R by Eric Jaffe
2) Hannah by David Beran
3) The Black Raven by Tracey Maye
=== 2013 ===
Audience Award for Best Feature Film: Cheap Thrills (film) directed by E.L. Katz
Audience Award for Best Feature Film: Big Bad Wolves directed by Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado
Best Feature Film: The Seasoning House directed by Paul Hyett
Best Short Film: Vienna Waits for You directed by Dominik Hartl
Audience Award for Best Short Film: Killer Kart directed by James Feeney
Audience Award for Best Short Film: Gillespie directed by John Gibson
Best Music Video: Don't Be Afraid, It's Only Death by The Widow's Bane
Creative Colorado Competition Winner: Killer Board directed by Marisa Laus
Best Song: Satori-C Sad Living in the City feat Time for Trees by Colin E. Chapman
Critics' Award Feature Screenplays:1) Lockdown by Jeremy McCann
2) Ship of the Dead by Robert Kois
3) The Man Who Killed Sandra Wallace by Anders Nelson
Critics' Award Short Screenplays:1) Memento Mori by Stuart Creque
2) Foggy Intentions by Danielle Smith
3) New York Lobby, 3:00 A.M.
=== 2012 ===
Best Feature Film: Citadel directed by Ciaran Foy
Audience Award for Best Feature Film: Nightmare Factory directed by Donna Davies
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Eddie McGee for The Human Race
Best Short Film: Psycho Therapy directed by Lucas Cody Garcia
Audience Award for Best Short Film: Paralyzed directed by Aaron Sims
Best Animation: Bobby Yeah directed by Robert Morgan
Best Colorado Short Film: Deadbox directed by Richard Karpala
=== 2011 ===
Best Feature Film: Rabies directed by Navot Papushado & Aharon Keshales
Audience Award for Best Feature Film: Midnight Son directed by Scott Leberecht
Best Short Film: The Living Want Me Dead directed by Bill Palmer
Audience Award for Best Short Film : The Legend of Beaver Dam directed by Jerome Sable
Best Animation :Nursery Crimes directed by L. Whyte
Most Innovative Short Film: Follow the Sun directed by Teddy Dibble
Best Colorado Short Film: Incubator directed by Jimmy Weber
=== 2010 ===
Best Feature Film: Rammbock directed by Marvin Kren
Audience Award for Best Feature Film: True Nature directed by Patrick Steele
Best Short Film: Love Me Tender directed by Mathew Morgenthaler
Audience Award for Best Short Film: The Familiar directed by Kody Zimmerman
Best Shock Factor: La Petite Mort directed by Jan Gallasch
Mile High Gore Award: Axed directed by Joshua Long
Best Animation: White Room directed by Chris Chitaroni

== External links ==
Official website