If your idea of a perfect October involves killer tomatoes, revenge-seeking nuns and a live soundtrack to a 100-year-old silent film, then Cape Town’s Labia Theatre has your name written in blood.
The South African Horrorfest kicks off its 22nd edition on 29 October, bringing 11 nights of terror to the historic Gardens cinema. But this year’s festival breaks new ground by resurrecting its streaming platform, meaning horror fans from Johannesburg to Durban can join the screams from their own couches.
For those who still believe cinema scares hit harder in the dark, the Labia Theatre will host nightly screenings until 8 November, with tickets starting at R80. The rest of South Africa gets access to a separate streaming lineup from 28 October to 15 November, with films divided into five blocks at R50 each or R200 for the full collection.
Opening night kicks off with monsters and cupcakes
The festival launches on 29 October with an advance screening of Hope, a sci-fi monster epic that arrives with an unusual twist – every viewer gets a spooky cupcake from Heartcore Bakery. Because nothing says “explosive monster action” quite like frosted treats.
Halloween night itself promises to be the festival’s showpiece. At 20:30 on 31 October, the Makabra Ensemble will perform a live soundtrack to the 1926 silent film Faust, marking the classic’s centenary. The screening doubles as a Halloween dress-up competition, with prizes including tattoo vouchers from Mr Lucky’s Cape Town Tattoo, Penguin books and blood vial necklace kits from Love In Vein.
Earlier that evening, audiences can catch Sayara, described as the story of a seemingly timid woman whose brutal revenge erupts against men who thought they could get away with murder.
Killer tomatoes meet corporate horror
The lineup balances cult classics with advance premieres. Horror comedy fans can catch Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence on 7 November, the latest instalment of the zany franchise that launched in the 1970s.
Corporate workers might find their own nightmares reflected in Corporate Retreat on 4 November, where getting ahead in the business world turns deadly.
Film purists have two chances to see classics projected the old-fashioned way. The Rocky Horror Picture Show gets an audience participation screening on 30 October, while The Hunchback Of Notre Dame will be shown on 8 November from a well-preserved 16mm film print dating to 1939.
Giant lizards and folk horror
Godzilla fans can catch Godzilla Minus Zero on 3 November, an advance screening of the sequel to the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One. The festival closes on 8 November with Victorian Psycho, another pre-release screening that officially hits cinemas a week later on Friday the 13th.
Wrath Of The Gods on 5 November draws particular interest for horror historians. Directed by Justin Hardy, the folk-horror film springs from an original concept by his father Robin Hardy, who directed the 1973 cult classic The Wicker Man.
Streaming brings horror home
The streaming platform operates differently from the cinema screenings, offering mostly separate titles across five four-day blocks. Each block includes a Shadow Realm Short Film Collection alongside feature films.
Block one, running from 28 to 31 October, includes Game Over and Awaken The Reaper. Block two adds African Kung-Fu Nazis – yes, that’s a real film – alongside Sayara and God Country.
Later blocks feature everything from the 1968 classic Night Of The Living Dead to titles like The Turkish Coffee Table and The Huasao’s Ritual.
Beyond the screen
The festival extends beyond film with Bloody Parchment, a literature event happening on 7 November at Exclusive Books V&A Waterfront from 16:00 to 18:00. Entry is free.
This year’s jury includes Paul Blom and Sonja Ruppersberg, joined by local screenwriter and producer Sean Drummond, known for his work on Five Fingers For Marseilles.
The Horrorfest has already partnered with other recent releases, including ticket giveaways for Clayface, which hit cinemas on 23 October and claimed the number one spot at the box office.
Cinema tickets and information are available at quicket.co.za, while streaming access opens at stream.horrorfest.info.
Whether you prefer your horror projected from vintage film prints or streamed to your phone, South Africa’s longest-running genre festival has 18 days of nightmares waiting.
