{"id":13307,"date":"2018-10-07T12:22:19","date_gmt":"2018-10-07T16:22:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lawrencecconnolly.com\/archive\/?p=13307"},"modified":"2023-07-07T22:43:29","modified_gmt":"2023-07-08T02:43:29","slug":"uk-premiere-nightmare-cinema-this-way-to-egress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lawrencecconnolly.com\/archive\/2018\/10\/07\/uk-premiere-nightmare-cinema-this-way-to-egress\/","title":{"rendered":"UK Premiere:
Nightmare Cinema<\/i> & \u201cThis Way to Egress\u201d<\/br>"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"I first read Traumatic Descent – Larry Connolly\u2019s short story that would be adapted into “This Way to Egress” 17 or 18 years ago.<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Soon after I worked with my dear friend Charly Cantor on ideas to adapt the story into a feature-length film which Charly would write. I loved Charly like a brother and he passed away in 2002 leaving a gaping hole in me.<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I would describe the story as a dark but benign fog that infiltrated my subconscious. It resonated for me in ways that took all of this time to become clear.<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m grateful to Mick Garris and most of all to Larry for allowing me to complete part of this project. It does not fill any part of the hole but it helps.<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

David Slade, director of \u201cThis Way to Egress\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Saturday was the day it all came full circle, some 18-years after two young filmmakers from Sheffield reached out to this American writer to begin work on a project that became “This Way to Egress.”<\/p>\n

In the Q&A session that followed our UK premiere, I got the chance to unpack the journey in more detail \u2013 first in responding to questions from festival director Simeon Halligan and then in conversations with the audience.<\/p>\n

Along the way, I was able to able to acknowledge the debt that both David and I owe to Charly Cantor, so much so that I felt his presence. It was \u2013 as I predicted it would be in an earlier post<\/a> \u2013 like coming home.<\/p>\n

The day of our premiere also provided the opportunity to discuss Nightmare Cinema<\/em> and \u201cEgress\u201d at length in a couple of recorded interviews \u2013 one with the website FilmDaddy.com<\/a> and the other with Simeon Halligan<\/a> (above left) for the festival\u2019s video feed. Both should be available soon.<\/p>\n

\"\"There was even some time for ice-breaking, where\u00a0 I got the chance to throw axes at targets\u00a0courtesy of an establishment called Whistled Punks<\/a>. My friendly competitors in the event included Witch in the Window<\/em><\/a> director Andy Mitton<\/a> and festival director\u00a0Rachel Richardson-Jones (right). That\u2019s us, posing like ax-wielding superheroes even though it was Horror Channel director Stewart Bridle and Grimmfest photographer Kenneth James who proved to be the true ax-tossing masters.<\/p>\n

Grimmfest continues apace, wrapping up tonight with an awards reception and the much-anticipated Christmas-themed-zombie-fest Anna and the Apocalypse<\/em>. I\u2019ve heard good things about that one.<\/p>\n

Nightmare Cinema<\/em>\u2019s next festival appearances will include screenings in Stiges, Toronto, Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds, Dublin,\u00a0 Vienna, and beyond. It\u2019s all part of what we might call the Nightmare Cinema<\/em> World Tour … so there\u2019s sure to be much more news in the days ahead. Be sure to check back soon. And don\u2019t sleep. Nightmares are coming.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Images:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n