In addition to the movie-going horror film experience, IHFF also honors the artistry of horror filmmaking. The IHFF Trailblazer Award, created in 2017, acknowledges a woman who has made considerable contributions to their craft and is a touchstone for other women in the industry. This year’s Trailblazer Award will be presented to Satanic Panic director Chelsea Stardust. Since leaving her post at Blumhouse Productions, Stardust became a full-time film director. Her first short film, Where Are You? was part of the 2016 Etheria World Tour and was also featured on Nerdist’s “Short Ends” on Alpha. Stardust also released four short films on Crypt TV including Slay Per View, Marco Polo, Project Hope, and Under the Bed two of which have exceeded over one million views. Stardust’s first feature film, the science fiction thriller All That We Destroy, was part of the Blumhouse series “Into the Dark” and is currently available on Hulu. Her second feature film, the horror comedy Satanic Panic written by novelist Grady Hendrix and produced by Fangoria, was released nationwide theatrically on VOD and digital HD on Sept. 6, 2019.
“It’s exciting to see women thrive in this genre…” – Chelsea Stardust.
“It’s exciting to see women thrive in this genre,” said Stardust. “I love the horror genre. It has a built-in fan base, and they make it thrive. ‘Horror,’ as Wes Craven said, ‘is to release fear not create it.’ I’ve always been attracted to horror for this reason, so it’s wild to receive this award.”
The Idaho Horror Film Festival launched in 2014 in an effort to create more avenues for emerging filmmakers in Idaho. In addition to the artistic benefit of film, IHFF is part of the economic benefits that a healthy film culture can provide to a city like Boise. Go to the official 2019 Idaho Horror Film Festival website for tickets, passes and events schedule.
