Ross jumps into spooky season with inaugural Fright Fest

A still from the film, "Get Out," which is featured in the Ross' Fright Fest.

The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center is bringing scares to the screen for October.

The Ross kicks off its inaugural Ross Fright Fest Oct. 6. The lineup represents every corner of the genre, from classic horror to contemporary thrillers. Laurie Richards, interim programmer, said these movies enhance the spookiness of the season.

“Attending these films in a darkly lit theatre will add to the frightful Halloween ambiance,” Richards said. “There will be attendees dressed for the parts, if they want to, and the rest just happy to be seeing these shows with others and not alone.”

Richards said staff and Friends of The Ross intended to screen films from around the world, encompassing classics of the genre to modern takes. The festival includes American films but also multiple international selections. The oldest, “Nosferatu,” was released in 1922, while the two most recent, “Get Out” and “One Cut of the Dead,” came out in 2017.

“We narrowed it down based on different styles and perspectives and tried to put together a diverse group of movies that has something for everyone,” said Meghan Stratman, communications specialist. “There are so many great horror movies from around the world and genre films don’t always get the appreciation they deserve. Putting together a festival seemed like a great way to celebrate these movies by showing them on the big screen and it’s also an opportunity to showcase The Ross to people who might not have been here before.”

Fright Fest films will show on Fridays and Sundays in October, with a double feature on Halloween. General admission tickets are $5 with free admission to members of Friends of The Ross, the festival’s co-sponsor. A festival pass is available for $40 for admission to all 14 Fright Fest films.

ROSS FRIGHT FEST