America’s largest and most recognized genre film festival focusing solely on Horror and Science Fiction. Each year the NYCHFF celebrates both the horror classics we grew up with and the new horror films & filmmakers who created them. the NYCHFF fills the city with special screenings, parties, celebrity guests and free giveaways. The New York City Horror Film Festival is the Halloween time event not to be missed. So, keep your eyes peeled right here for full festival information, submission info, lineup, tickets, details about the huge, open-to-the-public kickoff party, and info on all the cool events the NYCHFF does throughout the entire year to support genre films and filmmakers! *The New York City Horror Film Festival is presented by MooDude Films.

 

 

 

 

 

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Michael J. Hein

Festival Director and Founder 1970 - 2011

 

Filmmaker Michael J. Hein, CEO of Moodude Films and founder of The New York City Horror Film Festival. Michael and his company Moodude Films are considered one of the leading proponents of independent film in New York City and highly respected in genre films. Michael has done it all, from Special Effects Make-up Artist to Screenwriter, and now Director & Producer.

Through his company Moodude Films, Michael has produced & directed various feature film projects including: The Word, Blood Rails, Red Hook, Dead Serious, Biohazardous, Cyclone, This is how my Brother Died and Killer Shorts parts 1 & 2 to name just a few.

As if Screenwriter, Director and Producer were not enough, Michael was the founder and sitting director of The New York City Horror Film Festival. The United States largest and most recognized genre film festival, which is held yearly at The Tribeca Film Center in Manhattan. Michael has had high profile speaking engagements, speaking at both Notre Dame University and giving the AE lecture in New York City. He was also featured in the documentary Even More Scarier Moments, broadcast nationally on Bravo and one of the subjects in the book “Splatter Flicks; How to make a low budget horror film.”

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Hein Family

The Hein family has been involved with the horror genre for the past 30 years.Raising and growing up with Michael,blood gore,and evil creatures were quite the norm in our home.Someone once asked….”What do you guys do with all that karo syrup and red food coloring’?

We have all been involved in one way or another in the making of his first zombie film  ”Biohazardous” be it pre production,on set or post. Even the kids in the family are now running around chasing zombies and carrying fake fingers(MJH would be proud) and at 6years old Hunter made his horror debut.

When the New York City Horror Film Festival became a reality there was no stopping us. Michael’s passion became ours and 10 years later we will continue to raise the bar for our beloved MJH.

Sean Marks

 Sean has been with the NYCHFF since 2004, after working with Michael Hein on Dead Serious. Starting in 2008, he has been the Festival Head Of Staff. A longtime fan of surrealist and Italian horror, he cites Mario Bava, Lucio Fulci, and David Cronenberg among his favorites. Beginning in 2012, he will be joining our screening panel for both shorts and features. When not knee-deep in festival activities, he makes a living in post-production. He thinks Chris Rowan is very pretty.

 Chris Rowan

Chris began working with the NYCHFF in 2004, after being introduced to Festival Founder Mike Hein through their friend and fellow NYCHFF alumni, Sean Marks. Their friendship grew quickly through their mutual love of horror and metal music, and Chris has worked with the NYCHFF ever since. Chris is usually found helping to manage & organize the festival staffers, running the trivia before screenings & distributing swag, and making sure the festival runs smoothly..Moving forward for 2012, Chris will join the screening team for selections of festival shorts & features. Chris has had a passion for horror since he was 6 years old, and sites the Slasher sub-genre amongst his favorites. Chris never strayed too far from his love of the visual arts..he makes a living working on films, commercials, and TV shows as an Art Director, Prop Master, and Set Decorator. He is happy to have worked on a number of horror films in his career, and hopes to do more in the future. Outside of working and his obvious love of horror, Chris enjoys heavy metal concerts, football, camping & hiking, and muscle cars

Marla Newborn

Marla Newborn joined the New York City Horror Film Festival team as a judge in 2009.  Like everyone else working behind the scenes at the festival, Marla has been a fright fan ever since she was a little girl growing up in the New York City area watching Creature Features, Chiller Theater and all the cool monster movies on TV.
    

  In 2005 Marla joined Fangoria Magazine to help launch Fangoria TV. Down the road she became known as the “queen of short films” and continues to champion the horror short in her writing on fangoria.com and on her blog THE NEWBORN DEAD.

 Kimberly Magness

Kimberly Magness has been an actress and model in the entertainment industry since childhood.  She has made appearances on shows such as Rachael Ray, Nate Berkus, The Daily Show, and E! News. Kimberly is very proud of her lead role in the brutal horror film Devil’s Grove where she worked alongside Michael J.Hein.  She also had the privilege of working with Michael on the film, Generation UM. Recently Kimberly can be seen as the victim on the hit shows Scorned, Stalked, and Mysteries at the Museum.  She has been honored with the Scream Queen award and listed on IMBd as one of the hottest actresses in horror movies. Over the past several years, Kimberly represented the renowned New York City Horror Film Festival as a judge and filmmaker liaison.

Suzi Lorraine

Actor/Writer/Producer

 Suzi Lorraine is an actor, writer and model.  She has appeared in over 40 independent films, allowing her the opportunity to work all over the world.  Her work has led to her being honored at film festivals including, “Suzi Lorraine Night”, in Torino, Italy at the Empire Theatre and at the prestigious “Ravenna Nightmare Film Festival” in Ravenna, Italy.  On both occasions, the festivals featured a retrospective of her films.

 Suzi is particularly drawn to the horror and comedy genres.  Most appealing to her are roles that fuse the two in order to complement her own quirky and offbeat sense of humor.   Among her biggest inspirations have been dark comedies such as “Evil Dead” and “Basket Case.”  Her adoration of genre films has led her to be featured in the award winning “Claang: The Game”, “Destined to be Ingested”, “Won Ton Baby!”, “Sea of Dust”, and “Bikini Girls on Ice” and many others. 

 In April 2011, Suzi accepted a position as a staff writer at Shock Horror Magazine, another UK based genre magazine that is available for sale worldwide.  She writes a gritty and unflinching column about serial killers, profiling a different and often obscure killer each month.   She also writes a monthly column for Germany’s biggest horror magazine, VIRUS.

 In her spare time, Suzi enjoys travelling, writing, and collecting Alice Cooper memorabilia.Suzi is excited to be working with the New York City Horror Film Festival, where she serves as the Marketing & Sponsorships Coordinator

Suzi’s official website is www.suzilorraine.com

Nixida Toro

Nixida Toro joined the New York City Horror Film Festival in 2011 working merchandising and promotions with our beloved Michael J Hein at the Saturday Nightmares Convention. Nixida has always been passionate about Horror from an early age which she contributes to her parents who allowed her to watch every Horror Movie without censorship. While studying Communications, Nixida spent time doing numerous PR work for a variety of bands as well as planning and hosting parties and concerts. In 2003 she came to NYC where she has worked to strengthen her obscure artistic skills towards the morbid and grotesque and fulfilled her passion for Horror while studying mortuary science at AAMI. Nixida is currently the the Co-Organizer of The DarK Side Horror Group hosting and planning Horror related events in the NYC area. In her free time she continues her passions for Taxidermy, Jewelry Design and writes her own Horror Blog where she never stops diving deeper into the macabre.

 Rich Ghazarian

Rich Ghazarian first joined the New York City Horror Film Festival in 2011 helping out with promotion and the short film competition during the Saturday Nightmares Convention. Growing up in Long Island, New York, Rich was captivated with anything horror from a young age and continued to pursue it throughout his college career incorporating it into his Fine Art degree. In 2010 Rich formed The NY Dark Side Horror Group which has quickly become the premier social group for uniting horror enthusiasts and fans with one another through numerous Dark events in which he creates and hosts. Currently Rich continues to develop the Dark Side Horror group and has recently become the NY state representative for the “Scares That Cares” charity which utilizes the fan base of the horror, haunt and Halloween genres to raise funds and awareness to help sick children