Get ready for another experience with Christian Bachini’s short film Escalation as a director’s cut version will make its premiere at the Rhode Island Festival on October 22 as part of the Flickers’ Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Film Festival.

Bachini also stars in the film as Chris, a cook who is at home during the pandemic not having a care in the world for the outside. Having a distaste for horror films and the outside, Chris finds himself watching a horror movie and soon enough, he finds himself under possession by the demonic presence in the film, causing massive self-harm like nothing he ever experienced.

While I saw the original Festival Cut at Spooky Empire in the Fall of 2021 (you can see the review HERE) and having the chance to interview Bachini about the film, which you can hear HERE, this director’s cut is even more intense with more graphic violence and sheer chaos with a runtime of 28 minutes.

If you are in the Rhode Island area on October 22 and in the mood for some insane horror, then check out Escalation: The Director’s Cut…it’s sure to please the great horror fanbase…and while you’re there…

The Flickers’ Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Film Festival celebrates and showcases  imagination and creativity in film-making and will include a bevy of World and U.S. Premieres. In  all, 55 films have been selected from over 2,500 genre submissions. They represent 13 countries  including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, China, Republic of Korea, Belgium, Austria,  Costa Rica, Malta, Netherlands, Sweden, Poland and the United States. Many of the filmmakers  will be in attendance, so audience members will have a chance to meet, ask questions, and  even network with the next generation of genre filmmakers.  

Admission to all events is $10.00 for the general public with the exception of The Phantom Of The  Opera screening which is a free event.

This year’s festival includes a special screening of the 1925 silent classic The Phantom Of The Opera  with live musical accompaniment! World-renowned organist and silent film accompanist Peter Edwin Krasinski will be performing his own unique, improvised accompaniment on the Mighty Wurlitzer. The  screening will take place at the Providence Performance Arts Center as part their Stage Fight event. 

Another highlight at this years festival is a very special 40th anniversary screening of the 1983 horror  cult classic Sleepaway Camp. Filmmaker and author Jeff Hayes will be in attendance to discuss his  new behind the scenes book “Sleepaway Camp: Making The Movie And Reigniting The Campfire.”  Copies of the book will available for purchase at the screening. 

Vortex has partnered with Motif Magazine once again this year as part of the Motif Film Screening  Series. This year’s special screening will showcase previous Vortex award winning short films from  2020, 2021 and 2022. Included in this special retrospective screening is a previously unreleased  directors cut of the 2022 award winning short film ‘Escalation’ from Italian director Christian Bachini! The full schedule for this year’s Festival can be found here: http://www.rifilmfest.org and also https://prog.tsharp.xyz/en/riiff/

For more information about the Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, or please visit our  website at www.RIFilmFest.org or call 401.861.4445.