Darkness in the Fields Film Festival takes place at Derby QUAD on Saturday 23rd March

The first Darkness in the Fields Film Festival takes place at Derby QUAD on Saturday 23^rd March and features a series of screenings, interviews and lots more for folk horror fans.

With roots going back to The Wicker Man and Witchfinder General, and more recent popular offerings such as Midsommar and The Witch, folk horror takes terror to the countryside, exploring the old ways, strange rituals and the shadows of the land itself – and is proving more popular than ever in 2024.

Darkness in the Fields kicks off with the short film showcase, featuring screenings of the ethereal BecoMe, the urban-set Blackthorn, the comedic Blight and the bleak Welsh-language The Wyrm of Bwlch Pen Barras – a quarter of offerings serving up unique takes on the genre.

The first feature film of the day is All You Need is Death, a new Irish folk horror movie exploring the dark power hidden with old songs and the horrors that they can unleash, bringing a fresh modern take to the subgenre. This is followed by a screening of the 2013 cult favourite The Borderlands, following a team of Vatican investigators sent to explore the strange goings-on at a rural British church. This screening will also feature and introduction from the movie’s co-writer Sean Hogan.

The penultimate screening of the event is the mid-length movie To Fire You Come at Last, which will be followed by an interview with director Sean Hogan. The film sees a ragtag cast of characters trying to carry a body through the darkened fields to its ultimate destination – but there may be something else lurking in the shadows with them…

The final movie of the event will be The Moor, which will feature a post-screening interview with director Chris Cronin. Years after a series of children went missing in the Yorkshire countryside, three residents of the town determine to explore the moors in search of the secrets of the past – but can they find solace and closure amidst the darkness, or will they be consumed by the sinister forces that lie in wait?

Event co-organiser Alex Davis said: ”Darkness in the Fields has been running online events for some time, and I can’t wait for our first in-person event! We’ve set out to bring together the very best in modern folk horror movies and our line-up is bound to feature some future favourites and cult classics! Add in our exclusive director and writer interviews and you have a must-attend event for any horror fan.’

Darkness in the Fields runs from 12pm-10pm approx. on Saturday 23^rd March, with full event passes available for £30/£25 concessions and individual screening tickets also available at standard QUAD prices. For more information on the event, or to make your bookings, visit the QUAD website, call QUAD Box Office on 01332 290606, or visit Box Office at the QUAD venue.