Abertoir Explained

Abertoir should not be confused with Abattoir.

Abertoir: The International Horror Festival of Wales is an annual horror and horror film festival held in the Aberystwyth Arts Centre in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales.

History

The festival began as a three-day event in 2006, expanding since to a six-day programme of films and events.^[1]

In 2014, Abertoir collaborated with the Wales One World Film Festival (WOW) for the UK premiere of the Argentinian supernatural thriller The Second Death (La Segunda Muerte).^[2]

Description

Abertoir the only film festival dedicated to horror films in Wales, and is a member of the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation.^[1]

The festival screens new big-budget horror films, along with classics and independent films. It also includes a short film competition, screening entries from around the world. It often also features music concerts, stage productions and masterclasses.^[1]

It maintains a partnership with the WOW Film Festival.^[3]

Notable guests

Notable guests of honour have included:

• Lloyd Kaufman (2007)
• Mark Gatiss (2008)
• Doug Bradley (2008 and 2009)
• Herschell Gordon Lewis (2009)
• Robin Hardy (2006 and 2010)
• Victoria Price (daughter of Vincent Price) (2011 and 2015)
• Catriona MacColl (2012)
• Richard Johnson (2013)
• Fabio Frizzi (2013, 2015 & 2016)
• Luigi Cozzi (2014 & 2016)
• Ian McCulloch (2014)
• Dario Russo and David Ashby (creators of Danger 5) (2015)
• Lynn Lowry (2016)
• Sergio Martino (2017)
• Lamberto Bava (2017)
• Brian O'Malley (2017)
• Gary Sherman (film director) (2019 & 2023)
• John Scott (composer) (2019)
• Norman J. Warren (film director) (2019)
• Prano Bailey-Bond (film director) (2021)
• William Crain (film director) (2022)

Notable premieres

The following films were premiered at the festival before general release:

• Broken (2006)
• Isolation (2006)
• All The Boys Love Mandy Lane (2007)
• Dead Wood (2007)
• Planet Terror (2007)
• Colin (2008)
• The Uh! Oh! Show (2009)
• Rare Exports (2010)

Notable bands

Notable bands which have played at the film festival include:

• Daemonia (band of horror composer Claudio Simonetti) (2008)
• Zombina and the Skeletones (2009 and 2010)
• The Damned (2010)
• Devilish Presley (2011)
• Fabio Frizzi and the Frizzi 2 Fulci Band (2015, 2016)

See also

• Dead by Dawn
• FrightFest (film festival)

Notes and References

1. Web site: About Abertoir Horror Festival . Abertoir . 8 October 2022.
2. Preview: Wales One World Festival . David. Gillam. . 13 March 2014 . 8 October 2022.
3. Web site: Denning . Louise . Wales One World Film Festival, The UK's Longest Running World Cinema Festival Celebrates Its 21st Birthday . Cardiff Times . 28 February 2022 . 8 October 2022.