A note to anyone affiliated with a film festival that frequently employs the words scream, fear, horror, fright, dark, or creeeeepy: If you send me a press release, I'll throw you some blog-love. That's what happens when a childish genre nerd gets to work at a slick 'n' popular website like this one. Case in point: A very cool guy called Adam Lopez helps run an event called Toronto After Dark, and he asked if I wouldn't mind spreading the word on their upcoming slate. And since this is a small but reputable festival (and not to be confused with TIFF's own "Midnight Madness" line-up, which is like a mini-fest all by itself), I said "Sure, Adam!" And guess what? I'll do the same for LA Screamfest, UK Frightfest, and New Zealand Gorefest -- even though I just made that last one up.

TADFF (an acronym I also just made up) runs from October 17 to 24. The festival generally plays between 16 to 20 films, and while their final slate hasn't been decided just yet, they have snagged a few juicy titles for their first batch. The Jack Ketchum adaptation Red will be screened, as will Darren Lynn Bousman's Repo! The Genetic Opera and (of course) the stunningly wonderful Swedish import Let the RIght One In. Other titles include Bill Plympton's Idiots and Angels, the action-packed Mirageman, the self-explanatory Tokyo Gore Police, and the recent fest favorite Who is KK Downey?

For more information on Toronto After Dark, you can pick through their website right here. I'll also include a little promo video after the jump -- and here's the best part: You can get a full festival badge for around one hundred bucks Canadian! If they screen 17 movies, that equals out to about ... six bucks a flick! (Less, actually!) Stop back in a week or two and we'll have the full line-up. You Canadians get all the luck.

It's only the opening day of Fantastic Fest and already we have a pair of acquisitions to announce! Looks like Magnet Releasing, which is the new "genre arm" of Magnolia Pictures, has purchased the North American rights to Kiltro and Mirageman. Both action flicks hail from Chile, and they mark the arrival of stuntman-turned-hero Marko "The Latin Dragon" Zaror. Both movies will be playing (twice!) during Fantastic Fest, so if you're dying to see what sort of action mayhem pours out of Chile, you might want to book a quick trip to Austin.

"I've never seen anyone with Marko's power and size exhibit such agility and acrobatic skill. He's amazing to watch," said Magnet's Tom Quinn. "I haven't been this excited about an action star since the first time I saw Tony Jaa in Ong Bak." "Marko's talent and skill is unmatched," said producer Derek Rundell. "At 6'2", 210 pounds, it's magic to watch him move with such speed, power and style. We're thrilled about working with Magnet and introducing him to American audiences." Zaror's biggest gig so far was acting as The Rock's stunt double in The Rundown -- but if the guy's skilled enough to anchor two whole movies in his native land, then obviously he's got some skills.

And if Tom Quinn is comparing Zaror favorably to Tony Jaa, then I officially can't wait to see these movies.

Source: Magnolia press release