The Scare-A-Con Film Festival (formerly the B-Movie Film Festival) is an annual

film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more cinemas or screening venues, usually in a single city or region. Increasingly, film festivals show some films outdoors. Films may be of recent date and, depending upo ...

held in Syracuse, United States. The festival was founded in 1999 by local filmmaker Ron Bonk to promote the art of

B-movie A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feat ...

making. It was canceled in its third year due to the effects of the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...

. It then existed primarily online or as a much smaller event for several years (during which it was profiled by ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

''"Envelope Please. And the Winner Is ... 'Hoboken Lou'?"
by Mark Yost, ''

'', February 26, 2004, retrieved 12 April 2007.) and only restarted as a live event at the

Palace Theatre Palace Theatre, or Palace Theater, is the name of many theatres in different countries, including: Australia * Palace Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria *Palace Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales Canada *Palace Theatre, housed in the Robillard Block, M ...

in 2005. Many of the films entered are made on minimal budgets. Screenings can feature full-length films,

documentaries A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in term ...

, and

shorts Shorts are a garment worn over the pelvic area, circling the waist and splitting to cover the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to the knees but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they ...

. Various genres are included, and selected films are usually reviewed for possible distribution. The festival defines a B-movie as "a production whose entertainment and artistic value exceeds the limitations of its budget." The festival's "Killer B" or "Tor" awards are sought after and prominently displayed by the winners. One film maker described being nominated for a B-Movie Film Festival award "like heaven to the world of independent filmmaking"."Ryan Dacko: The Antarctica Auteur"
interview by Phil Hall, ''

Film Threat ''Film Threat'' is an online film review publication, and earlier, a national magazine that focused primarily on independent film, although it also reviewed videos and DVDs of mainstream films, as well as Hollywood movies in theaters. It first ...

'', 2005-03-21. Retrieved April 12, 2007. It averages a B in reviews.

Awards

"Killer B" awards are given out in Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Foreign Film and other categories. A B-Movie is defined as "a low-budget film which provides a level of entertainment and/or artistic value which rivals or surpasses big-budget mainstream pictures."http:// ww.b-independent.com/news/mar2001.htm "Call for Entries in Third Annual B-Movie Film Festival Celebration of Lower-Budget Productions to be Held In Syracuse, NY, in Early September"B-Independent, March 10, 2001. Retrieved April 12, 2007. Feature films, documentaries and short subjects are open for consideration.

1999

Razor Blade Smile ''Razor Blade Smile'' is a 1998 British vampire film written and directed by Jake West. It stars Eileen Daly, Christopher Adamson, and Heidi James. Plot 150 years ago, Lilith Silver is mortally wounded as she attempts to avenge the dueling ...

won awards for Best B-Movie, Best Actress (

Eileen Daly Eileen Mary Theresa Daly (born 1 June 1963) is an English actress, director, film producer, writer, singer, presenter, songwriter and former adult film performer. She is also a contemporary scream queen, having starred in numerous cult horror f ...

), Best Cinematography (Jim Solan), Best Director (

Jake West Jake West (born 1972) is a British film director, known mostly for his horror films and for a series of documentaries looking at film censorship and interviewing well-known directors, actors and industry figures. Biography West's first feature ...

), and Best Special Effects. Other awards were Best Actor to Scott McCord (Motel), Best Supporting Actress to Verda Bridges (Color-Blinded), and Best Supporting Actor to Robert Margolis (Criminals).

2000

Hosted by B-movie star Roxanne Michaels. ''

I Woke Up Early the Day I Died ''I Woke Up Early the Day I Died'' is a 1998 American camp black comedy film, based on a unproduced screenplay written by Edward D. Wood Jr. in 1974. Wood originally wrote the script in 1961 as ''Silent Night'', then rewrote it in 1974 as ''I ...

'' a 'dialogue-free comedy' based on an unproduced

Ed Wood Edward Davis Wood Jr. (October 10, 1924 – December 10, 1978) was an American filmmaker, actor, and pulp novel author. In the 1950s, Wood directed several low-budget science fiction, crime and horror films that later became cult cla ...

screenplay, won Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Set Design, Best Director (Aris Iliopolous), Best Actor (

Billy Zane William George Zane Jr. (born February 24, 1966) is an American actor. His breakthrough role was in the 1989 Australian film ''Dead Calm'', a performance that earned him a nomination for the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promi ...

), and Best Star Cameo (

Christina Ricci Christina Ricci ( ; born February 12, 1980) is an American actress. Known for playing unusual characters with a dark edge, Ricci predominantly works in independent productions, but has also appeared in numerous box office hits. She has receive ...

). Other awards were Best Actress to

Karin Viard Karin Viard (; born 24 January 1966) is a multi-award-winning French actress. She made her film debut in ''Tatie Danielle'' in 1990. She has appeared in films such as ''Delicatessen'', '' L'Emploi du temps'', ''Adultère, mode d'emploi'' and ''L ...

for ''

The New Eve ''The New Eve'' (Hungarian: Az új Éva) is a painting by Hungarian artist Sándor Bortnyik from 1924. Description The picture is painted in oil on canvas and has dimensions of 48,5 x 38 cm. The picture is part of the collection of the Hun ...

'', Best Screenplay, for ''Pep Squad'', by

Steve Balderson Stephen Clark Balderson (born January 19, 1975) is an American film director. Early life Balderson was born in Manhattan, Kansas and raised in nearby Wamego, Kansas until the age of twelve, when his family moved to Manhattan. Balderson attended ...

, and Best Documentary for ''Memories of the Soil''."BRIEFLY: Flick Based on Ed Wood Script Wins Top B-Movie Fest Prizes"
Eugene Hernandez, ''

indieWIRE IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Holl ...

'', 2000-08-30. Retrieved April 12, 2007.

2001

The ceremony was scheduled for September at the Westcott Movie Theater, Syracuse, New York, but canceled due to the

. The awards had been voted on before the attacks, and were announced October 31, 2001. Best B-Movie and Best Director were both tied between ''Lethal Force'', a martial arts film directed by Alvin Ecarma and ''

Scrapbook Scrapbook may refer to: * Scrapbooking, the process of making a scrapbook Software * Scrapbook, an early (1970s) information storage and retrieval system * Scrapbook (Mac OS), a Mac OS application * ScrapBook, a Firefox extension Film and TV ...

'', a thriller directed by Eric Stanze. ''Scrapbook'' won Best Screenplay and Best B-Movie Villain, both for Tommy Biondo, who died before the awards vere voted on. ''Lethal Force'' won Best Cinematography and Best Action Sequence. Neil Maffin won Best Actor for ''A Moment in Time'' and

Lorri Bagley Lorri Bagley (born August 5, 1973) is an American actress and model. Life and career Lorri Bagley became a model in Europe by the age of fourteen, working for the likes of Dior, Chanel, and Issey Miyake as well as notably modelling for Victoria's ...

won Best Actress for ''Peroxide Passion''. Mike Legge won Best Supporting Actor for ''Curtains'' and Paulina Gálvez won named Best Supporting Actress for ''Tatawo'', which also won Best Foreign Film Award (

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

). ''Aliens of the Sea'' won Best Documentary, ''

Third World Cop ''Third World Cop'' is a 1999 Jamaican action crime film directed by Chris Browne and starring Paul Campbell. It was produced by Chris Blackwell of Island Jamaica Films. It became the highest-grossing Jamaican film. Plot After his partner is g ...

'' Best Musical Score, ''Beware'' Best Editing, ''Cremains'' Best Set Design, ''Biohazardous'' Best Make-up, ''Creatures of the Mist'' Best Special Effects, ''Bucky McSnead'' Best Short Subject and ''Ornaments'' Best Animated Short."B-Movie Theater Film Fest 2001 Wrap-Up"
October 31, 2001. Retrieved April 12, 2007.

2002

Held October 5-October 6 at the Planet 505 Club in Syracuse, New York."Nominees for the 2002 B-Movie Film Festival are in"
''

'', 2002-09-09. Retrieved April 12, 2007. ''

Jane White Is Sick & Twisted ''Jane White Is Sick & Twisted'' is a 2002 American comedy film written and directed by David Michael Latt, produced by The Asylum, and starring Kim Little. It is one of few films by the studio not to be made to capitalize on another film, and i ...

'' won Best B-Movie, Best Director ( David Michael Latt), and Best B-Movie Hollywood Appearance/Cameo (

Colin Mochrie Colin Andrew Mochrie (; born November 30, 1957) is a Scottish-born Canadian actor, writer, producer and improvisational comedian, best known for his appearances on the British and US versions of the improvisational TV show '' Whose Line Is It ...

). The winner of Best Actor was Michael Emanuel for ''Lucky'', Best Actress Andrea Ajemian for ''Rutland, USA'', Best Supporting Actor Graeme Anning for ''P.O.V'', Best Supporting Actress Lara Clancy for ''Summer Rain''. ''Hunting Humans'' won Best Editing and Best Action Sequences. Best Writer was Stephen Sustarsic for ''Lucky''. There was a Special Achievement Winner:

Young Man Kang Young Man Kang (born April 6, 1966 in South Chungcheong, South Korea) is a Korean filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California, United States. Kang directed and produced '' The Last Eve'' (2005), '' Soap Girl'' (2002), ''Cupid's Mistake'' (2001) an ...

for ''1st Testament CIA Vengeance'' "Jane White" wins 2002 B-Movie Film Fest Award"
b-movie.com, 31 October 2002. Retrieved April 12, 2007.

2004

''Prison-a-Go-Go'', a parody of

women in prison This article discusses the incarceration of women in correctional facilities. As of 2013 across the world, 625,000 women and children were being held in penal institutions, and the female prison population was increasing in all continents.< ...

films, won Best B-Movie, Best Director (Barak Epstein), Best Actress (

Rhonda Shear Rhonda Honey Shear (born November 12, 1954) is an American television personality, comedian, actress, and entrepreneur. She is known for her role as a host in the 1990s USA Network's weekend B-movie show, ''USA Up All Night''. In 2001, she start ...

), and Best Set Design. ''The Passage'' won Best Actor (Greg Dow), and Best Screenplay Award for Daniel Casey-Vanhout. ''Ambition Withdraw'' won Best Documentary and Best Music Score, and ''Head Hunter'' won Best Make-up and Special Effects. ''The Last Round'' won Best B-Movie Short, and ''Beer Muscles'' won the B-Movie Merit Award."'Prison-a-Go-Go' Locks Up Top Honors In the 2004 B-Movie Awards"
b-movie.com, 4 March 2004. Retrieved April 12, 2007.

2005

Held April 8-April 14 at the Palace Movie Theater, in Syracuse, New York."2005 B-Movie Film Festival Announces Films and Nominations"
''

'', 2005-03-23. Retrieved April 12, 2007. ''

Land of College Prophets ''Land of College Prophets'' is a 2005 independent comedy film produced by Thomas Edward Seymour, Mike Aransky and Phil Guerette. Originally distributed on Netflix in 2005, ''Prophets'' was one of the first of the "backyard superhero" subgenres of ...

'', a fantasy comedy, won Best Picture, Best Actor (

Thomas Edward Seymour Thomas Edward Seymour (born January 20, 1977, in New Britain, Connecticut) is an American filmmaker and actor. Tom Seymour is considered one of the "Top Twenty Contemporary Underground Filmmakers in the U.S.", according to the book '' The His ...

), Best Cinematography, and Best Make-up Effects. Best Director was shared by four people,

, Mike Aransky and Phil Guerette jointly for ''Land of College Prophets'', and

Elza Kephart Elza Kephart, is a Canadians, Canadian filmmaker, from Montreal, Quebec. She owns her own production company, Midnight Kingdom Films. Career Kephart's first feature film was ''Graveyard Alive, Graveyard Alive: A Zombie Nurse in Love'', which sh ...

for ''Graveyard Alive'', which also won for Best Editing. ''And I Lived'' won for Best Supporting Actor (Josue Rivera), and Best Music Score (Matt Tyson and Gary Judge). Maggie Ross won Best Actress for ''Rock and Roll Eulogy'', and

Debbie Rochon Debbie Ann Rochon (born November 3, 1968) is a Canadian actress and former stage performer, best known for her work in independent horror films and counterculture films. Early life When Rochon was ten years old, her parents were deemed unfit ...

won Best Supporting Actress for ''Scream of the Decapitated''. Michael Legge won Best Screenplay for ''Democrazy''. Phil Hall received a Special Achievement Award for his work supporting independent film as a publicist and film writer."'Land of College Prophets' Wins Top Honors At 2005 B-Movie Film Festival"
b-movie.com, April 10, 2005. Retrieved April 12, 2007.

2006

The 2006 guest of honor was B-movie star

Michael Berryman Michael John Berryman (born September 4, 1948) is an American character actor. Berryman was born with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, a rare condition characterized by the absence of sweat glands, hair, and fingernails; his unusual physical a ...

. Drama ''Big Fish in Middlesex'', won "Tor" Awards for Best B-Movie, Best B-Movie Writer (Jonathan Straiton), Best Supporting Actor (Michael Wingfield) and Best Music Score. Science fiction film ''Borrowing Time'', won Best Director (Webster Crowell), Best Editing, Best Set Design, and Best Digital / Special Effects. Jackie Parker (actress), Jackie Parker won Best Actress for ''Both''.

Ray Wise Raymond Herbert Wise (born August 20, 1947) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Leland Palmer in ''Twin Peaks'' (1990–1991, 2017) and its prequel film '' Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me'' (1992), Vice President Hal Gardner i ...

won Best Actor for ''Cyxork 7''. '' Ellektra'' won "Best Foreign B-Movie" (

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...

), Best Supporting Actress (

Axelle Red Fabienne Demal (born 15 February 1968), better known by her stage name Axelle Red, is a Belgian singer-songwriter. She has released 11 albums, including '' Sans plus attendre'', '' À Tâtons'', ''Toujours Moi'' and '' Jardin Secret''; she is be ...

). ''Flyaway'' won Best Animated Short, ''Pawns of Paradise'' won Best Documentary, ''Bon Appetit'' won Best Short, ''The Last Eve'' won Best Cinematography, ''Big Foot'' won Best Make-Up."The 2006 B-Movie Film Fest Winners"
b-movie.com, 7 March 2006. Retrieved April 12, 2007.

Notes

References

Official site
Retrieved April 12, 2007.
IMDb page
Retrieved April 12, 2007. * by Dante M. Ciampaglia, September 17, 2006, S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications,

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

, retrieved 12 April 2007.
"B-Movie Theater Film Festival"
WhatsOnWhen.com. Retrieved April 12, 2007. {{Coord, 43, 4, 7, N, 76, 6, 47, W, display=title Film festivals in New York (state) Culture of Syracuse, New York Tourist attractions in Syracuse, New York Internet film festivals