Cannes winner The Substance to close out FrightFest

The lineup for FrightFest 2024 has been announced, and Coralie Fargeat Cannes-winning horror movie The Substance will be the closing night film.

Starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid, The Substance – which won the screenplay award in Cannes – revolves around fading celebrity Elizabeth Sparkle “who uses a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.”

Written and directed by Coralie Fargeat – whose previous film was the revered Revenge – the Substance body horror movie at the end of the five-day celebration of all things genre, which takes place at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, and the Odeon Luxe West End, from August 22 to August 26.

As for opening night, that honor goes to the world premiere of new movie Broken Bird, which stars Rebecca Calder as a mortician whose dark and twisted desires spin out of control, with shocking consequences.

The festival showcases 69 features from all over the globe, as well as shorts, panels, retrospectives, and restorations.

Highlights include Bookwoom, the new movie from Come to Daddy collaborators Ant Timpson and Elijah Wood. The Stylist director Jill Gevargizian’s latest effort Ghost Game. And Mickey Keating’s new true crime horror Invader.

If you’re after something more offbeat, Jurassic Park spoof The Invisible Raptor is screening late at night on the Thursday. Meanwhile, a horror movie about strippers – called Member’s Club and starring Peter Andre – plays last thing Saturday night.

Documentaries are also well represented across the weekend, with Children of the Wicker Man a movie about filmmaking and fatherhood by Robin Hardy’s sons. And The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee telling the tale of the horror icon.

Full details can be found on the FrightFest website, with passes on sale this Saturday (July 13) and single tickets available the week after (on July 20).

In the meantime, you can check out our list of the best horror movies on Prime Video. As well as our guide to new movies streaming this month, which includes horror flicks MaXXXine and Longlegs.