Days of the Dead Int'l Film Fest Honorable Mention

Days of the Dead International Film Festival wrote me on October 26th.

They said: "Greetings Erik!

Thank you so much for sending us PERSONAL DEMONS.  We're sorry that we weren't able to have it as part of our festival, but we knew we had to give it an honorable mention.  We do hope you will consider submitting your excellent writing with us again in the future.

Best,

George & Audery Lane"

 

They event sent me these two snazzy digital placards.

 

 

 

 That brings the praise total for Personal Demons to...

 

•        Semi-finalist, Shriekfest screenplay competition (Los Angeles; 2016)

•        First Place, Fade In Magazine Horror Screenplay Competition (Los Angelesl 2018)

•        Official Selection, Oregon Scream Week Horror Film Festival (2019)

•        Honorable Mention, Astrophobia Science Fiction & Horror Film Festival (Courtenay, BC, Canada; 2021)

•        Official Selection, American Horror Film Festival (Tempe, AZ.; 2021)

•        Finalist, Be Afraid Horror Fest (Udine, Italy; 2021)

•        October 26th, 2023 – Personal Demons was an Honorable Mention at the Days of the Dead International Film Festival.

 

Now,  I am bit conflicted on this.

See, I've been going to the Days of the Dead horror con since fall 2019.

I went to my first DOTD in Louisville, KY and it was magical.

They got me a in-costume photo op with Elvira!

An in-costume photo op (for their Night of the Demons reunion) with Linnea Quigley and Amelia Kinkade. 

I also got tons of autographs and face time with these lovely ladies who I've waited decades (you read that right) to meet.

Then, in 2021, they put in the same room as Alice Cooper (!), Phil Anselmo and Louis Gossett, Jr.!

These are men I grew up watching in movies (Cooper and Gossett, Jr.) and seeing only on the other side of stadiums, amphitheaters and huge theaters (Cooper and Anselmo). 

In 2022 I finally got to meet Tara Reid (my favorite drummer from a fictional movie band!), Johnathan Breck (the Creeper) and the esteemed Mr. Doug Bradley. 

 

I am now going to two more Days of the Dead cons in Chicago: one in mid-November, the other in late March of 2024.

 

Bottom line: DOTD have done some pretty amazing things for me as a fan.

 

Now, as anyone who knows me knows, I try to remove all arrogance, conceit and pretension from my attitude. I try to be as humble and gracious as any unproduced screenwriter and only minorly published writer should be.

But to only nab an "Honorable Mention" at DOTD's first (to my knowledge) Film Festival?

I dunno.

I want to see the synopsis, loglines and titles of some of these scripts that won out over me.

I'm not saying Personal Demons is dominate, but I just think that (with all the accolades I've received thus far) that I am surprised it didn't place higher than "Honorable Mention".

But oh well.

There is no accounting for taste.

I will resubmit next year. 

I will possibly submit Flatdog, maybe Cubs, perhaps even my period piece werewolf movie Hooded.

We shall see.

If nothing else I will not stop submitting or trying.