The 9th annual Shriekfest kicks off October 1st and runs through the 4th, with a motley lineup of horror films from both amateur and professional filmmakers.

The festival’s goal has always been to focus on indie filmmakers, and to further this purpose this year has judges from the Radmin Company and 101 Productions. R Squared Films is awarding the winning short film a distribution deal, and Abstract Entertainment is offering a first look deal to a filmmakers. For attendees and filmmakers alike, the festival lobby provides a great opportunity to network.

Talent included among the films includes, “Jeffry Combs in ‘Dark House’, Ving Rhames in ‘Evil Angel’, Dameon Clarke and Matthew Gray Gubler (Without a Trace) in ‘How to Be a Serial Killer’, Dean Cain in ‘Maneater’, John Carpenter, George A. Romero, Joe Dante, and Roger Corman in ‘Nightmares in Red, White, and Blue’, Billy Zane in ‘Surviving Evil’, and Tiffany Shepis in ‘Thirsty’.

With a lineup of over 15 feature films, plus 4 shorts programs, I asked festival director Denise Gossett which films Creepy LA readers short on time shouldn’t miss, to which she pointed out “Dark House” directed by Darin Scott and “Sutures” directed by Tammi Sutton.

An opening night party launches the fest on Thursday, October 1st at Hollywood Billiards, with film programming running Friday through Saturday at Raleigh Studios. Click here for a complete lineup and ticketing info.