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“The Ritual” is a 2017 British horror film directed by David Bruckner and written by Joe Barton about a group of college friends who reunite for a trip to the forest, and find themselves lost in a hell of sinister nightmares and pagan sacrifices. Following the critically acclaimed premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, “The Ritual” was acquired by Netflix, and will be released in February 2018.

The first installment of “Friday Night Frights” will address “The Evolution of Horror Filmmaking,” discussing the perpetual relevance of the horror genre and how the genre has thrived through every cinematic medium. This lecture will be followed by an exclusive preview screening of David Bruckner’s “The Ritual,” presented by Netflix. Afterwards, Bruckner himself will join our audience via Skype to offer his unique insights towards the horror genre from a personal and professional perspective. 

The screenings are free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Reserve your seat here: The Ritual

Future series dates are scheduled for February 16, March 23 and April 20.

About Ken W. Hanley

A graduate of Montclair State University, Mr. Hanley is the former Editor-in-Chief of FANGORIA Magazine, having previously held the roles of Managing Editor, Web Editor, and Web Content Manager between 2012 and 2017. Having also served as the Web Editor for Diabolique Magazine, his work has been featured in such esteemed online publications as Shock Till You Drop, Blumhouse.com, Tom Holland’s Terror Time, and Heard-Tell. Additionally, he was the primary producer of We’ll See You in Hell, the popular movie review podcast from Joe DeRosa and Patrick Walsh, and has appeared on such podcasts as You Know What Dude? With Robert Kelly. In 2015, Mr. Hanley penned the satirical horror self-help book The I in Evil, which was released in hardcover by Skyhorse Publishing and received great critical marks from Rue Morgue Magazine and Dread Central. He is currently working as a programmer and director of marketing for the Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival, which will enter its third year in 2018.

About David Bruckner

One of the most promising talents in the horror genre today, David Bruckner first made a name for himself as a co-director on the 2007 independent horror sensation “The Signal.” He would follow this opportunity with his most lauded project to date: the opening segment of the cult horror anthology “V/H/S,” entitled ‘Amateur Night,’ which was later adapted into the Chiller original film “SiREN.” Following the overwhelming reception to ‘Amateur Night,’ Bruckner was soon signed onto a pair of high-profile reboots, including “Amityville: The Lost Tapes” and a reboot of “Friday the 13th” for Paramount Pictures. Following the dissolution of those projects, Bruckner would go on to contribute to another horror anthology, helming the acclaimed ‘Accident’ segment in “Southbound.” Most recently, Bruckner made his feature directorial debut with the critically heralded film “The Ritual”, which was acquired by Netflix out of the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival for $4.75 million for a February 2018 release.

Reserve your seat here: The Ritual