The Johnstown Film & Wine Festival is a project of the Greater Johnstown Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class of 2006, in cooperation with the Johnstown Area Heritage Association. The 2009 festival was held July 8-11.

Thursday, July 9, 2009
On Thursday night, we have 13 movies that had to be shown together, as they all have a common thread -- horror. These films run the gamut, telling tales of unholy abominations from hell, the end of the world, obsessive love, demented preachers, vampires, werewolves, and of course, that western Pennsylvania favorite, zombies. We've got it all, truly scary and mock-horror too. So come out and bring your friends (or anyone whose hand you can hold when it's dark, walking to your car....)
This screening will take place at the Johnstown Flood Museum; doors open at 6:30, and the films begin at 7:00. Tickets are $5 and are available at the door.
Snow (5:23) -- by Sam Wagner, a student at Penn State Altoona. The hallways of Altoona High have buzzed for years with rumors of an unnamed malice that is capable of turning delicate snowflakes into spherical projectiles of pain. When three girls go for a walk on a snowy day their lives quickly turn colder than the driven snow.
The Eye of Menw (27:00) by Charles Christman III of Philadelphia. Have you ever wanted to know the future? In the attempt to find out the future of a love relationship, Victoria seeks the power of the menw, an old scull that reveals the future to the pure-hearted. But instead of seeing something pleasant, she unleashes an unholy abomination from hell. This short will keep your hands in front of your eyes until the end.
Rosie Girl (11:30) by Don Swanson of Strongstown, Pa. A demented preacher stalks a young mother and brutally murders her while Rosie watches. But Rosie isn't like other little girls. Do you believe in angels?
Blind Luck (2:00) by Lindsay Berkebile. A riveting portrayal of a girl who is blind, hesitantly accepting help from a stranger who puts her at ease. Filmmaker Berkebile is originally from Somerset and is now a film student at Rochester Institute of Technology. Her film "Harold Please" will be screened on Saturday night at the festival.
Intermission
Vampire Flesh, A Poem (2:05) by Fred Wilder of California. A gothic horror poem recited by Zen Josey. Selected scenes from the film trilogy "Vampire Flesh" accompany the reading.
I Shopped with Zombies! (10:00) -- written and directed by Johnstown native Bill Eggert. Feed your natural Pennsylvania zombie obsession -- at the mall. Eggert's film follows two zombie tourists as they succumb to materialism.
The Loop (8:39) -- by John Paul Olsen of San Francisco. Gus Lorenz embarks on a journey to find his true identity and a deeper passion for life -- and finds the girl of his dreams. What will he give up to be with her? This film was written, shot and edited in 48 hours.
Predictive Reasoning -- (13:56) by Kyle Van Tonder of South Africa. Have you ever had to make a decision that went against your moral values? See what lengths Jody Benson, a common bank teller, goes to in order to keep his family and himself from danger.
The Quietus by Joe Wiggins of Allston, Mass. Two Young teens break into an old man's house only to uncover his sinister plan. Will these young men save the day?
Intermission
Surprise (6:51) -- A mock-horror short by Sam Wagner, a senior communications major at Penn State Altoona. Balloons. We all know them, and love them. But should we trust them? In an ongoing study about balloons, hidden cameras capture these air-filled monsters at their worst during one man's surprise party preparation.
Dream Quest for the Maw (13:08) by Max Kasperek of Pittsburgh. Randy loves his survival horror video games, but after a sleepless night of binge gamming, he finally succumbs to the dream world with a new quest-finding a "relic" for Nyarlathotep.
Prepare for 2012 -- (6:39)-- by Nathan Menchaca, a University of North Texas student. This mockumentary tells the story of how a young man prepares for the year 2012.
The Union (14:05) -- by Tom Laughlin. Walking down the aisle on the eve of her wedding, Lithea and Vincent think of their future together. As they say their vows, someone from her past reappears, and she is forced to make the most important and dangerous decision of her life. This decision affects not only her, but the course of her family history!