The Beginning
It all began many moons ago. A youthful and excited Olivia enters her first year of college in the heart of Pittsburgh, PA. There was so much to see and experience. Freshly 18, downtown city living, new friends from all over the world, a new-found freedom of living sans parents. There was only one thing cooler than all of those things, and her name is Carah Chafin.
I met Carah on the early college move in day. She was wearing knee high boots and a long cardigan and I remember thinking.. "Wow.. This girl is so much cooler than me." (Little did I know how aggressively this statement would ring true as time went on.) And even though I was a little shy, that day was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. One consisting of unwavering support and endless ideas building off of one another. Two creatives in one room and one of them was bound to be a star.
Far before she met myself, Carah was far involved in the world of horror. From watching slasher films at a young age, to working as a scare actor in her local haunt, Carah knew exactly where she was supposed to be. And that sure didn't stop in college. Waking up to the sight of a pretty girl with blood all over her face or a fork cut in half and placed to look as though it was straight through her nose became the norm. Some may be perturbed by the sight of gruesome SFX makeup bright and early on a random Tuesday morning, I couldn't get enough. I was single handedly getting to watch the creative process of someone extremely passionate about her work, and all I could do was respect it. Happily!
Shocking to none, after four long years, Carah had nabbed a job with a big streaming company and was off to LA. Makeup bag in hand, she was bound to do big things. And it took off quickly. From the sidelines, I watched my friend's dreams begin to come true, and what more could I ask for? At the time, I had only known her for a few years, but I was overjoyed to watch something so amazing happen to someone so worthy of just that.
Fast forward to the beginning of 2025, and I had woken up to an exciting development. One of my best friends had booked a venue and was beginning the process of putting together her very first horror film festival. And she wanted ME to document the whole thing. And boy, I couldn't have said yes faster. (I will not let this girl forget me when she is rich and famous.)
Over the next few months, Carah and her team at Deadhead Productions had received 300+ horror film submissions for her fest from all over the WORLD! So there she sat, watching short films for weeks. Analyzing, judging, and appreciating each one. She had managed to select eight out of the hundreds in which she would air and recognize at her festival. (More on those films in a moment!) Some were thrilling, some were creepy, and some downright made you physically cringe. They were perfect.
The fesitval
Starting at 10 AM on the streets outside of Alban Arts Center, vendors gathered to support the horror industry and sell their creations. From stickers to flash tattoos, it was lovely to walk around and see what each booth had to offer. Unfortunately I didn't get a tattoo that day, but the line was long and it was such a cool addition to have at her festival. I myself bought about a million stickers. No less. There was even a real hearse you could sit and take a picture in. Because... What would a horror film festival have if not a hearse you can sit and take pictures in?
When it was time to air the films, the Deadhead crew rolled out the red carpet (literally) and gave every guest their own opportunity to snap a picture in front of the venue. I guess I can say I have taken pictures at a red carpet event, huh? But the fun was only beginning. After entrance, each guest received a Deadhead Productions Horror Film Fest Program with the opportunity to grab a refreshment, cop some merch, and pick a seat to get settled in and watch nearly two hours of hand picked horror films.
Before the films aired, Carah and Devon James (festival organizer) took to the stage to thank all the attendees, their team and everyone who submitted a film. It was evident how grateful the pair and their team are for everyone who put forth effort into making their festival what it came to be. Chafin gave a lovely short speech on what attendees could expect throughout the rest of their night, and we were not disappointed! If you were there, you might've witnessed history in the making.
From left to right: Deadhead Productions Founder and Director Carah Chafin, DP Visual Supervisor Nate Cardillo, DP Head of Production Marc Cardillo, DP Festival Organizer Devon James, DP Management and Lawyer Tish Chafin, Point Park University Professor and Festival Guest Speaker Chris Sepesey, Mothman Award Recipients Rick Grayson and Holly (Mollohan) Grayson, Via Photo Owner (yours truly) Olivia Jade.
The Reception
After all the fright and fun, the festival attendees and team joined together in the nearby event room to talk horror, creative processes, and future plans. It was an amazing networking event, but also just a safe space for a bunch of people with the same passion to discuss and bond over something they may not be able to find in common with too many people. The cash bar had themed drinks (delicious, btw), there were refreshments, a bloody Deadhead cake, and even a photo booth with props (that I may or may not have utilized one too many times). It was a fantastic time and not only was I so happy to be able to document all day, but it was well worth the four hour drive from Pittsburgh to experience such an event.
During the reception, I got to chat with founder Carah Chafin a little about her experience in putting this event together, and what she sees the future of not only Deadhead Productions being, but what the future holds for their next horror film festival. Here is what she had to say:
The Interview
How does your role in Deadhead and the festival's work align with the organization's broader marketing and community goals?
Chafin: My work aligns with our approach in the sense that I take a very grassroots route. I believe in establishing connections with people, companies, and brands first and foremost; then building collaborations on top of that.
We have many goals at Deadhead, but encouraging independent art, and subsequently strength, are at the core. Simply, the only way to achieve those goals is to take a humanistic approach.
What was some of your process of grading so many films and deciding which ones were award winning?
Chafin: We saw such an amazing array of submissions, 301 from all over 41 different countries specifically, and while this was amazing, it was also a tall order to judge them all on the timeline we were under. Myself, Devon, Marc and Nate screened all of the films.
There were so many amazing ones that we had to have many discussions and deliberate on for a while. Despite that, the final decisions were quite unanimous.
Chafin: We're growing and evolving! We've learned a lot about what best suits the needs of our attendees and participants and for coming festivals we want to offer more. Specifically in the form of education.
In the coming years, we would love to extend our capabilities to accept a larger range of submissions (ex. screenplays and feature films), and further spotlight independent filmmakers through panels, etc.
What is your leadership philosophy and how do you build and develop your team?
Chafin: To stay together. If I go up, my team goes up with me. Always.
Life has blessed me in such cool, unique and roundabout ways, but country roads literally always lead me home. Staying true to my personal style and morals while simultaneously remembering where I come from and who I came with. Thats how I'm building the future here at Deadhead.
We also have a lot of f****ing fun.
Best narrative film
Hugeutte - France
Detailed, well thought out, twisty, and chilling, this film deserves every second of recognition it got. Directed by Anthony and Hannah Warnes, this horror story follows a man named Luca into the home of a lonely French woman named Huguette. Watch as a casual tea turns into something far more sinister.
Best sfx
Looker - United States
Looker is a film, directed by Max Kaplan, following the story of Anna, a woman inexplicably cursed to melt away when not actively being perceived. Feel your skin crawl as you watch the lengths she must go to to keep herself in one piece.
Women in film
Lavenza - Canada
What happens when your husband finds you utterly repulsive and you are surrounded by the women he deems fit for his expectations? This 19th-century noblewoman, Lavenza, will show you exactly what the ideal wife looks like. Directed by Lauren Eden.
Mothman
I Am of You - United States
Director Holly (Mollohan) Grayson shows her audience a casual evening for a man tortured by horrible dreams while he comes face to face with a nightmarish denizen. Is he just as evil as his mind tells him he is?
most terrifying
Chateau Sauvignon: Terroir - United States
Directed by D.M. Night Maire, this absolutely bone chilling film was my personal favorite. Find out what happens when an isolated son of a vintner family is torn between obeying his father's callous restrictions and preventing his ailing mother from deteriorating further. It still makes me cringe. (In a good way).
best director
The Paper Ghost - Italy
Director Fulvio Davide Ricci displays the amazing talent of his team via cutout animation and a story of Edgar Allan Poe and his unrequited love for his late wife Annabelle. When he finds his own hidden power, you see he will stop at nothing to achieve his long-awaited desire.
best editing
Spuds - United States
There is a senile old man trapped in an abandoned potato cellar, and now you are trapped in the void of his brain and the emotional struggles he endures on his journey to escape. Director D.M. Night Maire stuns with brilliantly terrifying editing.
best performance
Testimony of Disappointment - Poland
Part of the hard hitting idea in this film is the fact that it is terrifyingly relatable. Up until the point the leading woman solves her problem. Director Magdalena Alicja Synoradzka painfully and beautifully brings you along the journey of an introverted woman working a janitorial job at a large company. She shows you just why you may be messing with the wrong person sometimes.
The end
Not that I am some big shot horror film festival critic, but overall, I would say this was a wildly successful event for the Deadhead Productions team. There was community, handmade stickers, flash tattoos and gore. What more could you ask for? (Poet)
The connection and shared passion between team members and festival goers alike was palpable, and set up a very promising path for the future of the Deadhead Film Festival. If you are anywhere around the eastern side of the States, I would highly recommend you take a trip next spooky season and see what the productions continuous evolution and what the team has to offer. If you are interested in following Carah and her crew along their ride, below you can find ways to connect with and support Deadhead. If you are a horror fanatic, you will not be disappointed! See you next time, folks.
Connect and Create:
Deadhead Productions llc team
Deadhead Productions LLC:
Instagram: @deadhead.productions
Website: www.deadheadprod.com
Carah Chafin (Founder & Director): @carah_chafin
Devon James (Festival Organizer): @jamd_dev
Marc Cardillo (Festival Head of Production): @marc_cardillo
Nate Cardillo (Visual Supervisor): @vaterapfel
Chafin Law Firm: www.thechafinlawfirm.com
Deadhead Film Festival:
Instagram: @deadheadfilmfest
Vendors
Flash Tattoos: @dirtysigil
Grim Girl Art LLC: @grimgirlartllc
Junk Fairy Art: @junkfairyart
Bashful Bee Press: @bashfulbeepress
location and venue
misc
Via Photo: @viaphotopgh , @viaphoto.jpg
Guest Speaker Dave Lavender: @dlavende
Mothman Award Winner: @hollysiders
