"HazMat" To Have Its World Premiere at The 2013 Massachusetts Independent Film Festival

MIAMI - Aug. 6, 2013 - PRLog -- White Lotus Productions announced today that their film, HazMat, has been selected to be screened at the 2013 Massachusetts Independent Film Festival. The festival takes place August 14th through the 17^th in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This year, the festival has added a string of horror films to its line-up on Friday night.  Hazmat is part of the block reserved for Women In Horror, since it is the brainchild of horror writer/director Lou Simon, a woman.

“The film is about one of those hidden-camera prank shows,” explains Lou. “They help three friends pull a practical joke on a very disturbed young man, but everything goes really wrong when he believes it is all real.”

Executive Producer Andrew M. Feldman further explains. “It takes place entirely in an abandoned chemical factory that is believed to be haunted.  Once the chump becomes the hunter, they are trapped inside and cannot get out.”

The story has an underlying commentary about reality TV and the lengths to which shows (especially prank shows) will go to get ratings.  “It’s sad and a bit disturbing to ridicule people for the sake of entertainment,” comments Lou.

The film has already received rave reviews from several online reviewers, who are impressed with the film’s ability to scare despite its low budget.  The consensus seems to be that the film is very original and refreshing in a subgenre of horror that has gotten a very bad reputation for bad films  "HazMat is lethal entertainment full of tension, suspense and non-stop action with some very cool kills and plenty of blood,” wrote Patrick Ricketts of Video Views.  “A non-stop thrill ride with one of the most menacing villains I have seen in some time. Hazmat is the new horror icon.”

The TV crew is played by Todd Bruno, Aniela McGuinness, Giordan Diaz, Tom Stedham, Mario Nalini and Dennis Spain.  The three co-conspirators that set up their friend on the prank are played by Gema Calero, Daniela Larez, and Reggie Peters.  The victim/villain is played by Norbert Velez, who brilliantly brings the murderer to life, despite being covered from head to toe.  Although the film has no recognizable names, the acting is stellar and above what we have come to expect in indie horror.  “HazMat is a low budget slasher movie that I believe should be shown in the theatres. Its very well made, belying its budget and is excellently written and acted,” wrote Mark Bullock of Hacked in the Head Reviews.  

The film was shot over ten days in an abandoned government building in Miami, Florida.  It was done with what is considered a micro-budget by Hollywood’s standards.

“This was a labor of love for all of us who worked on it. That is the reason why we were able to complete the entire film for such a low budget and on time,” says Lou.

The audiences at this year’s Massachusetts Independent Film Festival will be the first to be able to see the film on the big screen, but audiences can follow the movie as it makes its film festival run. It might come to a film festival near them.

A trailer of the film can be seen at https://vimeo.com/71460251.  For more information, fans can visit the film’s website at http://I44875.wix.com/hazmatmovie and the festival’s website at http://www.massiff.org.