Varsity Theatre to premiere two horror films

Two North Carolina filmmakers are out to scare people brainless.

“The Zombie/Creature Double Horror Feature” will screen two independent horror films, “One Last Sunset” and “In The Devil’s Courthouse,” Friday at the Varsity Theatre.

There will also be two horror shorts, “Recalculating” and “The Horribly Horrible Horror Show.”

The filmmakers, who will be at the screening, said some zombies and creatures from the films will attend. There will be giveaways, posters and prizes.

Kevin Richmond, of Hickory, directed and produced “One Last Sunset,” a film about two sisters who struggle to survive after a virus turns everyone into zombies.

Richmond said the dynamic relationship between the sisters and strong character development make this an atypical horror film.

“The story is about resilience,” Richmond said.

“Together, the two sisters symbolize hope in a hopeless situation.”

Richmond said the full-length film took about two years to shoot, involved more than 1,200 actors and required a team of 12 make-up artists.

Since its completion in January 2011, “One Last Sunset” has traveled the southeast film festival circuit and won several awards, including second place for best feature at the North Carolina Black Film Festival.

The other feature-length film screening Friday, “In the Devil’s Courthouse,” was written, produced and directed by Ken Comito, of Pleasant Gardens.

The film follows a brother and sister who visit Devil’s Courthouse Mountain and encounter a creature in the woods.

Both filmmakers shot their respective films in rural North Carolina.

Gina Dorman, who wrote, starred in and produced “Recalculating,” one of the short films at the double feature event, said she once lived in North Carolina.

“It’s nice to, in some indirect way, come back,” she said.

Comito said it is important to support North Carolina filmmakers and production companies like Comito’s Brain Juice Productions and Richmond’s Peepin Tom Productions Inc.

“It’s your home territory,” Comito said. “It’s homegrown business.”

Contact the desk editor at arts@dailytarheel.com.