The Frozen River Film Festival (FRFF) committee held a screening of the 1968 horror film Night of the Living Dead on Thursday, October 24. The movie was originally going to be held outside, but when thunder began to roll ominously in the distance, members of the festival’s committee quickly made the decision to move the movie to an indoor location.
The FRFF is an arts organization based in Winona that is best known for their annual documentary film festival that displays around fifty new independent films in February. To promote the festival and excite Winona State University students about great films, the festival committee decided to screen a Halloween movie this year.
According to Assistant Professor in the Mass Communications department and member of the Winona State Frozen River Film Festival Committee Kathryn (Kay) Hannahan, “This event is unique because it brings the cinema to campus and just in time for Halloween. Night of the Living Dead had a big influence on the horror genre and was groundbreaking for its social commentary in 1968.”
As Eileen Moeller, director of FRFF, pointed out, “Its groundbreaking for several reasons. One is that, at that time, it was not common to use race-blind casting. And so, this has a Black lead, which was not really widely done at the time. And this is sort of the birth of the zombie horror film as we know it. It has sort of a feel of a 1940s creature feature. But it was done very, very cheaply.”
The film is in black and white and showcases the harrowing experience of a few characters thrown together by chance during a zombie outbreak. They must work together to survive the night, but unfortunately, not everyone makes it. The ending in particular is shockingly ironic and provides the punch line of the social commentary present in the film.
Unfortunately, fewer and fewer people today appreciate films in the way they were meant to be appreciated.
“In this time when we all have screens in our pockets and thousands of movie options just a click away, there’s something unique and powerful about gathering together to watch a movie.” Hannahan said.
Indeed, this Halloween movie event brought students together to enjoy a classic film in a new way; and, on a larger scope, the FRFF in February will bring film creators, community members, students, families, and more together to enjoy unique and creative new film.
The 20th annual Frozen River Film Festival will take place from February 9 to February 16 in 2025. For more information about this festival, visit frff.org.
