Asheville, beware. Three nights of fright shall find the spotlight Thurs., Oct. 6-Sat., Oct. 8 at the Cat Fly Or Die indie-horror film festival.

The festival is a seasonal offshoot of Cat Fly Film Fest, which has supported the local and regional film scene for the last 5+ years. The nonprofit prioritizes art from LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and other up-and-coming filmmakers who represent the Southeast.

“Cat Fly has grown exponentially," says festival co-founder and creative director Madeleine Richardson, who has seen festival attendance more than double since its inception. "We’re so excited to bring Cat Fly or Die to life as a continued platform for underrepresented artists of the South. And who doesn’t love Halloween?”

A major reason that Cat Fly has expanded its focus on horror? Accessibility for artists. "It's much easier to produce a low-budget horror film than other genres, so this falls right in line with our mission of providing a platform for local creators," Richardson adds.

It's like going to the movie theater, but way cooler. | Photo courtesy of Cat Fly

As for the films: there will be 13 Halloween-themed works, spanning from classic horror and dark comedy to spooky music videos and animation. The majority of the films will debut at the main screening on Sat., Oct. 8, which kicks off at Wicked Weed's Funkatorium at 7 p.m.

On Thurs., Oct. 6, there will also be a special evening screening of local director Joshua Overbay's short film Spyder — with an accompanying live score — at Revolve Art Gallery, plus a live reading of local horror podcast Palimpsest.

Other frightful fun includes: a Bloody Mary brunch mixer at The Odd, a workshop on sound composition specifically for horror films, an "open mic" for short films, and an official after party hosted by creative hub Different Wrld.

Interested in attending? Great news: many of the events are free or donation-based. Information for ticketed events can be found here — and be sure to check out the full schedule of events for more details.