25 Stephen King short films are being shown at this virtual festival. Some have never been released.
There aren't many writers out there as prolific as Stephen King.
The legendary horror author has produced over 60 novels and 200 short stories, many of which have been adapted for the screen — meaning even if you're the most ardent of fans, you'll probably have had a hard time consuming everything in King's multi-verse.
If you're determined to give it your best shot, though, there's a new festival you'll want to mark down in your calendar.
The Stephen King Rules Dollar Baby Film Festival, a virtual event which will stream a number of short film adaptations based on the author's work (including some which haven't previously been released), is set to run from April 23 to 25 — and the best part is, the whole thing is free to join.
25 adaptations will be shown in total, each based on King short stories like Popsy, The Woman in the Room, and The Last Rung on the Ladder. You can view the full schedule on the website of Barker Street Cinema production company, which is hosting the event.
So why the "dollar baby" reference in the name? Well, it's actually something King has been doing for a while now. Basically, in a section on his website, there are a list of short stories that aren't currently under option to be made into movies or TV shows. If budding film-makers want a shot at adapting one of them, they can fill out the form and request to do so for $1.
The movies being shown as part of the festival above have been made under this scheme.
As you'll see from the schedule, it's not just screenings, either — there are also exclusive interviews, and Barker Street Cinema's announcement promises panel discussions with the film-makers too.
The people behind the festival, Barker Street Cinema partners James Douglas and Norm Coyne, are no stranger to the Dollar Baby scheme. Three years ago Douglas adapted King's short story The Doctor's Case, which won awards at a number of festivals.
"I can personally attest to the impact the Dollar Baby initiative has had on my career as a filmmaker,” Douglas said in the announcement. "Being able to share these stories with the world in this manner is unbelievably profound."
The Stephen King Rules Dollar Baby Film Festival will be screened on Vimeo and YouTube from April 23 to 25. You can follow the festival's Twitter account for updates.
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Topics Stephen King
