The GARF is dedicated to working with independent filmmakers who seek to continue George’s legacy of making quality, socially conscious horror. We are particularly interested in furthering the work of underrepresented creators.
Scholarship Fund
The aim of the scholarship fund is to concretize several of the scholarship streams that the Foundation currently provides using annual funds. The Foundation regularly contributes to the initial investment so that the amount of scholarship funding continues to grow over time. If an active fundraising campaign ends, you can still visit the donation page to contribute at a time that suits you best.
The campaign was designed and implemented by Chelsea Bennington and M.A. Reynolds, who tirelessly ensured that the materials were ready, the backend technology was working properly, and that individuals had a smooth donation process. The GARF is also extremely grateful for all its volunteers who dedicated time and energy to spreading the word on our social media and their own personal tools. We were very pleased with the reach and the response.
Douglas Education Center
In 2016, George worked with the Douglas Education Center in Monessen, Pennsylvania, to re-launch its filmmaking program. The GARF continues to honor George’s vision by raising funds for students who wish to participate in the program.
If you are interested in donating toward an individual scholarship or creating an endowment, please contact us or submit a donation. To visit the George A. Romero’s Filmmaking Program’s website, click here.
Salem HorrorFest Fellowship Program
The GARF and Salem HorrorFest partnered to create The Romero Fellowship Program, which supports aspiring horror filmmakers with the skills, network, and inspiration to craft their art and advance their careers. The program pairs a mentor and mentee to work through the filmmaking process.
“Every film is a small miracle in the face of infinite challenges.” – Suzanne Desrocher-Romero, founder and president of The GARF
Through this collaboration, industry veterans help aspiring filmmakers like Jenn Wexler and Alice Maio Mackay, directors of the 2023 films The Sacrifice Game and Satanic Panic, respectively. Mackay’s film So Vam earned her a Salem HorrorFest jury award and the first Romero Fellowship.
In a recent interview, Wexler and Mackay discuss their films and how the Romero Fellowship has helped their careers. The electrifying duo showcased during the 2024 Salem Horror Fest are mentor Jenn Wexler and mentee Michelle Iannanturo, who wrote and directed the film Livescreamers (2023).
Film Camp in a Box
“When I was growing up, I guess, I’d always seemed like the people that made movies were elves. I never thought seriously that a person could go and do that. That was magic; that was unachievable, unattainable.” – George A. Romero
Do you know any creative, imaginative kids who dream of making movies someday? If so, we at The GARF can help turn those dreams into reality through the Film Camp in a Box program!
‘We are always thrilled to provide support to filmmakers of all ages, but we’re especially excited to equip the next generation of creative young directors, aged 9 to 16, with the gear needed to turn the stories in their minds into scripts and then visualize them as short films.
Film Camp in a Box is a collaborative endeavor between The GARF and Film in a Box. Each registrant receives a fully loaded MacBook, a high-definition camera, a tripod, a boom mic, and a green screen to use for making their movie.
Registrants will have 72 hours to write their scripts, film, and edit their movies before we return to pick up the gear. The box registration fee of $122.96 USD ($169.50 CAD) also includes up to 7 informative hours of mentoring from a master filmmaker on topics such as story development, cinematography, and shooting and editing techniques, providing a wonderful opportunity for the kids to access the pros for advice and guidance.
Screams in a Box
A genre-specific example of Film Camp in a Box is Screams in a Box, where youngsters who dream of devilishly scaring the bejesus out of us use the equipment and mentoring to create short horror films. It’s important to note that by horror film, we are not strictly soliciting just blood and gore.
The horror genre is broad, and a good scare comes in a variety of flavors, so we encourage the kids to truly stretch the boundaries of the mind when conjuring up their tales. The program has been a great success, and the films have been an entertaining outlet for the kids and moviegoers alike.
You can watch films from past years on The GARF Network YouTube page. All of the films are entered into a competition and are judged during our live, virtual film fest. The top three films are screened at the annual Bram Stoker International Film Festival. And everyone who registers receives a QR-coded commemorative t-shirt, some ghoulish GARF merchandise, and, of course, some popcorn to enjoy the films!
“I believe that Screams in a Box gave me the momentum to begin my path in film. I have always been interested in filmmaking, but participating in the Screams in a Box competition gave me the motivation to learn all aspects of filmmaking. I learned how to write, direct, act, and edit my films along with amazing guidance from the staff at Film Camp in a Box. The chance to have my film judged by credible individuals in the field was an invaluable experience. I would absolutely recommend signing up.” – Cooper Giamov
In a world saturated with media, it’s crucial that young people learn how to navigate, interpret, and create meaningful content. Screams in a Box empowers aspiring filmmakers to do just that. Each kit is delivered right to the student’s front door, providing everything they need to create their own horror film.
Over 72 intense hours, students and their film crew craft scripts, shoot, and edit their movies, which are automatically entered into The Screams in a Box movie competition. The kit also includes seven hours of live, synchronous mentoring from a master filmmaker, guiding students through story development, cinematography, and editing techniques.
Think your kids can terrify us? Register now here.
Film Projects
Stay
The short horror film Stay exemplifies The GARF’s mission: to help aspiring, passionate filmmakers bring their visions to celluloid and present the results to the masses. Directed by Gene Blair Jr. and written by Blair and Jeff Whitehead, Stay illustrates the human struggle with drugs and the sinister and hellish world of those afflicted. The film contrasts this dark existence with the brightness of hope, friendship, and love. The film debuted in 2024 at the Salem HorrorFest.
Blair Jr’s Stay was accepted into another festival called Friday Night Frights 2024 Online Film Festival. The festival’s organizers remarked that the “unique horror creativity truly stood out among the many submissions we received. We can’t wait to share your work with our audience and celebrate the art of horror cinema together.” This makes the third film festival to recognize the movie, the first two being Best Shorts Competition and Tuesdays of Horror.
I Know What You Need
I Know What You Need – The GARF was pleased to support Julia Marchese’s project, I Know What You Need. Not only is Julia a female horror creator, but she also worked on this particular piece, adapted from one of George’s most prominent collaborators, Stephen King. Julia did a wonderful job raising enough funding to get the project started through her Indiegogo campaign, but she needed a bit more to ensure the film received the production value it deserved, and we stepped in to help her make it happen.
Marchese’s film is based on Stephen King’s story of the same name. Says Marchese, “The film is a faithful adaptation, with much of the dialogue taken word for word from the story and lots of Easter eggs for all Constant Readers watching!” The film is a so-called “Dollar Baby,” in which King sells the rights to his story for one dollar, with the stipulations that the film be 45 minutes or less, not-for-profit, and non-broadcast. “That means you have to make the film for the love of it, not because it can later be sold and shown,” Marchese explained.
The Dead Podcast
The GARF partnered with the fanzine Bloody Disgusting to create a radio-theater-style podcast called The Dead. Aspiring writers and screenwriters entered a contest with their 100-word drabbles, and five contestants have been chosen for the first season.
Synopsis: In a world plagued by the undead, the stories of survivors are well-known and heralded as examples of hope, strength, and perseverance. Over time, they become fables, legends passed down from survivor to survivor. But those are the stories of the few, not the many who continue to walk the earth as shells of their former selves. These are their stories. These are the stories of THE DEAD.
You can catch all the episodes here.