Appalachian Horror Comes to Life at Jonesborough's Jackson Theatre

A locally produced horror anthology filmed in Northeast Tennessee will be screened Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Jackson Theatre in Jonesborough as part of the Highlands Horrorfest Roadshow.

“Stranger Tales from Appalachia: A Backwoods Horror Anthology” will begin at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m. Admission is pay-what-you-can.

Artwork by Chelsea Lowe

The 85-minute anthology features three stories rooted in Appalachian settings and horror themes, including a zombie outbreak, a man who encounters the devil and a conspiracy podcaster investigating the disappearance of a UFO researcher.

The anthology includes three short films: “Traildead,” “Set the Woods on Fire” and “Blacklight.”

“Traildead” follows a lone survivor who escapes to the mountains during a mysterious zombie outbreak while attempting to uncover what happened to the world and himself.

Tim Altonen, an East Tennessee State University alumnus and assistant director of engineering for ETSU's Department of Media and Communication, directed the film. Altonen also produced and co-directed the 2018 horror anthology “Strange Tales from Appalachia.”

“Set the Woods on Fire” tells the story of a mountain man who encounters the devil. The film was directed by Ryan Renfro, an ETSU alumnus and descendant of Daniel Boone. Renfro is an Edward R. Murrow Award- and Associated Press award-winning storyteller who works as a video journalist for WCYB.

“Blacklight” follows a conspiracy podcaster investigating the disappearance of a prominent UFO researcher. The film marks the directorial debut of Charlie Hall.

The anthology was filmed entirely in Northeast Tennessee using a local cast and crew. All of the film's producers are ETSU alumni.

From "Set the Woods on Fire"

The project follows the filmmakers' previous feature-length anthology, “Strange Tales from Appalachia,” released in 2018.

The screening is sponsored by the Lost State A/V Club, which will offer VHS horror films and other memorabilia for purchase. Local horror enthusiast Big Daddy Voodoo will host the event.

The film is unrated and contains strong language, violence and brief nudity.

A trailer for “Stranger Tales from Appalachia: A Backwoods Horror Anthology” is available here.