What Sleeps Beneath & Image 987 Present: Trailer Bash/Raging Pages Film Festival
Millvale’s legendary venue, Mr. Smalls, renowned for its distinctive character and electrifying atmosphere, will host this year’s Double Feature: Trailer Bash and Raging Pages Festival on June 8. Presented by The Pittsburgh Moving Picture Festival in partnership with entertainment company Image 987 Productions and horror criticism blog What Sleeps Beneath, the event promises a thrilling celebration of film and screenplay writing.
Now in its fourth year, the Trailer Bash/Raging Pages film and screenplay competition aims to unite directors and writers from around the world for a one-day showcase of ingenuity, achievement, and creativity within the horror, thriller, and sci-fi genres. In addition to hosting a free public event, this year’s festival will feature a roundtable and awards ceremony, offering visiting filmmakers the chance to connect with guests, festival supporters, and creatives.
Each year, the Trailer Bash/Raging Pages Festival also makes it a point to collaborate with The George A. Romero Foundation to present a Romero Lives Commemorative Event, honoring the legacy of Pittsburgh’s most influential filmmaker, George A. Romero. Details regarding this special tribute will be announced at a later date.
Watching Movies, Together—Or In This Case, Trailers
Did you know that movie trailers have been around almost as long as cinema itself? First conceived in 1913 by Nils Granlund, film trailers have served as compact promotional showcases for over a century, offering audiences a glimpse into the movies they tease.
In celebration of cinema’s artistry and Pittsburgh’s rich motion picture exhibition history, the Double Feature: Trailer Bash/Raging Pages Festival proudly honors the city's deep ties to filmmaking—making a local independent theater the ideal setting. This year’s event will take place inside The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls, a repurposed 18th-century Catholic church turned vibrant entertainment venue. Nestled upstairs, The Funhouse offers an intimate, artist-focused atmosphere, providing the perfect space for relaxation and discovery.
Here, attendees will experience a showcase of award-winning movie trailers, with honors presented in categories such as Best Trailer, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Score, Woman in Horror, and Audience Favorite. The festival also spotlights emerging talent through its Student Film Division awards.
For the screenplay competition, the Raging Pages awards will recognize excellence in Feature-Length Screenplays, Teleplays/Episodic Screenplays, and Short Screenplays, celebrating the creativity and craftsmanship of writers across the industry.
How To Submit & How To Attend
Building up to this one-day festival, judges have already begun watching and reading submissions and are getting hyped about this year’s creations. Interested in submitting your project? Trailer Bash/Raging Pages Festival is currently accepting submissions on FilmFreeway. The deadlines to enter are as follows:
Regular Deadline: March 28
Late Deadline: April 25
Extended Deadline: May 19
Winners will be notified on May 25.
As a reminder, this event is free to the public so no ticket purchase is necessary.
Be sure to like, follow, and watch for updates from the Trailer Bash/Raging Pages Festival and its sponsoring affiliates:
The Pittsburgh Moving Picture Festival
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PittsburghMovingPictureFest
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pittsburghmovingpicturefest/
Mr. Smalls
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MrSmalls
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrsmallstheatre/
Image 987 Productions
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/IMAGE987
George A. Romero Foundation (GARF)
Article by What Sleeps Beneath
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