The LAX Hilton played host to this year’s HAUNTX Festival, a collection of the state’s greatest minds and innovators of the horror industry. From makeup and special effects to props and services, HAUNTX is the place to be when you want to get deeper into anything horror or Halloween related. But this year, one special treat were the film screenings: independent horror films were open to the attendees for viewing and voting for best film.

My main focus for review which also ended up being my favorite piece that night was Driftwood, a film by renowned horror guru, Tim Sullivan, who was also the writer and director of 20,000 maniacs. The film was based on a combination of Mr. Sullivan’s research about youth camps that forced a class ranking system and the breakdown of adolescent confidence, which more often than not led to beatings, unruly behavior, even death. And while the premise of the story was largely fictitious, it can very well happen.

The story revolves around young David Forrester (Ricky Ullman), who is torn inside by the death of his older brother. His dark actions and sad demeanor forces his parents to send him to Driftwood. There he is acquainted with the camp’s warden, Captain Kennedy, played by world famous wrestling champion, Diamond Dallas Page. The two quickly identify each other as the hero and the antagonist. Ricky Ullman does a good job of portraying a young man with inner demons. But more credit goes to Mr. Page who brings so much life into his character. Most villains are easy to loathe, but Captain Kennedy is one you can laugh with in the midst of all his mischief. Diamond Dallas Page carried over his energy and dynamics from the wrestling world to add all the right quirks and flavor to a horror movie villain. The two characters feud throughout the whole movie as they discover each others secrets, all leading to the climactic confrontation of both David’s fears and Driftwood’s dark past.

A question and answer session after the screening gave more insight into the movie’s conception and the cast’s thoughts. Director Tim Sullivan kindly answered anything the crowd threw at him, including his personal research. He explained his own background with youth camps and the stories he’s collected, all of which contributed to Driftwood’s validity and credibility. Mr. Page also spoke about his transition from the ring to the big screen, dissecting backstage scripts and his current one, and how many similarities each character had. This is also visible in one of the scenes where Captain Kennedy comically shows off his muscles during a yoga exercise, as Mr. Page himself really is a yoga expert.

Look forward to Driftwood’s release this year, I know I will! Special thanks to the wonderful staff of the HAUNTX expo, to Roxanne Romero at IT Girl Public Relations, and to DDP for being an inspiration when I was 16, and continuing to do so now.