It’s alright, it’s okay, Mark Borchardt will introduce ‘Coven’ October 16 at the Times

As we all know, Mark Borchardt’s 1997’s film Coven is a 35-minute direct-market thriller film shot on 16mm black and white reversal. It’s about an alcoholic, man, compelled to go to this group meeting by his one and only friend left. But they’re not that helpful, the group, you know? You know about the group thing?

Also, Coven is pronounced “COE-ven,” because “CUH-ven” sounds like “oven.”

Borchardt’s harrowing short film (the making of which was documented in 1999’s award-winning American Movie) premiered at Milwaukee’s Times Cinema on June 12, 1997. Now, nearly 30 years later, Borchardt will return to the Times to introduce a special screening of the film on Thursday, October 16. The screening will be presented by Joe Pickett (Found Footage Festival) and Scott Miller (Strange Tapes Zine) under their “Strange/Found VHS” banner.

“Coven is one of the most uniquely Milwaukee movies of all time and it needs to be celebrated regularly,” Pickett tells Milwaukee Record. “With this screening, I’m hoping to institute an annual Coven screening at the Times. I’m also hoping the mayor will declare October 16 to be ‘Coven Day’ from this day forward.”

Hell yes. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. General admission tickets are $13, and are on sale NOW.

But what about merch? Will there be merch? Answer: YES.

“At the show, we’ll be selling a newly designed, limited edition (officially licensed!) Coven hoodie,” Pickett says. “It’s cool as hell and was designed by Bryan Durren, the mastermind behind the 1990 Michigan Death Metal Festival. The hoodie kinda looks like one of those Black Metal shirt designs. And we’re bringing white fabric Sharpies so Mark can sign them.”

And there’s more! While Coven will be the climax of the event, it will preceded by oodles of spooky VHS odds and ends unearthed and presented by Pickett and Miller.

“Since Coven is only 35 minutes long, I’ll be rounding out the evening by curating scary/dumb VHS clips with Scott,” Pickett says. “He and I have been doing a side project called ‘Strange/Found VHS’ regularly at Music Box in Chicago. It’s presented similarly to Found Footage Festival, but Scott’s editing style is much different than mine and our videos are generally grosser than most FFF shows.”

Adds Pickett: “Mark doesn’t make a lot of public appearances these days, but I’m happy that he agreed to introduce the movie on the very stage where he debuted Coven in 1997.”