Chuck Parello is the first official jury member of the Outronox Horror Film Festival 2027, the new horror film competition organized by Outronox, whose inaugural edition is currently open for submissions.
A Chicago-born writer and director, Chuck Parello has built much of his career around true crime and horror, often focusing on stories inspired by real events.
He made his directorial debut with Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Part II, praised by critics as a worthy sequel to John McNaughton's cult classic, before directing Ed Gein, which won Best Picture and Best Actor for Steve Railsback (The X-Files, Lifeforce) at the Sitges International Film Festival. The performances by Railsback and Carrie Snodgress (The Fury, The Attic) also received praise for their haunting intensity.
Parello later wrote and directed The Hillside Strangler, starring C. Thomas Howell (The Outsiders, The Hitcher) and Nicholas Turturro (NYPD Blue), a film described by critics as "subversive, stylish and darkly comic."
More recently, he wrote Chad Ferrin's thriller Sunset Strip Killers (The Chair, Pig Killer) and wrote and directed Let Her In, both inspired by real cases.
Chuck Parello will serve on the jury of the inaugural Outronox Horror Film Festival, helping evaluate the finalist works alongside additional jury members who will be announced soon.
Submissions for the Outronox Horror Film Festival 2027 are now open. The first deadline is September 30, 2026, and entries can be submitted exclusively through the official Outronox website, where a completely free submission option is also available.
