Cinema Scares began as the Sinister Nights (SiN) Film Festival in South Florida in 2000. The festival changed locations when the founder, Jason Hignite, moved back to his hometown of Shelbyville, Indiana. The SiN Film Festival held its final event at The Strand Theatre in 2023. Following the event, the film fest was rebranded to give it a new identity in its new home. But, why Shelbyville?
Ever notice that oftentimes horror films are set in small, out-of-the-way towns? Well, welcome to Shelbyville, Indiana, home of the creepy macabre. Shelbyville has many haunted stories and legends. It just might be the scariest and most haunted city in the entire state. Even our venue, the Strand Theatre, is reported to be haunted.