Soul Shadows is back and ready to take over Los Angeles again! Like last year, the event is celebrating Black horror movies, directors, artists, podcasts, and even businesses. However, it’s expanding in 2026, and we love to see it.
This year’s event will span two days. That’s right! Soul Shadows is taking over the Wönzimer Gallery on February 6 from 6:00 pm-11:00 pm, and on February 7 from 5:00 pm-11:00 pm. Some of this year’s guests that have us Blerding out include scribes like THEE Akela Cooper. Also, artists like Destiny Kelly and NEKRO, and a live podcast recording of Blerdy Massacre (hosted by me and Xero Gravity).
Soul Shadows is also introducing a movie component this year. Filmmaker Brandon Espy will be in the building on February 7 for a special screening of Mr. Crocket. He’ll also be on hand for a Q&A following his movie.
Soul Shadows is produced by Giselle and Bloody Hell Pinz. We were lucky enough to get a minute with Giselle to discuss what inspired her to create what became one of our favorite events of last year.
A Brief History of Soul Shadows
“I started Soul Shadows because the lack of representation in the horror community bothered me. Growing up, there wasn’t much representation in the horror genre. Slowly but surely, I started seeing more people like me on the screen in my favorite genre! I saw the change, but I felt that change wasn’t reflected within many physical horror spaces,” Giselle stated.
She continued, “I’ve gone to bigger conventions and felt like a fish out of water sometimes, and I have even dealt with racism at these events. Sadly, I am not the only one who has. It’s disheartening when you love a genre and community so much, but there isn’t any love for you. That’s why I invented Soul Shadows.”
For those not in the know, Giselle didn’t just show up last year with Soul Shadows. The 2025 edition was actually the evolution of something she started earlier. Giselle explained, “Originally, I did a smaller-scale version of it in 2024 called We Are Here. Seeing the community come together and celebrate Black horror movies, characters, directors, and artists was amazing. I will never forget people coming up to me and telling me they finally felt seen for once in the community. That melted my heart.”
Giselle continued, “From that moment on, I knew I needed to make this into something bigger. That’s how Soul Shadows came to be in 2025. After a successful year, I decided to bring it back for 2026, but this time for two days instead of just one! Soul Shadows isn’t just an art show, but it’s a mini convention full of love and light. With Black-owned horror businesses vending, mesmerizing performers, amazing panelists, film screenings, and more! This is a celebration of who we are and what we offer to the horror genre and community.”
Make sure you snatch your tickets before they’re gone!
