“Because I liked Edgar Allan Poe’s stories so much, I began to shoot suspense films.“ Alfred Hitchcock. Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), supreme father figure of phantastic world literature died almost a half-century before the invention of the cinema. His work is in the public domain, his name is a trademark for horror and the macabre. It is understandable that the number of films which claim to be based on the stories of Poe are enormous – alone the IMDb lists over 300. However, only a few are more closely related to the original stories. And only very few films really do full justice to this man who left so much to the imagination of his reader. On the occasion of the 30th Film Festival anniversary, we have asked three Braunschweig film experts to introduce their “favourite Poe” to our audience, from the Corman classic to the current web series. And as a special highlight, we shall be presenting a silent film concert in the Bartholomäus Church at the end of the Festival. THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER from 1928 still captures the spirit of Poe best of all today, just because director Epstein deals freely with the literary work and uses it as an inspiration for his own independent filmic work.