Sevier County filmmaker wins awards for Smoky Mountains horror film

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WVLT) - A Pigeon Forge filmmaker directed the film “The Hike” that has won international and local awards.

Vinnie Vineyard the director calls it a “campy horror film” that dabbles into the folklore of the Smoky Mountains. He worked on a paranormal activity show called “Wrestling with Ghosts” where he first heard of the legend of Spearfinger.

According to Cherokee legend, Spearfinger is a shapeshifting mimic who would scare people in the mountains. She would move along the Appalachian area from Tennessee to North Carolina.

“My show Wrestling with Ghosts did an investigation on Spearfinger. We think we may have run into her or something that purported to be her. She used to walk from Townsend to North Carolina and cause terror to these people over the mountain,” said Vineyard

The movie follows a group of people on a hike through East Tennessee where they come across Spear Finger. Vineyard says there are scary moments and funny moments throughout the movie.

Vineyard plans on writing and directing 6 movies through Big N’ Funky Productions about the Great Smoky Mountains. They all include stories inspired by real events and folklore.

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