FANTASTIC FEST Announces A Slew Of Amazing Films Coming To Austin In September!
As the summer months come to a close and give way to cooler fall weather, things are heating up in Austin, TX as genre fans from around the world get ready for Fantastic Fest! One of the last genre-focused film festivals of the year, Fantastic Fest has just announced its lineup for this year and it is absolutely stacked with releases both old and new including a heavy dose of films that will be celebrating their World Premiers at the fest.
Some of the films of note are, Damien Leone’s “Terrifier 3”, Alexandre Aja’s “Never Let Go” starring Halle Berry, and “Apartment 7A”, the prequel to “Rosemary’s Baby.” Check out the press release and trailer below for a better idea of what to expect, and a full list of films appearing at the festival can be found here!
From The Press Release:
AUSTIN, TX — August 15, 2024 — Step right up for the greatest show on Earth! That’s right, Fantastic Fest is back for its 19th edition, bringing you a cavalcade of cinematic wonders from around the globe. Featuring 28 World Premieres, 23 International and North American Premieres, and 15 U.S. Premieres that are guaranteed to delight and surprise you, complemented by jaw-dropping events and spectacular special guests. Join us under the big top at the world-famous Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin, TX, from September 19th- 26th. Badges are available now at FantasticFest.com.
“The Fantastic Fest team is absolutely elated about this year’s festival. We can’t wait to share the very best new films from around the world and enjoy our sensational events together this September,” says Festival Director Lisa Dreyer. “We’re also honored to be joined by a number of notable guests, and welcome our Fantastic Fest family back to Austin to celebrate cinema, whether it’s your 1st time or 19th!”
Fantastic Fest 2024 opens with a bang, featuring the world premiere of THE RULE OF JENNY PEN from director James Ashcroft. Geoffrey Rush stars as a judge who finds himself in a nursing home after an unexpected health scare, where he encounters a bizarre resident (played by John Lithgow) hellbent on terrorizing the patients. As the stakes escalate, Rush and Lithgow battle it out in epic fashion, in this unbelievably entertaining and disturbing thriller.
Fantastic Fest 2024’s opening night gala will include Lionsgate’s horror psychological thriller NEVER LET GO. Legendary horror director Alexandre Aja and Oscar-winning star Halle Berry and producing 21 Laps (Stranger Things, ARRIVAL) will join us to screen their new film. As an evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival. NEVER LET GO will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Opening night will also feature the world premiere of Cineverse, Bloody Disgusting, Screambox, and Dark Age Cinema's TERRIFIER 3, featuring the infamous Art the Clown spreading holiday fear in director Damien Leone’s highly anticipated Christmas-set sequel.
Fantastic Fest is also proud to present a special screening of Netflix’s documentary WILL & HARPER, with Will Ferrell, Harper Steele, and director Josh Greenbaum in attendance. The event will be livestreamed to select Alamo Drafthouses nationwide. The film follows the two friends on a road trip across the USA, so Ferrell can connect more deeply with his longtime collaborator Steele after her recent transition, and is a heartwarming, humorous, and extremely timely and important watch.
The closing night film will be the world premiere of Hulu’s MR. CROCKET, director Brandon Espy’s feature debut based on his popular short. Starring Elvis Nolasco as a diabolical children’s TV show host and Jerrika Hinton as a mother who will stop at nothing to protect her son, MR. CROCKET is an entertaining and imaginative slasher with a deep emotional core at the center of the story.
Fantastic Fest is thrilled to honor Director Nacho Vigalondo with a special award for his contributions to genre film, from his legendary time-traveler thriller TIMECRIMES, to the charming creature feature COLOSSAL. His latest film, DANIELA FOREVER, an intensely personal sci-fi romance, will be screened at the festival, followed by a conversation with Vigalondo.
Major studio films include Amazon MGM Studios and Blumhouse Television’s atmospherically chilling HOUSE OF SPOILS, Shudder’s newest installment of their popular horror anthology, V/H/S/BEYOND, NEON’s Palme d'Or winner, ANORA, MUBI’s tense thriller set in the ruthless world of Irish shepherding, BRING THEM DOWN, Paramount+’s anticipated prequel to ROSEMARY’S BABY, APARTMENT 7A, Sony Pictures International Productions’ charming ghost comedy, DEAD TALENTS SOCIETY, DreamWorks Animation’s new epic feature THE WILD ROBOT, A24’s suspenseful dark comedy A DIFFERENT MAN, Netflix’s touching documentary, THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF IBELIN, and IFC Films’ heartfelt animated film MEMOIR OF A SNAIL.
Fantastic Fest is also proud to present the World Premieres of two highly anticipated series: Prime Video’s THE LEGEND OF VOX MACHINA, Season 3, based on everyone’s favorite tabletop and roleplaying game livestream, Critical Role, and Peacock’s TEACUP, a twisted tale of survival from executive producers Ian McCulloch and James Wan.
An esteemed jury of filmmakers, critics, and industry insiders will join us to bestow awards in four categories: Main Competition, Horror, Next Wave, and Shorts. Jurors include filmmakers Sterlin Harjo, Jennifer Kent, Adam Egypt Mortimer, Demián Rugna, Graham Skipper, and Arkasha Stevenson; actors Zoe Bell and Barbara Crampton; and writers Valerie Complex and Tim Smith.
Other World Premieres include:
RLJE Films/Shudder’s LITTLE BITES, from writer/director Spider One, a chillingly original tale of a mother who will do anything for her daughter.
BONE LAKE, a twisted erotic thriller from festival alum Mercedes Bryce Morgan.
WHAT HAPPENED TO DOROTHY BELL?, a terrifying found footage film from writer/director Danny Villanueva Jr.
The Events
Fantastic Fest has a variety of spectacular special events this year, including:
The world’s only McDonald’s themed Black Sabbath cover band, Mac Sabbath, will kick off the fest with an epic opening night performance.
Day of The Devs will bring a selection of genre video games to play with our inaugural Fantastic Games event, including Fear the Spotlight from Cozy Game Pals and Blumhouse Games, Five Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic from Steel Wool, and several other exciting titles.
SpectreVision Radio will host live podcast recordings, including Mike Flanagan’s Director’s Commentary with special guest Jennifer Kent, and Elijah Wood and Daniel Noah's Visitations.
Live events throughout the week including a Ghoulish Book Fair, a circus-themed drag show hosted by the legendary Louisianna Purchase, Fright or Wrong Trivia, a brand new show of video oddities from The Found Footage Festival and more!
And finally, Fantastic Fest essentials like the Fantastic Feud, the Fantastic Debates, and an epic Closing Night Party featuring the 999 Eyes Freakshow rounding out the week.
Rapturous Restorations and Other Rarities
Once again, we are partnering with our friends at the American Genre Film Archive to bring a selection of restorations to the festival, including the world premiere of the new restoration of Satanic panic horror artifact SATAN WAR, a screening of the only 35mm print(s) in existence of Johnnie To's 1990s action masterpiece, THE MISSION, and two on-theme carnival horror films: THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES WHO STOPPED LIVING AND BECAME MIXED UP ZOMBIES, and CARNIVAL OF BLOOD.
Formed in 2009, the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to preserving the legacy of genre movies through collection, conservation, and distribution.
Other notable restorations include the World premiere of the 4K restoration of BIG TOP PEE-WEE from Graveface Films which is a subsidiary of Terror Vision Home Video, the theatrical world premiere of the 4k restoration of THE GUEST from Picturehouse, the world premiere of the restoration of DISEMBODIED from Bleeding Skull, the international premiere of the 4K restoration of Ozploitation classic WAKE IN FRIGHT, the world premiere of the restoration of cult classic THE BIRTHDAY from Drafthouse Films, and the North American premiere of MUBI’s 4K restoration of THE FALL from Director Tarsem Singh. Fantastic Fest is also thrilled to host the US premiere of the 4K restoration of Sony Pictures Classics’ NINE QUEENS, with a special introduction from Demián Rugna.
Burnt Ends, Fantastic Fest’s sidebar dedicated to micro-budget outlier cinema, is back! World Premieres include the Guit Brothers’ HEADS OR FAILS, the hilarious AJ GOES TO THE DOG PARK, and THE WORKOUT featuring a cast of stunt people. This distinctive sidebar also includes the Texas Premiere of Cannes’ surprise breakout GAZER from Metrograph Pictures.
Fantastic Fest is proud to present 83 feature films and episodics, as well as a variety of short film selections to be announced at a later date — all showcasing World, North American, U.S. and Regional Premieres. See below for the full lineup of feature film programming at this year’s festival.
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