Fantastic Fest 2010 - September 23-30

Fantastic Fest 2010: September 23-30

"The geek Telluride… Fantastic Fest lives up to its name" – Variety
"The most important film festival in North America" – Texas Monthly
"If there's a heaven, I want it to be just like the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar during the week of Fantastic Fest." – Devin Faraci, CHUD.com

Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the United States. We specialize in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world. We are currently hard at work assembling the best and the strangest films from all over the globe and will be updating this site with the first programming announcements by mid-July.

In the meantime, check out the 2009 edition of Fantastic Fest: the official films, photos, videos and press coverage.

If you are a filmmaker and are interested in screening your film at Fantastic Fest, click here for submission information.

Breasts, Crooks and Avatars - oh my!

The Bare Breasted Countess Wed, Sep 30, 6:45 PM
The screen action, such as it is, is a pas de deux between Lina Romay's Countess Irina Karlstein, a vampire who extracts the love juice of her victims, and Franco regular Jack Taylor's Baron von Rathony, who feels imperceptibly drawn to the Countess until they are finally together in the most intimate way possible. Structured as a surreal tone poem accompanied by the unforgettable music of Daniel White, this is a film like no other.
A limited number of tickets are available to the general public. Click here to buy.

New Wave - Best Feature Winner: Down Terrace Wed, Sep 30, 9:15 PM
In 2007, the people behind the venerable Mondo Macabro DVD label released their first feature film production: a Pakistani gore film called HELL'S GROUND. Now, Mondo Macabro Movies has made a 180 degree turn with DOWN TERRACE, a darkly comedic drama from Britain about the daily travails of a family of crooks trying to keep their criminal enterprise from falling apart.
Click here for tix

Avatar Sneak Preview Footage Wed, Sep 30, 9:45 PM
One of the highlights of the Fantastic Fest 3D program will be a screening of exclusive footage from James Cameron's AVATAR with producer Jon Landau in person to participate in a Q&A with Harry Knowles of Ain’t It Cool News. AVATAR footage courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox.
Click here for tix

Human Centipede (First Sequence) Wed, Sep 30, 11:55 PM
Tom Six's The Human Centipede (First Sequence) is an insane biological horror film that enthusiastically explores territory that few filmmakers dare to tread. In The Human Centipede, Dr. Heiter (Dieter Laser) is a leering, sepulchral surgeon from Germany whose specialty is separating Siamese twins. Dr. Heiter decides to evolve his craft by sewing together living beings together at the "mucous-cutaneous zone" (guess) in order to create Siamese triplets with a single digestive system.
Click here for tix

The Double 3D Dance Party Wed, Sep 30, 11:55 PM at The Highball
Following the AVATAR presentation, Fantastic Fest will present a groundbreaking 3-D Film & Interactive Party, presented by RealD and 3DFF. The event will feature multiple 3-D displays and projection screens that will showcase 3-D interactive experiences, in addition to a 3-D Dance Floor Exhibit. By the end of this party, your senses will be completely ravaged.

Also be sure to check out Fantastic 2009 photos on Flickr and videos on YouTube.

In the Hausu

Things to keep on your radar as Fantastic Fest reaches it's second half.

Succubus Tue, Sep 29, 7:00 PM
SUCCUBUS is like the shiny side of the REPULSION coin, as we see into the dream life of a vivacious sexpot (Janine Reynaud) whose nightclub act depicts sexualized torture on stage. As we follow her through Lisbon and Berlin, through encounters with lesbians, sadists and little people, we begin to see signs that she is carrying her work home with her. Surreal, at times pretentious, but always compelling and new, even Fritz Lang liked this movie, he called it "a beautiful piece of cinema." We are indebted to another well-known admirer of this film for the loan of the print: Quentin Tarantino.
A limited number of tickets are available to the general public. Click here to buy.

Clive Barker's Dread Tue, Sep 29, 11:55 PM
Stephen (Jackson Rathbone from Twilight), Quaid (Shaun Evans) and Cheryl (Hanne Steen), graduate students at Boston College are "seeking to interview men and women for an academic study on fear. Participants will be asked to reveal their innermost terrors on camera." Most of their subjects are mundane, some are fabricating stories to hone their drama department chops but a few of their subjects suffer from the genuine article, deep-seated psyche-scarring fears. Quaid, naturally combative to begin with, becomes violently possessive of the project and wants to take it to the next level. What happens next is a wickedly spiraling sadistic freakout that pounds out the thrills all the way to the end credits. Dread is considered by many Clive Barker fans to be one of the best stories in his Books of Blood series, and first time director DiBlasi really nails every nuance of the story.
Click here for tix

100 Best Kills Party Tue, Sep 29, 11:59 PM
We'll be celebrating the absolute finest in on-screen annihilation with an interactive celebration of on-screen intestine-ripping, head-bursting and unrepentant baby-mashing! Your faithful FF programmers will get the festivities started with some of their all-time favorite examples of cinematic savagery, but then we'll be opening things up so YOU can share your most beloved homicide as well. It's easy...just bring along anything good, goopy n' gory that can play on a laptop or all-region DVD player and you'll be called on to nauseate the masses with your ultimate beloved gutblast! Note: if you want to take part in 100 Best Kills, bring a DVD of your favorite kill and pass it off with a timecode of the kill to FF warriors Zack Carlson or Lars Nilsen. VHS is also encouraged (cued up to the desired moment, of course). We will be awarding prizes to the best kills of the night.

House (Hausu) Thu, Oct 01, 1:30 PM
Every aspect of this movie - from the eye-defying color palate to the lazer-occult effects work - is calculated to boil your organs. Obayashi's debut feature remains a crushing, 300-fisted assault on the senses, so viciously paced and perfectly presented that watching it would actually kill the average moviegoer. This is your chance to prove that you've got what it takes to stand up to the most vibrant and compelling theatrical oddity to hit the screen. Ladies and gentlemen...HAUSU!!!
Click here for tix

Also be sure to check out Fantastic 2009 photos on Flickr and videos on YouTube.

TRUFFE Feast

Check out the TRUFFE Feast

Kim Nguyen's wonderfully inventive film centered around Montreal truffle miners and the furry mind control creatures that are trying to manipulate them becomes even more fantastic when you are simultaneously enjoying a 5 course truffle feast with matching wine pairings.

Although Truffe has played several festivals, Fantastic Fest will be debuting the directors cut version of the film. Also, executive chefs John Bullington and Trish Eichelberger will be preparing a 3 course truffle feast to accompany the film. The feast will be an upcharge for badgeholders and will also be available to the general public.

The Menu

First
Richardson farms pork belly with truffle risotto

Second
Gulf shrimp and ramps in a pepper crepe with truffle cream sauce and grilled asparagus

Third
Truffle-bittersweet chocolate truffle with truffle gelato

Tickets to this Fantastic Food & Film event are available here

Cirque Du 3D

The first official day of Fantastic Fest 2009 is upon us! Check back here often to see what you need to see:

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant with stars John C. Reilly, Josh Hutcherson, Chris Johnson and Chris Massoglia LIVE! - Sat, Sept 26, 6:45pm
Vampires seem to be all the rage these days, but don't think that THE VAMPIRE'S ASSITANT is just jumping on the bandwagon. CIRQUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT is based on the popular series of books by Darren Shan and is a fantasy-adventure about a teenager who unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires. Pulled into a fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and grotesque creatures of the night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares. A perfect film for teenagers so any badgeholders with friends or family between the ages of 12 and 18 can come to the Lamar box office for FREE TICKETS. 1 free adult ticket per every 2 youth tickets picked up.
Click here for tix

The Future of 3D: Panels and Presentations Sun, Sep 27, 9:00am
Fantastic Fest, RealD and 3DFF and have assembled a half-day of panels and presentations geared towards filmmakers who are interested in learning the fundamentals of shooting in 3D. It's an amazing group of 3D experts who will be talking about the future of 3D and giving real hands-on instruction. Reps from Robert Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios will be there as well as the president of RealD, Josh Greer, and Bob Whitehill, 3D guru for Pixar. FREE for all badge holders and includes lunch!
Click here for tix

Also be sure to check out Fantastic 2009 photos on Flickr and videos on YouTube.

Tickets for all FF Gala Guest Events at the Paramount Theater available NOW!!!

Fantastic Fest at the Paramount!

This year, Fantastic Fest has an unbelievably massive assortment of zombie-smashers, sci-fi icons and assisted vampires LIVE IN PERSON at the following special events:

GENTLEMEN BRONCOS with stars Jemaine Clement, Sam Rockwell, Mike White, Michael Angarano and filmmakers Jared & Jerusha Hess LIVE! - Thur, Sept 24, 7pm
Click here for tix

ZOMBIELAND with stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and director Ruben Fleischer LIVE! - Fri, Sept 25, 6:45pm
Click here for tix

THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT with stars John C. Reilly, Josh Hutcherson, Chris Johnson and Chris Massoglia LIVE! - Sat, Sept 26, 6:45pm
Click here for tix

SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD with director George A. Romero, director of photography Adam Swica and editor Michael Doherty LIVE! - Sat, Sept 26, 9:45pm
Click here for tix

These events are so big, in fact, that we've partnered with the colossal Paramount Theater to bring them to you. That means a whole bunch of tickets are available to FF-goers as well as folks who don't even have a Fantastic Fest badge. Do you hear me? Tickets to star-packed premieres of GENTLEMEN BRONCOS with Jemaine Clement and others, ZOMBIELAND with Woody Harrelson and others, SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD with George Romero and THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT with John C. Reilly and others are available to YOU. Yes, you too can be rubbing elbows with the stars and enjoying the films that all your friends will be talking about later.

Don't get left out!

ABOUT PARAMOUNT SEATING

As with all screenings at Fantastic Fest, VIP Badgeholders are guaranteed admission to the Paramount gala shows. By moving from the South Lamar theater to the Paramount, we have expanded the capacity of the gala shows so we can also accommodate a large number of regular badges as well. Regular badge holders are not guaranteed admission to the gala events, but far more will be able to get in than in years past.

Third Wave of Fantastic Fest titles announced!

Third Wave of Fantastic Fest titles announced!

Antichrist, Rec 2, Ninja Assassin, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, Paranormal Activity and more are all set to play Fantastic Fest 2009. We've also updated BSide with showtimes so you can start plotting your schedule. Expect a few more minor announcements in the next couple weeks, but the bulk of the Fantastic Fest schedule is now online! Check out the full press release here.

VIP, 2nd Half and Film Badges for Fantastic Fest 2009 are sold out, and we have just a handful of daytime only badges available. We will still be opening up a few tickets for select shows throughout the festival - check back to the festival homepage for daily updates on available tickets. Also there are individual tickets available for the gala shows at the Paramount: Gentlemen Broncos, Zombieland, Survival of the Dead and Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

Cinemapocalypse

The Austin Film Society and Fantastic Fest are excited to present Quentin Tarantino’s INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, starring Brad Pitt, on August 15 at 9 PM at The Alamo Downtown (320 E 6th Street). Tarantino will be on hand for Q&A after the film. The screening will kick off Cinemapocalyse, a dusk-til dawn movie marathon. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS will be followed by a double feature of repertory films programmed by Quentin Tarantino. Both films are influences for INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is the only film that will be announced prior to the event, the "influences" double feature and the rest of the program will be announced just before they hit screen. Tickets for Cinemapocalypse will be available to Austin Film Society members and 2009 Fantastic Fest badge holders on Thursday, July 30 at noon CST and be available here. Tickets for a simultaneous VIP screening of the film will be available to Austin Film Society members on Wednesday, July 29 at 10 AM. The $100 ticket will include dinner, the screening and simulcast of the Q&A. Tickets will be on sale at austinfilm.org and all proceeds benefit the Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund, which received a record number of grant requests for 2009.

Fantastic Fest 2009 - September 24-October 1
The first wave of content for 2009 has been announced! Leading off the announcement is our opening night film: Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) returns with Gentlemen Broncos. Jared Hess and Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) will be live in person. We are also welcoming Jess Franco to Fantastic Fest for his first North American festival appearance. Jess Franco will be receiving the Fantastic Fest lifetime achievement award. Click here for full details on the 32 features and 15 shorts announced today. If you want to stay on top of all the news and events, especially during the festival, subscribe to this blog and follow us on twitter! Badges are still available for this year's festival, so tell your friends - there ain't no party like a Fantastic Fest party.

Fantastic Fest: Sept 24-Oct 1, 2009

Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the U.S., specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world. In years past we have presented the world premieres of THERE WILL BE BLOOD, APOCALYPTO and EAGLE EYE, while our guest roster has included such talent as Mel Gibson, Bill Murray, Paul Rudd, Bill Pullman, Paul Thomas Anderson, Kevin Smith, Jon Favreau, George Romero, Darren Aronofsky and Mike Judge. We also feature world, national and regional premieres of new, up-and-coming genre films.

Fantastic Fest is held each year, primarily at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on South Lamar in Austin, Texas. The Alamo Drafthouse was named the best cinema in America by Entertainment Weekly and features food and drink served to your seat without any disruption of the movie experience.

During his Keynote Address at the International film Festival Summit in Las Vegas, Variety president and publisher Charlie Koones listed Fantastic Fest in a list of "10 Film Festivals we Love," a list which included industry heavy-hitters such as Cannes, Toronto and Telluride.

"The geek Telluride… Fantastic Fest lives up to its name" – Variety

"If there's a heaven, I want it to be just like the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar during the week of Fantastic Fest." – Devin Faraci, CHUD.com

Fantastic Fest: Sept 24-Oct 1, 2009

Fantastic Fest is the premiere genre film festival in the U.S., specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world. In years past we have presented the world premieres of THERE WILL BE BLOOD, APOCALYPTO and EAGLE EYE, while our guest roster has included such stars as Mel Gibson, Bill Murray, Paul Rudd, and Bill Pullman and such filmmakers as Paul Thomas Anderson (BOOGIE NIGHTS), Kevin Smith (CLERKS), Jon Favreau (IRON MAN), George Romero (DAWN OF THE DEAD), Darren Aronofsky (THE WRESTLER) and Mike Judge (OFFICE SPACE).

Fantastic Fest is held each year, primarily at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on South Lamar in Austin, Texas. The Alamo Drafthouse was named the best cinema in America by Entertainment Weekly and features food and drink served to your seat without any disruption of the movie experience.

During his Keynote Address at the International film Festival Summit in Las Vegas, Variety president and publisher Charlie Koones listed Fantastic Fest in a list of "10 Film Festivals we Love," a list which included industry heavy-hitters such as Cannes, Toronto and Telluride.

We strive to make the festival the most friendly, fun and exciting experience as possible for our out of town guests and visiting filmmakers. In addition to screening over 70 features and 50 shorts, Fantastic Fest boast such signature events as our trivia show Fantastic Feud; The Fantastic Debates, where contestants debate inside a boxing ring and then duke it out for real; and 100 Best Kills, a compilation of the most violent movie deaths of all time. On top of all that, Fantastic Fest screens some of the most offbeat and exciting new films, from major studio releases to independent and international productions, along with special retrospective screenings of rare films.

"The geek Telluride… Fantastic Fest lives up to its name" – Variety

"If there's a heaven, I want it to be just like the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar during the week of Fantastic Fest." – Devin Faraci, CHUD.com

"Fantastic Fest has made my whole career. Everything related to the future of Timecrimes and mine as an american directors comes through your festival. I know that some directors have a particular festival attached to their whole biography. Now I know mine." - Nacho Vigalondo, director, TIMECRIMES (worldwide rights to TIMECRIMES were purchased by Magnolia Releasing following the world premiere of the film at Fantastic Fest 2007)

Welcome To Fantastic Fest 2009

Important dates for the Fantastic Fest 2009

March 4, 2009: Earlybird Submission Deadline
May 6, 2009: Regular Submission Deadline
July 17, 2009: 2009 Festival submissions closed.
July 16, 2009: First wave of festival content posted
August 6, 2009: Second wave of festival content posted
September 3, 2009: Final wave of content and schedule posted
September 13, 2009: Fantastic Fest Online begins
September 23, 2009: Fantastic Fest Badge Pickup Begins at Alamo South Lamar
September 24, 2009: Fantastic Fest begins
October 1, 2009: Fantastic Fest closing night party

About Fantastic Fest
Fantastic Fest is the premiere genre film festival in the U.S., specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world. In years past we have presented the world premieres of THERE WILL BE BLOOD, APOCALYPTO and EAGLE EYE, while our guest roster has included such stars as Mel Gibson, Bill Murray, Paul Rudd, and Bill Pullman and such filmmakers as Paul Thomas Anderson (BOOGIE NIGHTS), Kevin Smith (CLERKS), Jon Favreau (IRON MAN), George Romero (DAWN OF THE DEAD), Darren Aronofsky (THE WRESTLER) and Mike Judge (OFFICE SPACE).

Fantastic Fest is held each year, primarily at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on South Lamar in Austin, Texas. The Alamo Drafthouse was named the best cinema in America by Entertainment Weekly and features food and drink served to your seat without any disruption of the movie experience.

During his Keynote Address at the International film Festival Summit in Las Vegas, Variety president and publisher Charlie Koones listed Fantastic Fest in a list of "10 Film Festivals we Love," which he described as "interesting and exciting" events, not listed in order of importance. In addition to our festival, the list included industry heavy-hitters such as Cannes, Toronto and Telluride.

We strive to make the festival the most friendly, fun and exciting experience as possible for our out of town guests and visiting filmmakers. In addition to screening over 70 features and 100 shorts, Fantastic Fest boast such signature events as our trivia show Fantastic Feud; The Fantastic Debates, where contestants debate inside a boxing ring and then duke it out for real; and 100 Best Kills, a compilation of the most violent movie deaths of all time. On top of all that, Fantastic Fest screens some of the most offbeat and exciting new films, from major studio releases to independent and international productions, along with special retrospective screenings of rare films.

"The geek Telluride… Fantastic Fest lives up to its name" – Variety

"If there's a heaven, I want it to be just like the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar during the week of Fantastic Fest." – Devin Faraci, CHUD.com

"Fantastic Fest is kinda what I think a festival should be. The whole festival isn't built to sell movies… it's built for film fans to have a really great time at. Fancy that…" – Rian Johnson, writer/director of THE BROTHERS BLOOM

"Fantastic Fest has made my whole career. Everything related to the future of Timecrimes and mine as an american directors comes through your festival. I know that some directors have a particular festival attached to their whole biography. Now I know mine."
- Nacho Vigalondo, director, TIMECRIMES (worldwide rights to TIMECRIMES were purchased by Magnolia Releasing following the world premiere of the film at Fantastic Fest 2007)

Tickets for the 2009 Fantastic Fest
2009 VIP Badges went on sale during the 2008 Festival and sold out in just over two hours. Regular Festival Badges, daytime-only badges and Second-half badges are available on the ticket page of this website. Closer to the festival, we will open up more VIP badges for sale, but they will only be available as an upgrade to 2009 regular badge holders.