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Fantastic Fest | |
---|---|
Status | Active |
Genre | Film festival |
Location(s) | Austin, Texas |
Country | United States |
Inaugurated | 2005 |
Most recent | September 19–26, 2024 |
Organized by | Alamo Drafthouse |
Website | fantasticfest |
Fantastic Fest is an annual film festival in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 2005 by Tim League of Alamo Drafthouse.
Lisa Dreyer is festival director. [1] Annick Mahnert is head of programming.
The festival focuses on genre films such as horror, science fiction, fantasy, action, Asian, and cult. The festival takes place in September at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, filling eight screens for eight days and hosting many writers, directors, and actors, either well-established or unknown. The festival has become known as a launch-pad for genre films, where critical acclaim at the fest can lead to big box office returns. [2] A notable feature of this festival is the inclusion of "secret screenings". For these screenings, the audience often does not know what the film will be until seated, moments before it begins. [3] It also features many themed parties, outings, film-themed "feasts", and other events that are hallmarks of the original Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. In 2007, Variety publisher Charles Koones included Fantastic Fest as one of "ten festivals we love". [4] In 2008, Moviemaker named Fantastic Fest "one of the 25 film festivals worth the entry fee". [5] In 2017, Moviemaker listed Fantastic Fest in "The 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World." [6]
In 2022, an online-exclusive section of programming was created: "Burnt Ends." In this new segment, Fantastic Fest wants to showcase "the weirdest, wildest, most fringe films out there." [7]
It has been suggested that this article be split into a new article titled List of Fantastic Fest festivals . (discuss) (September 2024) |
The 2005 festival was only three days long, October 6–9. Screened films included Feast , Wolf Creek , and Zathura . The official sponsors of the 2005 festival were Milkshake Media, KOOP Radio, The Austin Chronicle , Jackson Walker LLP, and Independence Brewery.
U.S. premieres
Texas premieres
The theme of the 2005 retrospective series was "Post Apocalyptic Cinema".
The special effects team from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe installed a display of costumes, creatures and props from the Narnia film. Legendary makeup and effects supervisor Howard Berger presided over a special effects Q&A.
The 2006 festival was expanded to 8 days and held September 21–28.
World premiere
U.S. premieres
Texas premieres
There were three retrospective series. The first paid homage to cult midnight films and included:
The second was presented by cult author Jack Stevenson and included:
And the third was a retrospective of the action/crime films of director Ram Gopal Varma, featuring:
There was also Meltdown Memoirs, a documentary about the making of Street Trash , which also played.
Horror Jury Awards, for excellence in the horror genre [8]
Serving on the horror jury were Jay Slater of FilmThreat.com , Edwin Neal of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , Peter Martin of Twitch.com, and Chris Cargill of AintItCoolNews.com.
Short Film Jury Awards
Serving on the Short Film Jury were Brian Satterwhite, Jay Knowles and Chris Cargill, all of AintItcoolNews.com.
Fantastic Fest Jury Awards, for excellence in films outside the horror genre
Serving on the Fantastic Fest Jury Awards were Christian Hallman of the Lund International Fantastic Film Festival, Wiley Wiggins of Dazed and Confused and Waking Life, and Scott Weinberg of Fearnet and Cinematical.com.
Audience Awards
The 2007 festival was held September 20–27. In 2007, Fantastic Fest became a supporting member of the Melies European Federation of Fantastic Film Festivals and helped to found the North American Fantastic Festival Alliance, along with Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal and Dead Channels in San Francisco. The official sponsors of the 2007 Fantastic Fest were AMD, Stella Artois, AT&T, Twitch.com, B-Side, Rue Morgue, Fangoria, and Mondo Macabro.
World premieres
U.S. premieres
Texas premieres
The Nikkatsu action series featured films mainly never before shown theatrically in the U.S.:
AMD Next Wave Award, for excellence by an up-and-coming filmmaker
Horror Jury Award, for excellence in the horror genre
Fantastic Fest Jury Award, for excellence outside of the horror genre
Horror Shorts Award
Animated Shorts Award
Fantastic Shorts Award
Audience Award
Fantastic Fest 2008 was held September 18–25.
World premieres
US premieres
Texas premieres
There was an Ozploitation retrospective featuring Australian exploitation films from the '70s and '80s:
And the documentary Not Quite Hollywood about Ozploitation in the golden age.
There was also a sampling of Japanese "pinku" titles, including
AMD Next Wave Award for excellence by an up-and-coming filmmaker
AMD Fantastic Fest Online
Horror Features, for excellence in the horror genre
Fantastic Features, for excellence outside of the horror genre
Horror Shorts
Fantastic Shorts
Animated Shorts
The 2009 festival was held September 24 – October 1. It was the first year of the Fantastic Fest Lifetime Achievement Award, which was given to director Jess Franco. The official sponsors of the 2009 Fantastic Fest were Real D, G4, Dark Sky Films, Best Buy, Stella Artois, Jeremiah Weed, Ain't It Cool News, and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.
World premieres
U.S. premieres
Texas premieres
A retrospective of the films of Jess Franco in support of his lifetime achievement award: [18]
Next Wave Award, for excellence by an up-and-coming filmmaker
Horror Jury Award, for excellence in the horror genre
Fantastic Fest Jury Award, for excellence outside of the horror genre
Horror Shorts Award
Fantastic Shorts Award
Animated Shorts Award
Audience Award
The 2010 festival was held September 23–30. It was the first year of the Fantastic Arcade, a showcase of independent video games. [22] The presenting sponsors of the 2010 Fantastic Fest were Dell, AMD, RealD, Ambhar Tequila, FearNet.com, Sony PlayStation, and Qriocity. [23]
International premieres
US premieres
Texas premieres
Live Performances
The Dell/AMD Next Wave Award, for excellence by an up-and-coming filmmaker
Horror Jury Award, for excellence in the horror genre
Fantastic Fest Jury Award, for excellence outside of the horror genre
Horror Shorts Award
Fantastic Shorts Award
Animated Shorts Award
Audience Award
The 2011 Fantastic Fest film festival was held September 22–29.
International premieres
U.S. premieres
Texas premieres
Audience Award
AMD & Dell "Next Wave" Spotlight Competition
Horror Features
Fantastic Features
Gutbuster Comedy Features
Short Fuse: Horror Shorts
Fantastic Shorts
Drawn and Quartered: Animated Shorts
The 2012 Fantastic Fest Film Festival took place September 20–27. This was the last year Fantastic Fest was held at the Highball and South Lamar theater before it was all remodeled.
International premieres
U.S. premieres
Texas premieres
Austin premieres
Audience Award
AMD "Next Wave" Spotlight Competition
Fantastic Features
Horror Features
Gutbuster Comedy Features
Documentary Features
Short Fuse: Horror Shorts
Fantastic Shorts
Drawn and Quartered: Animated Shorts
The 2013 festival was hosted for the first time at the brand new Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline location from September 19–26.
North American premieres
U.S. premieres
Texas premieres
Austin premieres
Audience Award
"Next Wave" Spotlight
Fantastic Features
Horror Features
Gutbuster Comedy Features
Documentary Features
Short Fuse: Horror Shorts
Fantastic Shorts
Drawn and Quartered: Animated Shorts
Fantastic Arcade
The 2014 festival returned to the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar location from September 18–25 for the 10-year anniversary.
North American premieres
U.S. premieres
Texas premieres
Austin premieres
Audience Award
"Next Wave" Spotlight
Fantastic Features
Horror Features
Gutbuster Comedy Features
Documentary Features
Short Fuse: Horror Shorts'
Fantastic Shorts
Drawn and Quartered: Animated Shorts
Fantastic Arcade
‘Mercado Fantastico’
The 2015 festival returned to the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar location from Sept. 24–Oct. 1.
North American premieres
U.S. premieres
Texas premieres
Audience Award
"Next Wave" Spotlight
Fantastic Features
Horror Features
Comedy Features
Documentary Features
Horror Shorts
Fantastic Shorts
Fantastic Arcade
Mercado Fantastico
FANTASTIC BUMPER COMPETITION – Presented by SourceFed Nerd
The 2016 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar from Sept. 22–29.
International Premieres
North American Premieres
U.S. Premieres
Texas Premieres
Regional Premieres
Austin Premieres
Repertory Screenings
Special Screenings
Audience Award
"Next Wave" Features
Fantastic Features
Horror Features
Comedy Features
Action Features
Documentary Features
Short Fuse: Horror Shorts
Fantastic Shorts
Shorts With Legs
Fantastic Arcade
Fantastic Bumper Competition
The 2017 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar from Sept. 21–28. The event attracted attention due to the disclosure that Tim League had re-hired Devin Faraci as a writer even though Faraci resigned from Birth.Movies.Death in 2016 after he was accused of sexual assault. Faraci's re-hiring prompted the resignation of Todd Brown, Fantastic Fest's director of international programming. [62] Alamo Drafthouse/Fantastic Fest severed ties with Harry Knowles after sexual harassment/assault allegations pertaining to him also surfaced. [63]
International Premieres
North American Premieres
U.S. Premieres
Texas Premieres
Repertory Screenings
Special Screenings
Audience Award Winner
"Next Wave" Features
Fantastic Features
Horror Features
Comedy Features
Thriller Features
Documentary Features
Short Fuse: Horror Shorts
Fantastic Shorts
Shorts With Legs
Fantastic Bumper Competition
The 2018 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar from Sept. 20–27.
International Premieres
North American Premieres
U.S. Premieres
Regional Premieres
Texas Premieres
Austin Premieres
"Main Competition" Features
"Next Wave" Features
"Horror" Features
"Audience Award" Winner
Short With Legs
Short Fuse: Horror Shorts
Fantastic Shorts
Fantastic Bumper Competition
The 2019 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar from Sept. 19–26.
International Premieres
North American Premieres
U.S. Premieres
Texas Premieres
Austin Premieres
In 2020, due to the prevalence of COVID-19, the physical festival was canceled. Instead, they held a completely free, virtual festival with a reduced lineup called Celebration of Fantastic Fest. [81] The virtual event also included two special physical screenings and virtual parties. [82]
World Premieres
International Premieres
North American Premieres
US Premieres
Texas Premieres
Austin Premieres
AGFA presents Triple Fisher: The Lethal Lolitas of Long Island (dir. Dan Kapelovitz)
The 2021 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar from 23 to 30 September. The festival was held in reformated structure due to restrictions of COVID-19 pandemic aftermath. [83]
The 2022 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse in South Lamar, Austin, Texas from September 22 to September 29, with virtual screenings taking place from September 29 to October 4. [84]
Texas premieres
Austin premieres
Shark Attack Sidebar
Official Competition Selection
Horror Competition Selection
Next Wave Competition
Jurors
Official Competition
Horror Competition
Next Wave Competition
Short Films Competition
The 2023 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse in South Lamar, Austin, Texas from September 21 to September 28. [85] [86]
The 2024 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse in South Lamar, Austin, Texas from September 19 to September 26. [87]
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