Interview:
Lisa Dreyer,
Festival Director,
Austin King,
Features Programmer,
Jean Lauer,
Director of Short Film Programming,
Fantastic Fest
Fantastic Fest 2024 runs Sept. 19-26 at the Alamo South Lamar. The first Fantastic Fest held since the Austin-based genre festival’s June 2024 acquisition by Sony Pictures Entertainment opens Sept. 19 with the Geoffrey Rush-John Lithgow two-hander The Rule of Jenny Pen as well as special screenings of Halle Berry’s survival chiller Never Let Go and the highly anticipated threequel Terrifier 3. Fantastic Fest closes Sept. 26 with the world premiere of the Hulu slasher Mr. Crocket. Films with Austin ties include Alexandre O. Philippe’s Chain Reaction, a nonfiction film revolving around The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and the family adventure Bookworm starring part-time local Elijah Wood. World premieres include Bone Lake, Daddy’s Head, Don’t Mess with Grandma, Ebony & Ivory, Get Away, Ghost Killer, House of Spoils, Little Bites, The Severed Sun, The Spirit of Halloween Town, Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire, Touch by Eternity, and What Happened to Dorothy Bell? Franchise offerings include the Rosemary’s Baby prequel Apartment 7A, Baby Assassins: Nice Days, Heavier Trip, and V/H/SBeyond. Other notable films receiving U.S., North American, or Texas premieres include Sean Baker’s Anora, Bring Them Down with Barry Keoghan, director Nacho Vigalondo’s Daniela Forever, A Different Man, Frankie Freako, director Joseph Kahn’s Ick, Canadian 2025 Oscar submission Universal Language, and the road trip documentary Will & Harper with subjects Will Ferrell and Harper Steele in attendance. Animated films include The Wild Robot, Memoir of a Snail, and director Tommy Wirkola’s Spermageddon. Documentaries include The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee and Children of The Wicker Man. Fantastic Fest will also include retrospectives and anniversary screenings of The Babadook, Big Top Pee Wee, The Fall, The Guest, Mac and Me, The Mission, Nine Queens, Raze, and Wake in Fright. This year, five secret screenings are planned. In keeping with tradition, Fantastic Fest will offer multiple shorts packages as well as pair shorts with feature films. New to Fantastic Fest this year: the inaugural Fantastic Games, SpectreVision Radio live podcast recordings; the circus-themed Clown Town drag show; the Ghoulish Book Fair, the Fright or Wrong Trivia; and the Found Footage Festival's VHS Circus. And attendees can also expect such festival staples as the Fantastic Feud and the Fantastic Debates.
Note: Jean Lauer also serves as the president of the KOOP Radio 91.7 FM Board of Directors. Aired: Sept. 11, 2024. Web site: http://fantasticfest.com/ |
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