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List of Fantastic Fest editions

Breakdown of Fantastic Fest editions by year, with premieres, awards and nominees.

2005

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

Special screenings

Retrospective screenings

The theme of the 2005 retrospective series was "Post Apocalyptic Cinema".

Special events

The special effects team from ' 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.

2006

The 2006 festival was expanded to 8 days and held September 21–28.

World premiere

U.S. premieres

Texas premieres

Special screenings

Retrospective screenings

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.

Award winners

Horror Jury Awards, for excellence in the horror genre

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

  • Best of Show – The Listening Dead
  • Best Short-Form – Cost of Living
  • Best Long-Form – Rogairi (Villains)
  • Best Animated – If I Had a Hammer
  • Best Comedy – They're Made Out of Meat

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

  • Best Film Ã¢Â€Â” The Living and the Dead
  • Best Director Ã¢Â€Â” Simon Rumley for The Living and the Dead
  • Best Script Ã¢Â€Â” Larry Kent and Daniel Williams for The Hamster Cage
  • Best Actor Ã¢Â€Â” Leo Bill from The Living and the Dead
  • Best Actress Ã¢Â€Â” Jodie Jameson from Venus Drowning
  • Best Supporting Actor Ã¢Â€Â” Alan Scarfe from The Hamster Cage
  • Best Supporting Actress Ã¢Â€Â” Kate Fahy from The Living and the Dead
  • Best Art Direction Ã¢Â€Â” Starfish Hotel
  • Best Cinematography Ã¢Â€Â” A Quiet Love
  • Best Special Effects Ã¢Â€Â” Puzzlehead
  • Best Makeup Ã¢Â€Â” The Living and the Dead
  • Special Jury Mention Ã¢Â€Â” Blood Tea and Red String

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

Highlights

  • A notable highlight for the audience occurred when Mel Gibson walked into the theater.
  • Closing night party was Undead Till Dawn, a vampire-themed dance party
  • There was a special screening timed with the release of 42nd STREET FOREVER VOLUME 5: ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE EDITION where every trailer was shown in 35mm

2007

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

Special screenings

Retrospective screenings

The Nikkatsu action series featured films mainly never before shown theatrically in the U.S.:

Award winners

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

  • Gold Medal – "In the Wall"
  • Silver Medal – "The Fifth"
  • Bronze Medal – "Far Out"

Animated Shorts Award

  • Gold Medal – "Everything Will Be OK"
  • Silver Medal – "Raymond"
  • Bronze Medal – "X-Pression"

Fantastic Shorts Award

  • Gold Medal – "Waiting For Yesterday"
  • Silver Medal – "Sniffer"
  • Bronze Medal – "Suityman"

Audience Award

Highlights

  • Shooting shotguns with the Next Wave directors
  • Impromptu karaoke party and Fantastic Feud game show
  • Watching pornography (Japanese pinku Uncle's Paradise) in the front yard of festival director Tim League's house
  • Q&A by director Uwe Boll and star Zack Ward after a screening of Postal

2008

Fantastic Fest 2008 was held September 18–25.

World premieres

US premieres

Texas premieres

Special screenings

Retrospective screenings

There was an Ozploitation retrospective featuring Australian exploitation films from the '70s and '80s:

And the documentary ' about Ozploitation in the golden age.

There was also a sampling of Japanese "pinku" titles, including

Award winners

AMD Next Wave Award for excellence by an up-and-coming filmmaker

AMD Fantastic Fest Online

Horror Features, for excellence in the horror genre

  • Gold Medal – Let the Right One In
  • Silver Medal – Acolytes
  • Bronze Medal – Donkey Punch
  • Special Jury Award for most politically incorrect gore – '
  • Special Jury Award for best use of latex – '

Fantastic Features, for excellence outside of the horror genre

Horror Shorts

Fantastic Shorts

  • Gold Medal – "The Object"
  • Silver Medal – "Spandex Man"
  • Bronze Medal – "Stagman"
  • Special Jury Award for Visual Invention – "Rojo Red"

Animated Shorts

  • Gold Medal – "Bernie's Doll"
  • Silver Medal – "Muto"
  • Bronze Medal – "Violeta"
  • Special Jury Award for Technical Merit – "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Hollow"

Highlights

  • Director Nacho Vigalondo covering his face with honey and shooting himself with a confetti cannon following the screening of his short films.
  • The "shaky-face" badge photos required attendees to submit a picture of themselves taken while violently shaking their heads back and forth. This resulted in some very unusual portraits.
  • The Fantastic Debates pitted film lovers against one another in spirited arguments about "Horror Remakes Ã¢Â€Â” Reinvented Classics, or Modern Abominations" and the like. Debators unable to resolve their differences with words then stepped into the boxing ring to settle things with fists.
  • Closing party, sponsored by the film City of Ember was held at Longhorn Caverns. Bill Murray attended.
  • 100 Best Kills Party
  • Donkey Punch Boat Party
  • The Fantastic Feud (Team USA wins!)
  • Michael Jackson: Thrill the World, an attempt to break the world record for largest synchronized Thriller dance
  • Smokin' Karaoke Apocalypse Party 2008, with live band karaoke

2009

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

Special screenings

Retrospective screenings

A retrospective of the films of Jess Franco in support of his lifetime achievement award:

Award winners

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

  • Best Horror Short Ã¢Â€Â“ "Full Employment" (Thomas Oberlies, Matthias Vogel)
  • Special Mention Ã¢Â€Â“ "Excision" (Richard Bates Jr.)

Fantastic Shorts Award

Animated Shorts Award

Audience Award

Source:

Highlights

  • Watching Uwe Boll fight Alamo Drafthouse owner Tim League at the Fantastic Debates
  • Chaos Reigns!
  • Brutus and Balzaak Bash party celebrating Gentlemen Broncos opening night party
  • Shooting machine guns
  • 100% medically accurate Q&A by director Tom Six after his film Human Centipede
  • Opening of the Highball, the official Fantastic Fest party-place/bowling alley/bar
  • Double 3D Dance Party at the Highball
  • The Future of 3D: Panels and Presentations event
  • The Michael Jackson Dance Party
  • Sake, Shochu and Karaoke: Meet the Japanese! – party at Highball
  • Return of the Fantastic Feud (and win by Team USA!)

2010

The 2010 festival was held September 23–30. It was the first year of the Fantastic Arcade, a showcase of independent video games. The presenting sponsors of the 2010 Fantastic Fest were Dell, AMD, RealD, Ambhar Tequila, FearNet.com, Sony PlayStation, and Qriocity.

World premieres

International premieres

US premieres

Texas premieres

Special screenings

Retrospective screenings

Live Performances

Award Winners

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

  • Best Horror Short Ã¢Â€Â“ "Legend of Beaver Dam" (Jerome Sable)
  • Special Mention Ã¢Â€Â“ "Deus Irae" (Pedro Cristiani)

Fantastic Shorts Award

  • Best Fantastic Short Ã¢Â€Â“ "Sorry... I Love You" (Leticia Dolera)

Animated Shorts Award

  • Best Animated Short Ã¢Â€Â“ "Teclopolis" (Javier Mrad)

Audience Award

  • Audience Award, Best Feature: Bedevilled (Jang Cheol-soo)
  • Audience Award, Honorable Mention: Ip Man 2
  • Audience Award, Honorable Mention: Rubber
  • Audience Award, Honorable Mention: Golden Slumber

Highlights

  • Boys' choir singing the theme from Let Me In at opening night
  • Tim League boxing against Michelle Rodriguez (Girl Fight, Avatar)
  • Bill Pullman, Elijah Wood, and RZA singing karaoke
  • Whole-roasted cow and 500,000 volts of electricity at the closing night party
  • 100 Best Kills party
  • 30 Days of Night Flashlight Dance Party
  • Criterion "Chaos Reigns" Karaoke Party
  • Fantastic Arcade Awards Ceremony/Starcade Competition
  • Datapop 4.0 Arcade Closing Night Party
  • The FearNet Fantastic Feud (Team USA wins again!)
  • Geeks Who Drink presents The Fantastic Fest Quiz
  • Nerdeoke!
  • Karaoke Apocalypse with live band
  • Opening Night Party '80s Dance Party and MC Frontalot Live

2011

The 2011 Fantastic Fest film festival was held September 22–29.

World premieres

  • Calibre 9 – Q&A with director Jean-Christian Tassy and producer Axel Guyot
  • The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence (opening night film) – director Tom Six, producer Ilona Six, and actors Ashlynn Yennie, Laurence Harvey, Maddi Black, Katherine Templar, and Emma Lock in attendance
  • Manborg – writer/director/producer Steve Kostanski, co-writer/actor Jeremy Gillespie, and actor Andrea Carr in attendance
  • Penumbra
  • The Squad – Q&A with director Jaime Osorio Marquez
  • Zombie Ass

International premieres

U.S. premieres

Texas premieres

Special screenings

Retrospective screenings

Award winners

Audience Award

AMD & Dell "Next Wave" Spotlight Competition

Horror Features

Fantastic Features

Gutbuster Comedy Features

Short Fuse: Horror Shorts

  • Winner: "How to Rid Your Lover of a Negative Emotion Caused By You" (Nadia Litz)
  • Runner-up: "The Unliving" (Hugo Lilj)
  • Special Jury Award for Outstanding Achievement in Special Effects and General Badassery: "Brutal Relax" (David Muñoz, Rafa Dengrá, Adrián Cardona)

Fantastic Shorts

  • Best Fantastic Short: "Decapoda Shock" (Javier Chillón)
  • Runner-up: "All Men Are Called Robert" (Marc-Henri Boulier)
  • Special Jury Mention for Acting: Robert Picardo ("The Candidate")

Drawn and Quartered: Animated Shorts

  • Best Animated Short: "The Last Norwegian Troll" (Pjotr Sapegin)
  • Runner-up: Lazarov ("NIETOV")

Highlights

  • James Quinn McDonagh versus Tim League at the Fantastic Fest Debates
  • The opening night film Human Centipede 2 had an ambulance on standby outside and handed out barf bags
  • Opening night party in celebration of Human Centipede 2 with live music from the Charles Edward Cheese band
  • Fantastic Feud (Team USA continues win streak over Team International)
  • Fantastic Arcade ran Sept. 22–24
  • Japan Night: Chaos Reigns Karaoke Party
  • 100 Best Kills featuring the best of audience submitted movie deaths
  • Karaoke Apocalypse – karaoke with a live band
  • Fantastic Trivia presented by Geeks Who Drink
  • Fantastic Fest Closing Night Party: Superhero Carnival – featuring Aquaman's Ocean, The Flash's Mountain Race Challenge, Batman's Boxing Battle, Spider-man's Wall of Webbing, Superman's House of Flight and carnival food

2012

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.

World premieres

International premieres

U.S. premieres

Texas premieres

Austin premieres

Special screenings

Retrospective screenings

  • The Entity (1982) – repertory screening as part of the House of Psychotic Women series
  • The Mafu Cage (1978) – repertory screening as part of the House of Psychotic Women series
  • Miami Connection (1987) – Q&A with actor/producer Grandmaster YK, and actors Joe Diamond, Maurice Smith, Angelo Jannotti, and Vince Hirsch
  • Secret Ceremony (1968) repertory screening as part of the House of Psychotic Women series
  • The Shining (1980) – played simultaneously back and forth over each other
  • Wake in Fright (1971)

Award winners

Audience Award

  • I Declare War (dir. Robert Wilson and Jason Lapeyre)

AMD "Next Wave" Spotlight Competition

Fantastic Features

Horror Features

  • Best Picture: Here Comes the Devil (dir. Adrián García Bogliano)
  • Best Screenplay: Adrián García Bogliano (Here Comes the Devil)
  • Best Director: Adrián García Bogliano (Here Comes the Devil)
  • Special Mention: Hajime Ohata (Henge)
  • Best Actor: Francisco Barreiro (Here Comes the Devil)
  • Best Actress: Laura Caro (Here Comes the Devil)
  • Special Mention: Katherine Isabel (American Mary)

Gutbuster Comedy Features

  • Best Picture: New Kids Nitro (dir. Steffen Haars & Flip Van der Kuil)
  • Best Director: Dario Russo (Danger 5)
  • Best Screenplay: John Mitchell (The History of Future Folk)
  • Best Actor: Chapman To (Vulgaria)
  • Best Actress: Rina Takeda (Dead Sushi)

Documentary Features

Short Fuse: Horror Shorts

  • Winner: "At the Formal" (Andrew Kavanagh, Australia)
  • Runner-up: "The Sleepover" (Chris Cullari, US)

Fantastic Shorts

  • Winner: "Record/Play" (Jesse Atlas, US)
  • Runner-up: "Love" (Kaveh Nabatian, Canada)

Drawn and Quartered: Animated Shorts

  • Winner: "Bendito Machine IV" (Jossie Malis, Spain)
  • Runner-up: "Tram" (Michaela Pavlátová, Czech Republic)

Highlights

  • Front of Drafthouse Lamar painted up for Frankenweenie world premiere
  • Special Frankenweenie screening for dogs and their owners
  • Chaos Reigns Karaoke Party with reunited Dragon Sound at the Highball
  • Opening night Monsters Ball where attendees were encouraged to wear their favorite silver-screen monster costume
  • The American Scream Homemade Haunted House
  • Datapop party celebrating 8-bit music and culture for Fantastic Arcade
  • "Hellfjord" Norwegian Party
  • Tim League fighting YK Kim at the Fantastic Debates
  • Closing night party was Red Dawn themed. The Austin American Legion was decorated as a maximum-security prison with free prison tattoos and head shaving
  • Fantastic Feud (Team International's first victory over Team USA)

2013

The 2013 festival was hosted for the first time at the brand new Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline location from September 19–26.

World premieres

North American premieres

U.S. premieres

Texas premieres

Austin premieres

Special screenings

Retrospective screenings

Award Winners

Audience Award

"Next Wave" Spotlight

Fantastic Features

  • Best Picture: The Congress (director Ari Folman)
  • Best Director: David Perrault (Our Heroes Died Tonight)
  • Best Screenplay: Ari Folman (The Congress)
  • Best Actor: Svein André Hofsø Myhre (Detective Downs)
  • Best Actress: Robin Wright (The Congress)

Horror Features

  • Best Picture: Afflicted (directors Derek Lee and Clif Prowse)
  • Best Director: Derek Lee and Clif Prowse (Afflicted)
  • Best Screenplay: Derek Lee and Clif Prowse (Afflicted)
  • Best Actor: Jason David Brown (Septic Man)
  • Best Actress: Julia Garner (We Are What We Are)

Gutbuster Comedy Features

  • Best Picture: Why Don't You Play In Hell (director Sion Sono)
  • Best Director: Sion Sono (Why Don't You Play In Hell)
  • Best Screenplay: Kankurô Kudô (Maruyama The Middle Schooler)
  • Best Actor: Fuku Suzuki (Kid's Police)
  • Best Actress: Qi Shu (Journey To the West: Conquering The Demon)

Documentary Features

  • Best Picture: Jodorowsky's Dune (director Frank Pavich)
  • Best Director: Shaul Schwarz (Narco Cultura)

Short Fuse: Horror Shorts

  • Winner: Remember Me (director Jean-François Asselin)
  • Runner-up: Perfect Drug (director Toon Aerts)

Fantastic Shorts

  • Winner: Beasts in the Real World (director Sol Friedman)
  • Runner-up: My Pain Is Worse Than Your Pain (director Adam Hall)

Drawn and Quartered: Animated Shorts

  • Winner: The Sad House (director Sofia Catalina Carrillo Ramírez)
  • Runner-up: Kick-Heart (director Masaaki Yuasa)

Fantastic Arcade

  • Best in Show and Audience Choice: Samurai Gunn (developed by Teknopants)

Highlights

  • Danger Gods!: The True Daredevils of Hollywood Legend – live stunt show
  • Fantastic Arcade panels and tournaments
  • Opening Night Party: Machete Don't Stop
  • Fantastic Fest presents Doug Loves Movies
  • Chaos Reigns!!! Karaoke Party
  • The Fantastic Debates Presented by Man of Tai Chi
  • Cards Against Humanity Happy Hour
  • Fantastic Arcade VideoHeroeS Tournament and Arcade Awards
  • You Guys Like Tequila?: The Fantastic Arcade After Party
  • Nerd Rap Throwdown
  • Fantastic Feud (win by Team USA)
  • Fantastic Trivia presented by Geeks Who Drink
  • Metal Meltdown with Karaoke Apocalypse – live band karaoke
  • Closing Night Party

2014

The 2014 festival returned to the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar location from September 18–25 for the 10-year anniversary.

World premieres

North American premieres

U.S. premieres

Texas premieres

Austin premieres

Special screenings

Retrospective screenings

Award winners

Audience Award

"Next Wave" Spotlight

Fantastic Features

Horror Features

  • Best Picture: THE BABADOOK (directed Jennifer Kent)
  • Best Screenplay: Jennifer Kent (THE BABADOOK)
  • Best Director: Martín De Salvo (DARKNESS BY DAY)
  • Best Actor: Noah Wiseman (THE BABADOOK)
  • Best Actress: Essie Davis (THE BABADOOK)

Gutbuster Comedy Features

Documentary Features

  • Best Picture: KUNG FU ELLIOT (director Jaret Belliveau)
  • Best Director: Tim Grabham, Jasper Sharp (THE CREEPING GARDEN)

Short Fuse: Horror Shorts'

  • Winner: THE STOMACH directed by Ben Steiner
  • Runner-up: INVADERS directed by Jason Kupfer

Fantastic Shorts

  • Winner: THE VOICE THIEF directed by Adan Jodorowsky
  • Runner-up: MY FATHER IS A BIRD (director Boaz Debby) and SOLITUDO (director Alice Lowe)

Drawn and Quartered: Animated Shorts

  • Winner: THE CHAPERONE (director Fraser Munden)
  • Runner-up: DAY 40 (director Sol Friedman)

Fantastic Arcade

  • Best in Show: BANANA CHALICE (developed by Kyle Reimergartin)

‘Mercado Fantastico’

  • Gold Prize: HAVANA VAMPIRE TERRITORY (director Carlos Lechuga) and THE TURNED (director Andrés Rosende)
  • Silver Prize: FIERCE (director Francisco Lorite)
  • Bronze Prize: HURT (director Pablo Proenza)
  • Special Jury Mention for "Keeping the Spirit of the 80's Alive": THE SHADOWDWELLERS (producer Erick Salomon)
  • Jury Award for Work in Progress, and Chemistry Award: FRONDOSO EDEN DEL CORAZON (director Juan Manuel Fodde)
  • Morbido/Latam Consultation Award: EAT ME (director David Michán)

Highlights

  • Maltin's Game Tournament hosted by Leonard Maltin
  • The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail
  • Fantastic Debates
  • Nerd Rap Throwdown
  • Opening Night: 10th Birthday Armageddon (featuring food fight and human piñata)
  • Fantastic Feud (winner: Team USA)
  • Fantastic Arcade
  • Chaos Reigns! Karaoke Party
  • Metal Meltdown with Karaoke Apocalypse
  • Fantastic Fest ABCs of Closing Night Party

2015

The 2015 festival returned to the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar location from Sept. 24–Oct. 1.

World premieres

North American premieres

U.S. premieres

Texas premieres

Special screenings

Award winners

Audience Award

  • 1st Place – Green Room (director Jeremy Saulnier)
  • 2nd Place – Liza the Fox Fairy (director Károly Ujj Mészáros)
  • 3rd Place – Stand By for Tape Back-Up (director Ross Sutherland)

"Next Wave" Spotlight

Fantastic Features

Horror Features

  • Best Picture: Demon
  • Best Director: Joe Begos for THE MIND’S EYE

Comedy Features

  • Best Picture: THE BRAND NEW TESTAMENT
  • Best Director: Anders Thomas Jensen for MEN & CHICKEN

Documentary Features

  • Best Picture: MAN VS SNAKE
  • Best Director: Heath Cozens for DOGLEGS

Horror Shorts

  • Best Picture: SISTER HELL
  • Best Director: Ryan Spindell for THE BABYSITTER MURDERS

Fantastic Shorts

  • Best Picture: MOVIES IN SPACE
  • Best Director: Jeremy David White for ENHANCED

Fantastic Arcade

  • Best in Show: SECRET LEGEND developed by Andrew Shouldice
  • Audience Award Winner: SUPER RUSSIAN ROULETTE developed by Andrew Reitano

Mercado Fantastico

  • 1st Place: THE DUMP by Fernando Montes de Oca and Xavier Sánchez Mercado
  • 2nd Place: PARADISE HILLS by Alice Waddington
  • 3rd Place: EL GIGANTE by Gigi Saul Guerrero

FANTASTIC BUMPER COMPETITION – Presented by SourceFed Nerd

  • THE JURY directed by Joe Nicolosi

2016

The 2016 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar from Sept. 22–29.

World premieres

International Premieres

North American Premieres

U.S. Premieres

Texas Premieres

Regional Premieres

Austin Premieres

Repertory Screenings

Special Screenings

Award Winners

Audience Award

  • Bad Black – Directed by Nabwana Igg
  • 1st Runner Up – Nirvanna The Band The Show – Directed by Matt Johnson
  • 2nd Runner Up – Raw – Directed by Julia Ducournau

"Next Wave" Features

  • Best Picture: ZOOLOGY directed by Ivan I. Tverdovsky
  • Best Director: Julia Ducournau for RAW
  • Special Mention for Fantastic Spirit: THE LURE

Fantastic Features

Horror Features

Comedy Features

  • Best Picture: DOWN UNDER directed by Abraham Forsythe
  • Best Director: Abraham Forsythe for DOWN UNDER
  • Special Mention for Best Comedy Debut: THE YOUNG OFFENDERS

Action Features

  • Best Picture: AGE OF SHADOWS directed by Kim Jee-woon
  • Best Director: Nabwana IGG for BAD BLACK
  • Special Mention for Best Action: CALL OF HEROES

Documentary Features

  • Best Picture: Original Copy directed by Florian Heinzen-Ziob & Georg Heinzen
  • Best Director: Florian Heinzen-Ziob and Georg Heinzen for Original Copy

Short Fuse: Horror Shorts

  • Best Picture: CURVE directed by Tim Egan
  • Best Director : Tim Egan for CURVE
  • Special Mention: OVERTIME
  • Special Mention: Najarra Townsend, lead actress in THE STYLIST

Fantastic Shorts

  • Best Picture: SUMMER CAMP ISLAND directed by Julia Pott
  • Best Director : Chris Mitchell & Yoav Lester for IRON SPYDER

Shorts With Legs

  • Best Picture: PACO directed by Catalina Jordan Alvarez
  • Best Director: Calvin Reeder for THE PROCEDURE
  • Special Mention for Best Meal: THE WORM

Fantastic Arcade

  • Most Fantastic: Everything by David O'Reilly
  • Audience Choice: Loot Rascals by Hollow Ponds

Fantastic Bumper Competition

  • JACK SKELLINGTON IN THE BOX directed by Roman Fruehan

Highlights

  • Satanic Panic Escape Room
  • Fantastic Feud
  • Fantastic Debates
  • Doug Loves Movies
  • The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail
  • Itchy-O
  • Maltin at the Movies: Tim Burton
  • Puke and Explode! – The Fantastic Fest Eating Contest
  • Dishoom Reigns Karaoke Party
  • Maltin at the Movies: Bruce Campbell
  • Nerd Rap
  • Rogue One for the Road: The Star Wars Drink Competition
  • Everything Is Terrible!
  • 100 Best Kills: 100 Worst Births
  • Geeks Who Drink
  • Doug Benson Movie Interruption: The Monster Squad
  • Dark Corner VR
  • Catatonic
  • Mule
  • Burlap

2017

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. Alamo Drafthouse/Fantastic Fest severed ties with Harry Knowles after sexual harassment/assault allegations pertaining to him also surfaced.

World Premieres

International Premieres

North American Premieres

U.S. Premieres

Texas Premieres

Repertory Screenings

Special Screenings

  • Gemini
  • Doug Benson Movie Interruption:

Award Winners

Audience Award Winner

  • Audience Award Winner: BODIED directed by Joseph Kahn
  • 1st Runner-Up: GILBERT directed by Neil Berkeley
  • 2nd Runner-Up: WORLD OF TOMORROW EPISODE TWO directed by Don Hertzfeldt

"Next Wave" Features

  • Best Picture: ' directed by Lukas Feigelfeld
  • Best Director: Takahide Hori for JUNK HEAD
  • Special Mention for both Five Fingers for Marseilles and Maus

Fantastic Features

Horror Features

  • Best Picture: THE CURED directed by David Freyne
  • Best Director: Issa López for TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID
  • Special Mention for Most Creative FX and Innovative Approach to Vampire Mythology to VAMPIRE CLAY

Comedy Features

  • Best Picture: THE SQUARE directed by Ruben Östlund
  • Best Director: Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson for UNDER THE TREE
  • Special Mention for Sheer Ballsiness to RON GOOSMAN’S LOW BUDGET STUNT MAN

Thriller Features

Documentary Features

  • Best Picture and Best Director: BRIMSTONE & GLORY directed by Viktor Jakovleski
  • Special Mention to Love and Saucers

Short Fuse: Horror Shorts

  • Best Picture: VOYEUR directed by Charlotte Lam, Claire Stradwick
  • Best Director : Gonçalo Almeida for THURSDAY NIGHT
  • Special Mention to CRESWICK

Fantastic Shorts

  • Best Picture: THE BURDEN directed by Niki Lindroth von Bahr
  • Special Mention for Biggest Face Melter to KAIJU BUNRAKU

Shorts With Legs

  • Best Picture and Best Director: THE TESLA WORLD LIGHT directed by Matthew Rankin
  • Special Mention to BEANS by director Maxwell Nalevansky

Fantastic Bumper Competition

  • SNAP SNAP directed by Felicia Rein

Highlights

  • Fantastic Debates
  • Fantastic Feud
  • Maltin at the Movies: Elijah Wood
  • Maltin at the Movies: Vince Vaughn
  • Puke and Explode! – The Fantastic Fest Eating Contest
  • Nerd Rap Contest
  • Chaos Reigns Karaoke Party
  • Opening Night Pajama Party Jam
  • Transference VR
  • The Monster Squad Mega Mash
  • The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 Game Play
  • Teen Panel: Anna and the Apocalypse
  • The Glassed Jedi: Star Wars Drink Competition
  • Everything is Terrible: The Great Satan
  • Cadaverous Closing Night Party with Itchy-O

2018

The 2018 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar from Sept. 20–27.

World Premieres

International Premieres

  • Madam Yankelova's Fine Literature Club
  • Werewolf

North American Premieres

U.S. Premieres

Regional Premieres

  • Ban Geum-ryeon
  • The Blood of Wolves
  • Deadwax
  • Laika
  • Violence Voyager
  • The World is Yours

Texas Premieres

Austin Premieres

Retrospective Screenings

  • Blood Lake
  • Flash Gordon

Shorts

Fantastic Shorts

  • Hi-Five the Cactus
  • O.I.
  • Petite Avarie
  • Pizzamonster
  • Puppet Master
  • Space Flower
  • Squirrel

Short Fuse Presented by Stage 13

  • Acid
  • Chowboys: An American Folktale
  • Drum Wave
  • A Haunting
  • Helsinki Mansplaining Massacre
  • Riley Was Here
  • Songbird
  • Special Day
  • Stigma

Shorts with Legs

  • The Beaning
  • Cold Fish
  • Emotion 93
  • Entropia
  • Hair: The Story of Grass
  • Pan
  • The Passage

Shorts with Kimchi: Korean Short Film Sidebar

  • Human Stone
  • The Lady from 406
  • Lal La Land
  • Pepper
  • Unknown Woman

Paired with Features

  • Albatross Soup
  • Bedridden
  • The Bloody Ballad of Squirt Reynolds
  • Catcalls
  • Caterpillarplasty
  • CC
  • End Times
  • Feast on the Young
  • Floor 9.5
  • Goodnight
  • Gutter
  • Information Superhighway
  • Keep Your Mouth Shut
  • Laura & Vineta
  • Liquid Soul
  • The Menu
  • Monstagram
  • Monster Challenge
  • My Name Is Marc, And You Can Count On It
  • Occupant
  • Rosalina
  • Salt
  • The Slows
  • Sprites
  • A Thing of Dreams
  • Time Enforcer

Award Winners

"Main Competition" Features

  • Best Picture: DONNYBROOK directed by Tim Sulton
  • Best Director: Peter Strickland for IN FABRIC

"Next Wave" Features

"Horror" Features

  • Best Picture: TERRIFIED directed by Demián Rugna
  • Best Director: Shinichiro Ueda for ONE CUT OF THE DEAD
  • Special Mention to LUZ directed by Tilman Singer

"Audience Award" Winner

  • Audience Award Winner: ONE CUT OF THE DEAD directed by Shinichiro Ueda
  • 1st Runner-Up: THE GUILTY directed by Gustav Möller
  • 2nd Runner-Up: AFTER THE SCREAMING STOPS directed by Joe Pearlman and David Soutar

Short With Legs

  • Best Picture: THE PASSAGE directed by Kitao Sakurai
  • Special Mention to EMOTION 93 directed by Oz Davidson

Short Fuse: Horror Shorts

  • Best Picture: ACID (aka ACIDE) directed by Just Philippot

Fantastic Shorts

  • Best Picture: SQUIRREL directed by Alex Kavutskiy

Fantastic Bumper Competition

  • DARK BIDDINGS directed by Jensen Yancey

2019

The 2019 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar from Sept. 19–26.

World Premieres

International Premieres

North American Premieres

U.S. Premieres

Texas Premieres

Austin Premieres

Retrospective Screenings

Shorts

Horror Features

  • The Color Out of Space

2020

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. The virtual event also included two special physical screenings and virtual parties.

World Premieres

  • Action U.S.A (world premiere of the 4K restoration)
  • Bloodthirsty (dir. Amelia Moses)
  • The Boy Behind The Door (dir. David Charbonier & Justin Powell)
  • Daughters of Darkness (world premiere of the 4k restoration)
  • The Stylist (dir. Jill Gevargizian)
  • How To Deter a Robber (dir. Maria Bissell)

International Premieres

  • Laughter (dir. Martin Laroche)
  • Teddy (dir. Ludovic Boukherma & Zoran Boukherma)

North American Premieres

  • Queen of Black Magic (dir. Kimo Stamboel)

US Premieres

  • Girl (dir. Chad Faust)
  • The Old Man Movie (Mikk Mägi & Oskar Lehemaa)

Texas Premieres

Austin Premieres

AGFA presents Triple Fisher: The Lethal Lolitas of Long Island (dir. Dan Kapelovitz)

2021

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.

Feature films

2022

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.

World premieres

US Premieres

International premieres

  • Evil Eye (Isaac Ezban, Mexico, 2022)
  • Nothing (Trine Piil & Seamus McNally, Denmark, Germany, 2022)

North-American premieres

  • Aatank (Prem Lalwani & Desh Mukherjee, India, 1996)
  • Bad City (Kensuke Sonomura, Japan, 2022)
  • Deep Fear (Grégory Beghin, France, 2022)
  • Everyone Will Burn (Davier Hebrero, Spain, 2021)
  • The Five Devils (Léa Mysius, France, 2022)
  • Gamera vs. Zigra (Noriaki Yuasa, Japan, 1971)
  • H4Z4RD (Jonas Govaerts, Belgium, 2022)
  • Medusa Deluxe (Thomas Hardiman, United Kingdom, 2022)
  • The Strange Case of Jacky Caillou (Lucas Delangle, France, 2022)
  • Terrifier 2 (Damien Leone, US, 2022)
  • Tropic (Edouard Salier, France, 2022)
  • The Visitor From the Future (François Descraques, France, 2022)
  • Year of the Shark (Ludovic Boukherma & Zoran Boukherma, France, 2022)

Texas premieres

Austin premieres

  • Chop & Steele (Ben Steinbauer & Berndt Mader, US, 2022)

Shark Attack Sidebar

Official Competition Selection

Horror Competition Selection

Next Wave Competition

  • Everyone Will Burn (Davier Hebrero, Spain, 2021)
  • Family Dinner (Peter Hengl, Austria, 2022)
  • Flowing (Paolo Strippoli, Italy, Belgium, 2022)
  • Leonor Will Never Die (Martika Ramirez Escobar, Philippines, 2022)
  • Medusa Deluxe (Thomas Hardiman, United Kingdom, 2022)
  • The Five Devils (Léa Mysius, France, 2022)
  • Tropic (Edouard Salier, France, 2022)
  • We Might As Well Be Dead (Natalia Sinelnikova, Germany, Romania, 2022)

Jurors

Official Competition

  • Liane Cunje (Canada)
  • Jongsuk Thomas Nam (South Korea)
  • Lars Nilsen (US)

Horror Competition

  • Johannes Grenzfurthner (Austria)
  • Adam Koehler (US)
  • Caryn Coleman (US)

Next Wave Competition

  • Liz Purchell (US)
  • Kerry Deignan Roy (US)
  • Drew Taylore (US)

Short Films Competition

  • Brad Abrahams (US)
  • Michelle Garza (Mexico)
  • Addison Heiman (US)

2023

The 2023 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse in South Lamar, Austin, Texas from September 21 to September 28.

World premieres

International premieres

  • The Deep Dark (Mathieu Turi, France, 2023)
  • Salem (Jean-Bernard Marlin, France, 2023)
  • We Are Zombies (RKSS, France/Canada, 2023)

North American premieres

  • Acid (Just Philippot, France, 2023)
  • The Altman Method (Nadav Aronowicz, Israel, 2022)
  • The Animal Kingdom (Thomas Cailley, France, 2023)
  • The Book of Solutions (Michel Gondry, France, 2023)
  • Caligula: The Ultimate Cut (US/Italy, 1980)
  • The Coffee Table (Caye Casas, Spain, 2022)
  • Door (Banmei Takahashi, Japan, 1988)
  • ' (Richard Karpala & Gabriel Bienczycki, US, 2023)
  • A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree (Skye & Adam Mann, Ireland, 2023)
  • The Invisible Fight (Rainer Sarnet, Estonia/Latvia/Greece/Finland, 2023)
  • Mancunian Man: The Legendary Life of Cliff Twemlow (Jake West, UK, 2023)
  • One-Percenter (Yûdai Yamaguchi, Japan, 2023)
  • The Origin (Andrew Cumming, UK, 2023)
  • The Other Laurens (Claude Schmitz, Belgium/France, 2023)
  • Project Silence (Tae-gon Kim, South Korea, 2023)
  • Property (Daniel Bandeire, Brazil, 2022)
  • Rage (Jorge Michel Grau, Mexico, 2023)
  • Restore Point (Robert Hloz, Czech Republic, 2023)
  • Scala!!! (Jane Giles & Ali Catterall, UK, 2023)
  • Sri Asih: The Warrior (Upi Avianto, Indonesia, 2022)
  • Triggered (Richard V. Somes, Philippines, 2023)
  • UFO Sweden (Victor Danell, Sweden, 2022)
  • Infested (Sébastien Vaniček, France, 2023)
  • The Wait (F. Javier Gutiérrez, Spain, 2023)

US premieres

  • 100 Yards (Xu Haofeng & Xu Junfeng, China, 2023)
  • Baby Assassins 2 (Hugo Sakamoto, Japan, 2023)
  • Cobweb (Kim Jee-woon, South Korea, 2023)
  • The Fantastic Golem Affairs (Burnin’ Percebes, Spain, 2023)
  • Kennedy (Anurag Kashyap, India, 2023)
  • Letters to the Postman (Felix Dembinski, UK, 2022)
  • Riddle of Fire (Weston Razooli, US, 2023)
  • River (Junta Yamaguchi, Japan, 2023)
  • The Sacrifice Game (Jenn Wexler, US/Canada, 2023)
  • She Is Conann (Bertrand Mandico, France/Luxembourg/Belgium, 2023)
  • Sleep (Jason Yu, South Korea, 2023)
  • The Strangler (Paul Vecchiali, France, 1970, 2K Restoration)
  • Tiger Stripes (Amanda Nell Eu, Malaysia/Taiwan/France/Germany/Netherlands/Indonesia, 2023)
  • The Uncle (David Kapac & Andrija MardeÅ¡ić, Croatia, Serbia, 2022)
  • What You Wish For (Nicholas Tomnay, US, 2023)

Texas premieres

Special screenings

  • Saltburn – (secret screening)
  • Dream Scenario – (secret screening)
  • Dogman – (secret screening)
  • Saw X – (secret screening)

2024

The 2024 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse in South Lamar, Austin, Texas from September 19 to September 26.

World premieres

International premieres

  • Binary (David-Jan Bronsgeest, The Netherlands, 2024)
  • Children of the Wicker Man (Justin Hardy, United Kingdom, 2024)
  • The Draft! (Yusron Fuadi, Indonesia, 2023)
  • Frankie Freako (Steven Kostanski, Canada, 2024)
  • Planet B (Aude Léa Rapin, France, Belgium, 2024)
  • Trizombie (Mārcis Lācis, Belgium, 2024)
  • White Wieven (Didier Konings, Netherlands, 2024)
  • Zénithal (Jean-Baptiste Saurel, France, 2024)

North American premieres

United States premieres

Texas premieres

Austin premieres

Arab Genre Rises presentation

  • Down is the New Up (Camille Cabbabe, Lebanon, 2017)
  • How my Grandmother Became a Chair (Nicolas Fattouh, Germany, Lebanon, Qatar, 2021)
  • J'ai Le Cafard (Maysaa Almumin, Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar, 2021)
  • Last Days of the Man of Tomorrow (Fadi Baki, Lebanon, Germany, 2017)
  • Nation Estate (Larissa Sansour, Palestine, Denmark, 2012)
  • Night Shift (Ali Faisal Mostafa, United Arab Emirates, 2022)
  • So What If the Goats Die (Sofia Alaoui, France, Morocco, 2020)

Special screenings

2025

The 2025 festival took place at the Alamo Drafthouse in South Lamar, Austin, Texas from September 18 to September 25.

World premieres

International premieres

  • 13 Days Till Summer (Bartosz M. Kowalski, Poland, 2025)
  • The Holy Boy (Paolo Strippoli, Italy/Slovenia, 2025)
  • Nesting (Chloé Cinq-Mars, Switzerland, 2025)
  • The Man (Rémi Fréchette, Canada, 2025)

North American premieres

US premieres

  • Don’t Leave the Kids Alone (Emilio Portes, Mexico, 2025)
  • Find Your Friends (Izabel Pakzad, Italy, 2025)
  • The Forbidden City (Gabriele Mainetti, Italy, 2025)
  • Fuck My Son! (Todd Rohal, US, 2025)
  • Honey Bunch (Madeleine Sims-Fewer & Dusty Mancinelli, Canada, 2025)
  • The Ice Tower (Lucile Hadžihalilović, France, 2025)
  • Marama (Taratoa Stappard, New Zealand, 2025)
  • Mother of Flies (Toby Poser, John Adams, & Zelda Adams, US, 2025)
  • Obsession (Curry Barker, US, 2025)
  • Shelby Oaks (Chris Stuckmann, US, 2025)
  • Sirat (Oliver Laxe, France/Spain, 2025)
  • A Useful Ghost (Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, Thailand, 2025)

Texas premieres

Special screenings

References