We attend, cover and love many film festivals throughout the year, but we make no secret of the fact that our favorite remains Fantastic Fest. Each year the fine and disturbed folks at the Alamo Drafthouse, from head madman Tim League on down to the theater waitstaff, help deliver a week filled with madness, mayhem and movies, and it’s always an unforgettable experience.
The first wave of this year’s films and events has just been announced, and while there’s a lot more to come we’re already stupidly excited — the closing night film is the highly anticipated dark Western, Bone Tomahawk. The film stars Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox and Richard Jenkins as a ragtag rescue party on the trail of cannibals in the Old West. There is nothing not exciting about that sentence, and did I mention Russell and Fox will be in attendance?
Other highlights this year include a Q&A and book signing with Nicolas Winding Refn, a focus on genre films from Turkey and of course a never-less-than intriguing selection of films including some we’ve already seen and several more we’re excited to experience. We can already vouch for the brilliance of The Invitation, Office and Love & Peace, and we’ll probably be first in line for that insane-sounding Finnish film, Lovemilla. Keep reading for a look at the complete press release and list of first wave films below.
Fantastic Fest 2015 runs September 24 to October 1st.
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THE 11TH FANTASTIC FEST SET TO WREAK HAVOC AT THE ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE WITH CANNIBAL CARNAGE, ARTFUL EXPLOITATION, AND A SMORGASBORD OF TURKISH DELIGHTS!
WORLD PREMIERE OF BONE TOMAHAWK SET FOR CLOSING NIGHT WITH KURT RUSSELL, CAST AND CREW IN ATTENDANCE!
Fantastic Fest announces the first wave programming lineup for its 11th annual celebration of exciting genre-bending films, including the World Premiere of BONE TOMAHAWK with Kurt Russell and Matthew Fox in attendance, a retrospective of Turkish Genre Cinema, and a special Mondo Gallery event and programming series curated by filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn to celebrate the release of his new book Nicolas Winding Refn: The Act of Seeing, which profiles Refn’s collection of vintage exploitation-era American movie posters. “We’re very excited about this year’s mix of premieres, unique events and a retrospective theme unlike any other featuring audacious and otherworldly Turkish remakes of classic Hollywood films,” said Fantastic Fest founder Tim League.
See the full list of first wave films below and stay tuned for news on more films and events in the weeks to come. Fantastic Fest takes place September 24 – October 1 in Austin, TX at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar.
S. Craig Zahler’s existential horror western BONE TOMAHAWK closes out what guarantees to be another furious week of chaos with the director and film’s ensemble cast descending on Austin. “Bringing Kurt Russell back to the Alamo is something we’ve been trying to do for a long time” said League, “And to do it with BONE TOMAHAWK, a quintessential Fantastic Fest film, means we’re in for one hell of a closer. Huge thanks to Caliber Media for making it all happen.”
Turkish genre cinema is at the heart of this year’s Fantastic Fest, inspiring both feature programming and the festival theme. This relatively unknown school of ’70s renegade filmmaking is explored in REMIX, REMAKE, RIP-OFF, which will be receiving its U.S. Premiere with director Cem Kaya in attendance. ”We are delighted to be digging deep into Turkish cinema for a journey of discovery,” said Fantastic Fest Head Programmer, Evrim Ersoy. “With its ‘filmmaking-at-any-cost’ mentality, the sheer insanity of Turkish cinema is a perfect match for Fantastic Fest.”
As part of the Turkish celebration, Fantastic Fest will be screening three seminal films, DÜNYAYI KURTARAN ADAM (aka THE MAN WHO SAVES THE WORLD, aka TURKISH STAR WARS) , YILMAYAN ?EYTAN (aka THE DEATHLESS DEVIL) and TARKAN V?K?NG KANI (aka TARKAN VS THE VIKINGS). The screenings will be complemented by the attendance of iconic Turkish filmmaker Çetin ?nanç and moviestar Kunt Tulgar. “Due to the high cost of exhibiting American movies, Turkish filmmakers created their own versions of these classics, and with it a new universe of madcap cinema was born. I’m proud to say we’ve selected some of their wildest rides.” said Ersoy. In keeping with the Turkish spirit, this year’s poster is comprised exclusively of elements from classic Turkish movie art, of which there will be over 60 original movie posters on display at the festival.
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Fantastic Fest 2015 first wave film lineup below:
BONE TOMAHAWK
United States, 2015 — World Premiere, 133 min — Director – S. Craig Zahler
Kurt Russell stars in this character driven and at times horrific Western about a group of men (including Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox and Richard Jenkins) who set out to rescue a local woman and a young deputy who’ve been kidnapped by a tribe of cannibalistic troglodytes.
DARLING
United States, 2015 — World Premiere, 78 min — Director – Mickey Keating
A young woman slowly goes crazy after taking a job as the caretaker for an ancient New York home in the new film from writer/director Mickey Keating.
THE DEATHLESS DEVIL
Turkey, 1972 — Repertory Screening, 84 min — Director – Yilmaz Atadeniz
The mysterious Dr. Satan’s nefarious plans threaten the future of everyone on the planet, and the only men who can stop him are the brilliant Copperhead and his assistant Sherlock Holmes!
DER BUNKER
Germany, 2015 — North American Premiere, 85 min — Director – Nikias Chryssos
A student rents a room from a family in their converted army bunker, and ends up the tutor to the child and a virtual slave to the parents.
FAREWELL UNCLE TOM
Italy, 1971 — Repertory Screening, 123 min — Directors – Gualtiero Jacopetti, Franco Prosperi
The first movie based on historical facts about the rise and revolt of slavery in America is one of the most brilliant, misunderstood and reviled of all time.
GERMAN ANGST
Germany, 2015 — US Premiere, 111 min — Directors – Jörg Buttgereit, Michal Kosakowski & Andreas Marschall
German directors Buttgereit, Kosakowski and Marschall unleash this brutal assault on the senses, a surreal three-part horror anthology touching on love and hate and everything in between.
IN SEARCH OF ULTRA SEX
France, 2015 — North American Premiere, 60 min — Directors – Nicolas Charlet and Bruno Lavaine
A pandemic infects people everywhere with infinite lust, and the only ones who can save us are a group of astronauts in space, desperately looking for a solution.
THE INVITATION
United States, 2015 — Special Screening, 97 min — Director – Karyn Kusama
A haunted man attends a dinner party at the house he once called home, and becomes gripped with paranoia that his ex-wife and her new husband are harboring an insidious agenda.
LIZA THE FOX FAIRY
Hungary, 2015 — Regional Premiere, 98 min — Director – Károly Ujj-Mészáros
Somewhere in 1970s Budapest, nurse Liza dreams of romance. But as all her suitors die in violent and extreme ways, she begins to fear the worst: maybe she is really a fox fairy, doomed to remain alone forever!
LOVE AND PEACE
Japan, 2015 — US Premiere, 117 min — Director – Sion Sono
Fantastic Fest staple Shion Sono returns once again with a deeply personal (and expectedly odd) film about a lonely businessman with dreams of punk rock stardom and his best friend, a turtle.
LOVEMILLA
Finland, 2015 — North American Premiere, 97 min — Director – Teemu Nikk
LOVEMILLA is a delightful peek at life and love in Finland, filled with all the usual zombies, black holes, giant pandas and superheros you’d expect from the land that gave us Renny Harlin.
THE MAN WHO SAVES THE WORLD
Turkey, 1982 — Repertory Screening, 91 min — Director – Çetin ?nanç
There has never been and will never be another film like THE MAN WHO SAVES THE WORLD, and your only chance to discover why is at this special Fantastic Fest screening!
MY BODY HUNGERS
United States, 1967 — Repertory Screening, 80 min — Director – Joseph W. Sarno
A roadhouse hostess goes undercover to investigate the murder of her sister in a little-seen sexploiter from grindhouse rebel and master of erotica Joe Sarno.
OFFICE
Korea, 2015 — US Premiere, 111 min — Director – HONG Won-Chan
OFFICE is the story of Kim, the salaryman who one day brutally murders his entire family with a hammer, and Lee, the put-upon intern at his workplace. It’s dark-as-night corporate satire hiding behind a slasher veneer with scares so well timed, you’ll jump out of your seat non-stop.
REMAKE, REMIX, RIP-OFF
Turkey/Germany, 2014 — US Premiere, 96 min — Director – Cam Kaya
Welcome to Turkey. It’s home to Yesilcam, the Turkish Hollywood where, in the late ’70s, dreams were built on nothing more than a dime. Both a loving tribute to the burgeoning cinema of this young country and a trip into history, REMAKE, REMIX, RIP-OFF brings you the most outlandish story you’ve never heard, about filmmaking so dangerous that you need a safety harness just for watching.
RUINED HEART
Phillipines-Germany, 2015 — Regional Premiere, 73 min — Director – Khavn de la Cruz
Filipino iconoclast Khavn De La Cruz teams with famed cinematographer Christopher Doyle and Japanese mega star Tadanobu Asano to create a self-described “punk noir opera.”
SENSORIA
Sweden, 2015 — World Premiere, 82 min — Director – Christian Hallman
Caroline Menard is a woman in her thirties who has lost everything. As she moves into a new apartment searching for a new start, she’s unaware that something ancient is waiting for her.
THE SIMILARS
Mexico, 2015 — World Premiere, 89 min — Director – Isaac Ezban
On a dark and stormy night, eight strangers are stuck in a small bus station waiting for a bus to Mexico City. When strange things start happening, they find themselves trapped in a struggle for sanity and survival.
SPEED
South Korea, 2015 — North American Premiere, 104 min — Director – Lee Sang-woo
Four friends navigate sex, love and life in a heart-breaking new film from Korean director Lee Sang-woo.
STAND BY FOR TAPE BACK-UP
United Kingdom, 2015 — US Premiere, 65 min — Director – Ross Sutherland
Hypnotically scanning the contents of a VHS tape, this experimental essay-film eulogizes the former custodian of the analog artifact, transforming its recordings of GHOSTBUSTERS and FRESH PRINCE (among others) through rap-infused anecdotal narration, and inscribing both profound and hilarious associations to the tracking-lined images. STAND BY FOR TAPE BACK-UP will be presented as both a traditional screening as well as a live performance by creator Ross Sutherland.
TARKAN VS THE VIKINGS
Turkey, 1971 — Repertory Screening, 86 min — Director – Mehmet Aslan
Based on one of the most popular comic strips in Turkey. this rip-roaring adventure sees Tarkan and his trusty wolf companion Kurt take on the despicable Viking invaders after they leave him for dead!
VICTORIA
Germany, 2015 — Regional Premiere, 138 min — Director – Sebastian Schipper
Sebastian Schipper’s fourth directorial work is a single-shot tour-de-force that follows a Spanish barista through a dance club, the streets of Berlin, a coffee shop, a bank robbery and her destiny.
THE X-RATED SUPERMARKET
United States, 1972 — Repertory Screening, 62 min — Director – Paul Roberts
Want to save money on your weekly sex toy budget? Look no further than the supermarket shelves in some salacious tips and reactions from suburban horny housewives.
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Attend Fantastic Fest 2015
DAYTIME ONLY Badges, FAN Badges, and 2ND HALF Badges for Fantastic Fest 2015 are available for purchase here.
Members of the film industry who purchase either a FAN or SUPERFAN badge can apply for a free INDUSTRY upgrade and Fantastic Market access by filling out the formhere. Only approved industry will be considered for access to FANTASTIC MARKET. All Industry requests must submitted by no later than August 15th, 2015.
Fantastic Fest 2015 runs September 24 to October 1st.
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