Fantastic Fest 2025: Celebrating 20 Years of Genre Excellence in Austin, TX
Fantastic Fest, the largest genre film festival in the U.S., is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year at The Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin, TX from September 18-25. The festival has announced an exciting lineup featuring 45 World Premieres, 15 International and North American Premieres, and 13 U.S. Premieres. The event will kick off with the world premiere of Paramount's "Primate" directed by Johannes Roberts and close with the world premiere of Independent Film Company and Shudder's "Whistle" by Corin Hardy. Other notable titles include "Sisu: Road to Revenge," "Vicious," "Black Phone 2," "Shelby Oaks," "Sirât," "The Strangers – Chapter 2," "V/H/S/Halloween," and "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You."
In addition to film screenings, Fantastic Fest will host various events such as Fantastic Pitches, a program offering funding and distribution deals to filmmakers, a heavy metal performance by Castle Rat, a celebration of The Masters of Horror's 20th anniversary, a fundraiser for The Transgender Film Center, a Ghoulish Book Fair, a medieval drag show, Doug Benson's Movie Interruption show, and restoration screenings in partnership with the American Genre Film Archive. The festival will also feature jurors from the industry who will award honors in categories like Main Competition, Horror, Next Wave, and Shorts.
Festival Director Lisa Dreyer expressed excitement for the 20th anniversary celebration, highlighting the unprecedented number of world premieres and the support for independent filmmakers through the pitch competition. Alamo Drafthouse CEO Michael Kustermann emphasized the festival's role in championing genre and horror films, serving as a launchpad for studio partners and independent filmmakers. More additions to the lineup are expected to be announced later, offering audiences a diverse and thrilling cinematic experience.