KEEPING AUSTIN WEIRD WITH FANTASTIC FEST 2026
Slated Attends the 21st Edition of the Largest Genre Film Fest in the United States
october 1, 2026 - BY HAnnia yeverino
Contributing writer, hannia yeverino, takes us on a quick trip through fantastic fest, "the largest genre film festival in the United states, championing challenging and thought-provoking cinema while celebrating new voices and new stories from filmmakers around the world."September in Austin. Genre film enthusiasts wrap lines around the Alamo Draft House on South Lamar, waiting to enter the theater. It’s Fall, but the seasons do not feel accurate here. If you planned accordingly, you might’ve brought a small fan with you to keep fresh in the 100-degree Texas heat. Or if you’re lucky enough, you get to stand near a huge fan set by the venue, those that sprinkle little drops of mist everywhere. There’s no better place to be though, for lovers of the unconventional. Fantastic Fest returns for its 21st edition, bringing together the genre film community for a seven-day festival packed with programming and events that keep people coming back year-round.
Resident Evil (2026) by Zach Creeger
The festival kicked off its 2026 season with one of the most anticipated movies of the year, Resident Evil. Director Zach Creeger and lead actor Austin Abrams made a special appearance. The celebrity sightings had fans cheering – Kid Cudi, Jessica Roth, Natasha Lyonne, Matthew Lillard, to name a few.
Other highly anticipated films that screened and/or premiered during this edition of Fantastic Fest were Primetime, Wild Horse Nine, Pathetic Fallacy, and the first two episodes of the 2026 Carrie series by Mike Flanagan.
Fantastic Fest is famously known for its secret screenings, which sell out as soon as tickets go live; two were hosted this year. The first secret screening was In A Violent Nature 2, which had not been announced publicly yet and was still a work-in-progress according to the team behind the film. The second secret screening was Alpha Gang, which is currently in its festival run.
photo by Hannia Yeverino
It’s no secret, though, that Fantastic Fest serves as a leading champion for independent films and up-and-coming filmmakers. One of the many ways this festival supports the independent landscape is through Fantastic Pitches, which started in 2025. This competition gives teams a chance to pitch to a jury and an audience for a chance to win $100,000 for their next feature film. Last year, the winner of the competition was director Nicolas Curcio, who premiered his feature film Play House during the 2026 festival. Fantastic Pitches also serves as a great reference point for filmmakers who are not quite ready to pitch a project yet, but want to learn what a great pitch looks like.
The various shorts programmed throughout the festival as blocks or pre-features had distinct themes that kept audiences glued to their seats; some made us die of laughter (Vape Glow and Terms & Conditions), others served as a spiritual meditation (Transference), and a couple gave us nightmares later that night (Bagman). Overall, Fantastic Fest is a great avenue to discover new talent, and keep a lookout for what these filmmakers are up to next.
3 Weeks After (2026) by Miroslav Terzic
Some festival favorites from the features program include 3 Weeks After directed by Miroslav Terzić. This film follows a group of high school students stranded on a field trip and observes the aftermath of their classmate’s recent suicide. It’s bleak and brutal, but a mirror to an unaddressed, cold nature. This film is strikingly cinematic, with long, wide shots that capture the loneliness of the protagonist, who is tormented by his classmate’s bullying and the death of his friend. Not an easy watch, but an artistic work that’s immersive.
Godmother (2026) by John Vernon
Godmother, directed by John Veron, is a horror film that…takes you to unexpected places. The film follows a couple on a romantic getaway, but are often interrupted by their seemingly friendly, yet unsettling hosts. If you think that you know where this film is headed, no, you don’t. Unless you’re on the same wavelength as John, who loves to surprise his audiences. Godmother birthed stellar performances from its cast; bravo to Paige Evans and Riley Dandy, a new favorite on-screen sister duo. The film is suspenseful and full of dark themes, but in its own way, still very fun, which is probably not something you’d expect from a story about a girl stranded in the desert with a tech bro. The overall ambiance of the movie feels reminiscent of 2016 California – the music, the pools, the desert, the color palettes, and of course the thoughts about your overly-friendly neighbor possibly being a cult member.
What would you give up for love, and what would you give up for success? This is the taste that Corpus by Corrin Evans left in my mouth: fundamental questions about our inner desires. Set in the late 90s in New York City, Corpus follows a nightlife photographer who travels upstate with his ex-lover and a friend to a party – only to find out it’s a gathering between three mysterious women. This film is incredibly sexy and tangible, intertwining lust and fear. It also indirectly explores the struggle of a rising artist, feeling compelled to give whatever it takes if it means getting ahead. As a horror film, Corpus is intriguing, but truthfully it’s captivating in a way that could resonate with a multitude of audiences.
Corpus (2026) by Corrin Evans
The 2026 edition of Fantastic Fest closed with the film, The Swallow, and with it, its epic closing night party. As soon as you walked into Radio East for the celebration, staff handed you a poncho – in case you didn’t want to be splashed with fake blood and blue goo by the metal band GWAR during their raging performance. If metal is not your thing, no worries, there was a reptilian petting zoo with a friendly boa that was glad to wrap itself around you, while others waited in line to get a tattoo from a spooky flash sheet featuring Frankenstein’s creature and a chic coffin. Fans, industry professionals, and staff, all sported brutally clever and/or gruesome costumes; the energy was high, and a sense of delight filled the air.
The countdown for Fantastic Fest 2027 has begun! See you next year.
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