Fantastic Fest

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Fantastic Fest News and special events!

Things are starting to move, screeners are pouring in and we've mapped out the first part of our acquisition trips for 2007. By popular demand, we are seriously jacking up the animated film content, both shorts and features, and we have already seen some amazing entries. By the end of May we will make our first of four content announcements, to give you a taste of the treats to come.On the festival horizon, we'll be attending the Cannes Film Festival Market, a veritable hotbed of genre gold. This is where the European Fantastic festivals pick up a large chunk of their programming each year. We'll also be attending the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, a huge fest, one of the old guard, founding members of the Melies Fantastic Film Festival Federation.

First thing: Fantastic Fest badges go on sale at noon on February 6, 2007. We had a brief period of discounted earlybird badges a while back, but we are ready to roll out the regularly priced badges (both VIP and general admission).

We also have two very special Fantastic Fest events slated for March that 2007 Fantastic Fest Badge Holders will have first crack at: Cop Fest Marathon/Hot Fuzz Sneak Preview (Mar 31) with Edgar Wright and Nick Frost live in person and the Joe Dante Weekend (Mar 24). Tickets for both of these events go on sale TO 2007 FANTASTIC FEST AND HEROES OF THE ALAMO MEMBERS ONLY at noon on February 13. The rank and file get their chance for tickets a week after, if there are any left.

If you don't have your 2007 Fantastic Fest badge yet, buy it on February 6, or you may miss out on your chance to hang out with Joe Dante or the Sean of the Dead creators creators and O.D. on a marathon of some of our all-time favorite cop flicks: Freebie and the Bean, Sudden Impact, Police Story 2 and Electra Glide in Blue (all of which, by the way, are influences on Hot Fuzz).

We'll email you guys with new information from time to time, or you can subscribe to the Fantastic Fest blog, where the news hits first. Once we get closer to the festival, the blog entries will be fast and furious and will allow you to keep your finger on the pulse of what's happening. Subscribe to our blog here.

One last item of business on this update - Austin 360 is conducting an online poll: "What's your favorite film festival in Austin." I know I am biased, but I for one had more fun at Fantastic Fest this year than just about anything I can think of. We're a small festival, I know, and may not be able to run with the big boys yet, but if you want to do so, please vote for us.



Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Pan's Labyrinth to open Alamo South Lamar Jan 12

OK Fantastic Fest attendees. It's time to rally and champion a cause. If you are in the same boat as me, seeing Guillermo Del Toro's masterpeice of a film, PAN'S LABYRINTH, at this year's Fantastic Fest was the highlight of my movie year. Picturehouse is releasing the film in Austin on January 12, and I want you guys to go out and start our own pyramid scheme. Beg and implore people to see this film. If your ten friends tell ten friends and so on and so on, it'll keep this film alive and give Guillermo his his chance to finally get some significant Oscar attention. It's a mandate, a moral imperative!

Also, for the opening weekend of Pan's Labyrinth, we'll have Spanish tapas and a Spanish wine flight on the menu. Check out our website for more details or to buy tickets.

"Beautiful and Exhilarating, a fairy tale for Grown-ups" - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

"The year's True Masterpiece, the best movie of the year" - The New York Post


PAN'S LABYRINTH is a fanciful and chilling story set against the backdrop of a fascist regime in 1944 rural Spain. It's Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups, with the horrors of both reality and fantasy blended together into an extraordinary, spellbinding fable. The film centers on Ofelia, a lonely and dreamy child living with her mother and adoptive father; a military officer tasked with ridding the area of rebels. In her loneliness, Ofelia creates a world filled with fantastical creatures and secret destinies. With post-war repression at its height, Ofelia must come to terms with her world through a fable of her own creation.


Winner - Best Foreign Language Film - San Francisco Film Critics Circle
Winner - Best Foreign Language Film - New York Critics Online
Winner - Best Foreign Language Film - Washington DC Film Critics Association


Official Pan's Labyrinth Site
Del Toro, Cuaron and Inarritu on the Charlie Rose show. This is a great interview with the three Mexican directors who are obviously very close friends. It gives insight into their process, their collaboration and their sense of humor.
Fantastic Fest reviews of Pan's Labyrinth. Pan's Labyrinth had it's first US screening at Fantastic Fest 2006 at the Alamo South Lamar. This link gives you the collected blog reviews of festival attendees.
Rotten Tomatoes reviews for Pan's Labyrinth. With a stunning 99% positive rating, Pan's Labyrinth is one of the most universally loved and triumphed films of the year. Check out multiple reviews here.
Guillermo Del Toro's Official Site