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Now in its fifteenth year, the Alamo Drafthouse-created Fantastic Fest is showing no signs of relinquishing its title as America\u2019s premiere genre film festival. The first wave of its 2019 lineup includes premieres from around the world, restorations of classic horror flicks, and an eclectic assortment of documentaries.<\/p>\n
Taika Waititi\u2019s \u201cJojo Rabbit\u201d will open the festival, marking the film\u2019s American premiere with an appearance from the filmmaker. Legendary director Takashi Miike will also be in attendance, promoting his Cannes favorite \u201cFirst Love.\u201d Other highlights include Stephen King adaptation \u201cIn the Tall Grass\u201d and the Elijah Wood-led \u201cCome to Daddy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur fifteenth year is a one-of-a-kind of celebration of the cinema we champion: brilliant and out-there,\u201d said the festival\u2019s Creative Director Evrim Ersoy in an official statement. \u201cIt\u2019s a 15-year-long love letter to the wide spectrum of daring, crazy films, filmmakers, and audience members whom we host in Austin each September. It\u2019s an ode to the independent spirit of cinema that allows us to showcase the diversity of the world at large and helps us to understand it better!\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s something for every genre film fan to love on this list, which will be expanded in the coming months with the addition of further announcements. This year\u2019s festival will take place in Austin, Texas from September 19 \u2013 26.<\/p>\n
Check out the first wave of films from Fantastic Fest below, with all synopses provided by the festival.<\/p>\n
\u201c4X4\u201d
\nArgentina, Spain, 2019
\nNorth American Premiere, 93 min
\nDirector \u2013 Mariano Cohn
\nA 4\u00d74 car will be the battleground between a brash thief trapped inside and the mysterious man who will do anything to keep him imprisoned.<\/p>\n
\u201cBloody Birthday\u201d Presented by AGFA + Arrow Films
\nUSA, 1981
\nWorld Premiere of Restoration, 85 min
\nDirector \u2013 Ed Hunt
\nThe classic Killer Kids slasher, newly restored by Arrow Films and presented by AGFA.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Cleansing Hour\u201d
\nUSA, 2019
\nWorld Premiere, 95 min
\nDirector \u2013 Damien LeVeck
\nReverend Max and his best friend Drew have a hit web show where they make a pretty good living faking exorcisms for hundreds of thousands of fans until the evening a real demon takes over and terrorizes their crew.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome to Daddy\u201d
\nNew Zealand, Canada, Ireland, 2019
\nTexas Premiere, 94 min
\nDirector \u2013 Ant Timpson
\nWhen 30-year-old Norval receives a letter from his estranged dad begging him to visit, he is set on a weird path of discovery, unusual encounters\u2026 and a lot of violence.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome to Daddy\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCosmic Candy\u201d
\nGreece, 2019
\nWorld Premiere, 95 min
\nDirector \u2013 Rinio Dragasaki
\nAnna, an eccentric supermarket cashier with an obsessive taste for a trippy treat called Cosmic Candy, undergoes a quirky transformation when forced to care for a ten-year-old neighbor girl.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Death of Dick Long\u201d
\nUSA, 2019
\nAustin Premiere, 107 min
\nDirector \u2013 Daniel Scheinert
\nDick is dead but no one knows how, and Zeke and Earl are desperate enough to go to any lengths to stop anyone from finding out the reason\u2026 but a small town in Alabama is not the kind of place where secrets can stay buried for long. Soon all hell breaks loose, engulfing the two men in a reckoning they had never even considered.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeerskin\u201d
\nFrance, 2019
\nNorth American Premiere, 77 min
\nDirector \u2013 Quentin Dupieux
\nWhen Georges buys himself a deerskin jacket, he will find his life on a collision course with madness, crime, and the desire to be the only man wearing an overgarment.<\/p>\n
\u201cDie Kinder Der Toten\u201d
\nAustria, 2019
\nNorth American Premiere, 90 min
\nDirectors \u2013 Kelly Copper & Pavol Li\u0161ka
\nIn this experimental adaptation of an epic Elfriede Jelinek novel, a group of Austrian tourists is killed in a traffic accident before reanimating as zombies and terrorizing a local pub.<\/p>\n
\u201cDogs Don\u2019t Wear Pants\u201d
\nFinland, Latvia, 2019
\nUS Premiere, 105 min
\nDirector \u2013 Jukka-Pekka Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4
\nA heartbroken heart surgeon is introduced to the dark and extreme when his daughter gets her tongue pierced, sending him down a path of pain, dreams, life, love, death, and awakenings.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst Love\u201d
\nJapan, 2019
\nUS Premiere, 108 min
\nDirector \u2013 Takashi Miike
\nWhen aspiring boxer Leo discovers that he may not have long to live, he goes all out to help drug-addicted call girl Monica, facing down gangsters, assassins, corrupt cops, and much more over the course of one long night.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst Love\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFractured\u201d
\nUSA, 2019
\nWorld Premiere, 100 min
\nDirector \u2013 Brad Anderson
\nAn unfortunate accident at a truck stop means Ray has to rush his daughter to the nearest hospital for a broken arm, but when his family disappears, he soon finds himself in a frantic fight to discover what happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Golden Glove\u201d
\nGermany, 2019
\nNorth American Premiere, 110 min
\nDirector \u2013 Fatih Akin
\nBased on true events that transpired in the grimy slums of 1970s Hamburg, loner-turned-murderer Fritz Honka stalks his local drinking spot, The Golden Glove, in search of his next victim.<\/p>\n
\u201cHappy Face\u201d
\nCanada, 2018
\nTexas Premiere, 97 min
\nDirector \u2013 Alexandre Franchi
\nIn Attendance \u2013 Director Alexandre Franchi and Actor E. R. Ruiz
\nAn attractive teenager infiltrates a support group for those with facial differences in hopes of learning how to connect with his cancer-stricken mother in Alexandre Franchi\u2019s (\u201cThe Wild Hunt\u201d) deeply personal, often hilarious, and powerfully inclusive sophomore feature.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the Shadow of the Moon\u201d
\nUSA, Canada, 2019
\nWorld Premiere, 115 min
\nDirector \u2013 Jim Mickle
\nIn 1988, a Philadelphia police officer doggedly hunts a serial killer whose crimes seemingly follow no pattern, but he hasn\u2019t considered how far the repercussions of his hunt may go.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the Tall Grass\u201d
\nCanada, 2019
\nWorld Premiere, 90 min
\nDirector \u2013 Vincenzo Natali
\nAdapted from the eponymous novella by Stephen King and Joe Hill, \u201cIn the Tall Grass\u201d follows siblings Cal and Becky who find themselves trapped within a vast field of tall grass when they venture in to answer the cries of a young boy.<\/p>\n
\u201cJojo Rabbit\u201d
\nUSA, 2019
\nUS Premiere, 108 min
\nDirector \u2013 Taika Waititi
\nIn Attendance \u2013 Director Taika Waititi
\nWriter director Taika Waititi (\u201cThor: Ragnarok,\u201d \u201cHunt For the Wilderpeople\u201d), brings his signature style of humor and pathos to his latest film, \u201cJoJo Rabbit\u201d, a World War II satire that follows a lonely German boy (Roman Griffin Davis as JoJo) whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi), Jojo must confront his blind nationalism.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnives and Skin\u201d
\nUSA, 2019
\nTexas Premiere, 109 min
\nDirector \u2013 Jennifer Reeder
\nThe disappearance of popular teenager Carolyn Harper has a profound ripple effect across her small midwest town in Jennifer Reeder\u2019s hypnotic musical mystery.<\/p>\n
“Deerskin”<\/p>\n
Directors’ Fortnight<\/p>\n
\u201cKoko-Di Koko-Da\u201d
\nSweden, Denmark, 2019
\nTexas Premiere, 86 min
\nDirector \u2013 Johannes Nyholm
\nWhen a disconnected couple take a camping trip in an attempt to mend their marriage after tragedy, they find themselves tormented by a peculiar band of misfits.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Last to See Them\u201d
\nGermany, 2019
\nTexas Premiere, 79 min
\nDirector \u2013 Sara Summa
\nOne summer evening in rural Italy, the Durati family is murdered during a home robbery. \u201cThe Last to See Them\u201d chronicles the previous \u2014 and final \u2014 day of their lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cLimbo\u201d Presented by AGFA + Bleeding Skull!
\nUSA, 1999
\nTexas Premiere of Restoration, 55 min
\nDirector \u2013 Tina Krause
\nTina Krause\u2019s unseen and unreal shot-on-video horror movie, newly preserved by AGFA + Bleeding Skull!<\/p>\n
\u201cThe McPherson Tape\u201d Presented by AGFA + Bleeding Skull!
\nUSA, 1989
\nWorld Premiere of Restoration, 63 min
\nDirector \u2013 Dean Alito
\nThe world\u2019s first found footage horror movie, newly preserved by AGFA + Bleeding Skull!<\/p>\n
\u201cMemory: The Origins of Alien\u201d
\nUSA, 2019
\nTexas Premiere, 93 min
\nDirector \u2013 Alexandre O. Philippe
\nFollowing up his deconstruction of \u201cPsycho\u201d\u2018s shower scene in 78\/52, documentarian Alexandre O. Philippe is back with his analysis of \u201cAlien,\u201d its origins, and the impact of Ridley Scott\u2019s classic sci-fi shocker.<\/p>\n
\u201cNail in the Coffin: El Vampiro Canadiense\u201d
\nCanada, 2019
\nWorld Premiere, 88 min
\nDirector \u2013 Michael Paszt
\nIn Attendance \u2013 Director Michael Paszt
\nAn intimate and heartfelt look at professional wrestler Vampiro\u2019s past, and his new life navigating the management of a lucha libre federation in Mexico, while raising his teenage daughter in Canada.<\/p>\n
\u201cNight Has Come\u201d
\nBelgium, 2019
\nWorld Premiere, 56 min
\nDirector \u2013 Peter Van Goethem
\nIn Attendance \u2013 Director Peter Van Goethem
\nIn a dystopian society, the population is threatened by a virus eating its way through the brain, erasing memories. After developing a treatment to store and classify memories, the State requires citizens to comply.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Peanut Butter Solution\u201d Presented by AGFA + Severin Films
\nCanada, 1985
\nWorld Premiere 2K Restoration, 93 min
\nDirector \u2013 Michael Rubbo
\nThe Canadian children\u2019s oddity takes youthful fantasy to strange new places in a brand new 2K restoration.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Pool\u201d
\nThailand, 2018
\nTexas Premiere, 90 min
\nDirector \u2013 Ping Lumprapleng
\nWhen a dog trainer and his pet finish their commercial gig, it\u2019s time to head home and enjoy a lazy afternoon floating in the pool\u2026 until he wakes up to the pool being drained and no way out.<\/p>\n
\u201cReflections of Evil\u201d Presented by AGFA
\nUSA, 2002
\nWorld Premiere of Restoration, 137 min
\nDirector \u2013 Damon Packard
\nThe new ground zero for gonzo horror surrealism in the 21st century, newly preserved by AGFA.<\/p>\n
\u201cRock, Paper, and Scissors\u201d
\nArgentina, 2019
\nNorth American Premiere, 83 min
\nDirectors \u2013 Macarena Garc\u00eda Lenzi & Mart\u00edn Blousson
\nWhen Magdalena returns to Argentina to confront her half-siblings about her share of the inheritance, the stage is set for a family reunion both bloody and brilliant.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe Mob\u201d Presented by AGFA + Something Weird
\nUSA, 1968
\nWorld Premiere 2K Restoration, 82 min
\nDirector \u2013 Harry Wuest
\nA gang of lesbian prison escapees kidnaps a gigolo in a 2K preservation of this sexploitation classic.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething Else\u201d
\nUSA, 2019
\nTexas Premiere, 83 min
\nDirectors \u2013 Jeremy Gardner & Christian Stella
\nIn Attendance \u2013 Directors Jeremy Gardner & Christian Stella
\nWhen Hank\u2019s longtime girlfriend Abby leaves him, he spirals into a cycle of drinking and depression. But it\u2019s the monster that shows up every night that\u2019s really driving him crazy.<\/p>\n
\u201cSon of the White Mare\u201d
\nHungary, 1981
\nUS Premiere 4K Restoration, 81 min
\nDirector \u2013 Marcell Jankovics
\nA psychedelic animated cult classic is back on the big screen in this brand-new restoration. Three brothers join forces to restore order in their kingdom, encountering bizarre and mind-bending challenges along the way.<\/p>\n
Haley Bennett in Swallow
\n\u201cSwallow\u201d<\/p>\n
Tribeca Film Festival<\/p>\n
\u201cSwallow\u201d
\nUSA, 2019
\nTexas Premiere, 94 min
\nDirectors \u2013 Carlo Mirabella-Davis
\nBeautiful newlywed Hunter has a perfect home, perfect life, and perfect husband. When the pressure to maintain that perfection builds after the announcement of her pregnancy, she develops an unusual craving: swallowing random household objects.<\/p>\n
\u201cTammy and the T-Rex\u201d Presented by AGFA + Vinegar Syndrome
\nUSA, 1994
\nWorld Premiere of Restoration, 91 min
\nDirectors \u2013 Stewart Raffill
\nFully restored and ready to tear your head off. Literally.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Wave\u201d
\nUnited States, 2019
\nWorld Premiere, 87 min
\nDirector \u2013 Gille Klabin
\nFrank (Justin Long), a bored corporate lawyer, decides to shake it up with a wild night out. In the process, he takes a mysterious drug that launches him into a mind-bending time travel adventure.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Whistler\u201d
\nRomania, 2019
\nUS Premiere, 97 min
\nDirector \u2013 Corneliu Porumboiu
\nCorneliu Porumboiu mixes Romanian New Wave with Hollywood noir beats as he follows a corrupt detective who helps a wealthy criminal escape from jail by learning the ancient, secret language of silbo whistling.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy Don\u2019t You Just Die!\u201d
\nRussia, 2019
\nTexas Premiere, 100 min
\nDirector \u2013 Kirill Sokolov
\nIn Attendance \u2013 Director Kirill Sokolov
\nAfter agreeing to kill his girlfriend\u2019s father, Matvei gets in way over his head when he arrives at her parents\u2019 apartment to learn her dad\u2019s a cop.<\/p>\n
\u201cWrinkles The Clown\u201d
\nUSA, 2019
\nWorld Premiere, 78 min
\nDirector \u2013 Michael Beach Nichols
\nIn Attendance \u2013 Director Michael Beach Nichols
\nPennywise isn\u2019t real. But Wrinkles is. This documentary explores the story of the infamous freaky clown from Naples, Florida who makes a living being hired by parents to terrorize their naughty children.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou Don\u2019t Nomi\u201d
\nUSA, 2019
\nTexas Premiere, 94 min
\nDirector \u2013 Jeffrey McHale
\nIn Attendance \u2013 Director Jeffrey McHale
\nUsing cleverly edited clips of Paul Verhoeven\u2019s genre-spanning filmography, Jeffrey McHale\u2019s video essay explores the decidedly un-titillating and delightfully inexplicable \u201cShowgirls\u201d and its continued, ever-expanding legacy.<\/p>\n
View this article at IndieWire<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Now in its fifteenth year, the Alamo Drafthouse-created Fantastic Fest is showing no signs of relinquishing its title as America\u2019s premiere genre film festival. The first wave of its 2019 lineup includes premieres from around the world, restorations of classic horror flicks, and an eclectic assortment of documentaries. Taika Waititi\u2019s \u201cJojo Rabbit\u201d will open the
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