The year is winding down quickly, and as we look back through the entertainment cornucopia of 2025, it was all pretty awesome. We had a slew of sensational experience in theaters, at home, and with creatives on multiple press junkets. And the best part about getting to interview people who make the things we love is when the conversation is as fun as the film. So enter director/writer Nik Pelekai and co-writer Jacob Stauff who brought their film to Fantastic Fest in September – if you’re gonna share something wild and hard-hitting with the world, this is the place to do it. Penance starts off with a bang, and even…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…Katherine Dudas and Avalon Fast – Finding Your Tribe On Stage or By Campfire
It’s been a few weeks since we left Fantastic Fest and, as it always happens, the films and experiences tend to stick with us like chewing gum. The festival is great for young filmmakers. For some, this is their first feature. But even if you’ve been doing this a while, one thing is certain: if you can shock, impress or surprise this group of battle-hardened cinema fans, then you have likely found your foothold in the industry. Having said that, not everything at this wild and crazy film fest is about psychopaths and vampires. FF is renowned as a place where those kinds of terrifying personalizes are welcomed and, often…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…Ying and Nathan Wong on ‘Road to Vendetta’
Most of the features and shorts that play at Fantastic Fest are labors of love created by indie and/or first-time filmmakers. They share a love of storytelling and are so passionate about their work. And, more times than none, you’d never believe that what you’re witnessing on the silver screens here in Austin is someone’s first at-bat. This year’s crop is yet another amazing harvest that shows what kind of visionaries are climbing and ascending the creative mountaintop in this world. With a one-two punch of action and highly unexpected humor that recalls the magic of Rush Hour, director Ying and cinematographer Nathan Wong, give us John Wick by way…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…Dean Francis and Sacha Horler on Addiction and Identity in ‘Body Blow’
One of the best things about going to Fantastic Fest is seeing something we may never get the chance to see again. This year had at least half a dozen like that, one of which is the erotic thriller, Body Blow. Let us set the scene for the steamy Aussie noir from director Dean Francis: Aiden, a young cop, embarks on a risky undercover mission where he meets Cody, a captivating male sex worker controlled by a drug lord drag queen. He dives into a perilous world, getting entangled in a deadly police conspiracy. A chance meeting at the Highball put us face to face with Francis (who is also…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…Director Rod Blackhurst on the Pain, Panic and Family Turmoil in ‘Dolly’
In a word, Dolly is GRUESOME. As a revenge tale – a warped cat-and-mouse narrative – it is unrelenting and unforgiving. The film has a timeless setting but it has all the color and flavor of ’70s era horror (sounds, paranoia, shot selection, psychosis, wildly exploitative gore and then some which are perfectly replicated in this homage), and boy are they thrown at us with force. The uneasiness sets in and never lets off the gas. Director Rod Blackhurst pulls no punches, and each encounter with “Baby Girl” is more squirm-inducing than the last. One thing is for sure, if you’re up for it, you won’t be able to take your…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…Bryan Bertino on Inner Demons and Dealing with Anguish in ‘Vicious’
Bryan Bertino is a filmmaker who is adept at giving us a dizzying array of frights on the big screen. His stories and visual style tend to stick with you, and some things you just can’t unsee. In 2008, he shocked the horror world with The Strangers. Now fast-forward to this year at Fantastic Fest where we find him returning, somewhat, to a self-contained, claustrophobic and hostile setting. Vicious is definitely in the same vein. But it’s more apt to say it’s under your skin. The force in the story is not external; it’s already here, it’s on the inside, and it knows everything about you. Bertino’s film focuses on the…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…Director Bruno Martín, Co-Writer Santiago Taboada and Team on Tiered Crime and Narrative Quicksand in ‘Luger’
They say crime doesn’t pay. And in the case of Luger, the energy expended ends up costing the characters more than they bargained for. Instead of reaping a huge haul a la Ocean’s 11, sometimes sacrifices have to be made. And it’s worth noting that anything remotely resembling a happy ending is unlikely to be found here at Fantastic Fest. So enter Luger – a captivating and entertaining film on a number of levels. At first, it seems like a standard and solid throwback crime drama in present times. The opening sequence, set in a cafe no less, has all the earmarks of films in this genre. Then there’s the opening…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…Director Eduardo Casanova on the Important Themes of ‘Silencio’
Stories work well when they serve two purposes. Entertainment is one thing, but if you can use a narrative as a chance to do something deeper and more meaningful, so much the better. In what is probably our favorite film at Fantastic Fest, Eduardo Casanova‘s Silencio is a shining example of how a genre (in this case, horror) can be a Trojan horse for getting to the heart of a socially impacting topic. Imagine, if you will, a film with a hook about vampirism is actually a means to convey how (among other ideas) how AIDS has affected many people. Oh, this is also about coming out from under the…
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[Fantastic Fest Interview]…Kyle Misak and Jon Petro on Dancing Psychopaths, Perfect Casting Choices and Narrative Tone in ‘Bad Haircut’
Sometimes, a film can hook you from the very first frame, and you just know you’re gonna love the ride. As a film fan, that’s the best you can hope for. Beyond that, if something has high replay value and staying power, it means that particular film it’s on its way too greatness or, at least, cult status. One such feature that meets all of the above and more is Bad Haircut, and having its World Premiere at Fantastic Fest is a badge of honor. Everything in this 110 minute runtime is primed for maximum enjoyment from this fervent and genre-loving crowd. All the elements we love are there (check…
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[Fantastic Fest Review]…’Bad Haircut’ is Sharp, Silly and Sweet as Spielberg
For 20 years, the best collection of genre film experiences has been shared with the world in Austin, TX at Fantastic Fest. This beloved institution celebrates two solid decades surprising, entertaining and delighting festival goers, and you can be sure they always deliver the goods. Great credit goes to the organizers who not only set up the festival, but pick and choose from a number of dizzying, demented, and otherwise gonzo films. So let’s just say that if the staff says it’s worthwhile, then it is sure to please. One such devilishly handsome, charming, and comedic entry into this year’s lineup is the world premiere of a shockingly good, hilariously…
