First of all, thanks for taking the time to read this most recent Fantastic Fest update.  We’ve been hard at work for months crafting the feature and shorts lineup as well as the daytrips, outings, panels and special events.  We have one more content announcement scheduled for September 7 and already we have some truly AMAZING titles confirmed for that release, so hold tight.

People are starting to ask me what I am most excited about in the festival.  First, I love the big gala events.  Currently we have announced GENTLEMEN BRONCOS on Opening Night, ZOMBIELAND, George Romero’s SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD, and DAYBREAKERS.  Most of these shows will be at the Paramount Theater on opening weekend.  Hearing 1000 people gasp in unison during the “unclogging” scene in ZACK AND MIRI last year, for example, was priceless.  We’ll have more gala events coming soon as well as details on those mentioned above.

Even more than the galas, I love sharing our discoveries with the audience.  Some of my personal favorites in this announcement are DOWN TERRACE – a very smart and very black comedy which will have its world premiere at Fantastic Fest; YESTERDAY – a micro-budget Canadian zombie flick that packs an amazing bang for the buck, and DURESS – a novel twist on the suspense thriller.  Don’t get me wrong, though, ALL the films at Fantastic Fest are fabulous. No matter what films you see, we feel confident you will have a fantastic time.

If you are coming to Fantastic Fest for the first time or are a veteran attendee, we encourage you to fully engage in the process.  Rate and review all of the films you see on BSide; chat and hang out with the festival staff, visiting filmmakers and journalists and kick sleep and work to the curb until October 2.

For those who haven’t yet committed and bought a badge, we encourage you to do so very soon, there are only about 75 badges left, and once those are gone, only individual tickets will be available.

We look forward to watching movies, drinking beer, singing karaoke, bowling and generally acting like a kid with all of you very soon.

Cheers,

Tim League
director/co-founder
Fantastic Fest

In 2007, Fantastic Fest was honored by the presence of one of the true masters of horror, George A. Romero.  Now, two years later, we are thrilled to welcome back the undisputed champion of all things undead for his latest blood-drenched thrillride, SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD.  When the idyllic retreat of Plum Island falls victim to the zombie plague, a new breed of clan war breaks out.  On one side is the camp who want to exterminate all undead with a wickedly diverse array of brain-splattering headshots.  On the other, devoted family members take the stance that “zombie-ism” is a disease, the undead have rights and they must be kept alive until a cure is found.  Unable to simply “agree to disagree,” the two clans go to war and make their island microcosm a whole hell of a lot bloodier. An undead parallel to the tribal wars that are plaguing our own society today, SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD exposes the futility of such conflict and the need for tolerance of the beliefs of others.  Plus it’s got zombie horses in it!

From the very beginning, Romero has been making more than simple gore films.  To be sure, he’s amazing at delivering “the blood-red goods,” but what makes his films classics are the underlying social and political threads interwoven with the rampant gut-munching.  NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD played with themes of Vietnam-era paranoia, DAWN OF THE DEAD poked fun at mass-consumerism all the way up to DIARY OF THE DEAD which took aim at the journalistic and new media ethics (or lack thereof).   Raise a glass of scotch, ladies and gentlemen, and toast the triumphant  return to Texas of one of the few working legends of cinema, Mr. George A. Romero.  We’ll start off the show with a collection of vintage Romero trailers followed by a Q&A after the screening with the master himself.  (Tim League)

Columbia Pictures’ horror comedy ZOMBIELAND focuses on two men who have found a way to survive a world overrun by zombies.  Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) is a big wuss – but when you’re afraid of being eaten by zombies, fear can keep you alive.  Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) is an AK-totin’, zombie-slayin’ badass whose single determination is to get the last Twinkie on earth.  As they join forces with Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), who have also found unique ways to survive the zombie mayhem, they will have to determine which is worse: relying on each other or succumbing to the zombies.

Check back to the Fantastic Fest website for more details on what will most certainly be an action-packed night of entertainment!

G4 and Fantastic Fest Present
Uwe Boll’s Totally Awesome Video Games
Filmmaking Competition
The computer was invented in 1936, but the ’80s taught it how to PARTY. What was once just a tool for algorithms and manufacturing data
suddenly became ground zero for barrel-jumping Italian plumbers, ghost-eating yellow circles and ostrich-riding jousters. Mankind was thrust into an Age of Digital Sorcery…without even having to get up from the couch. These games and characters soon became as important to us as food and family. As the ’90s dawned, so did a new genre of cinema, ushered in by innovative masterpieces like MORTAL KOMBAT, SUPER MARIO BROS and (of course) Jean-Claude Van Damme’s epic, globe-spanning STREET FIGHTER. But shockingly enough, several of the most beloved console classics remain unadapted to the movie medium.

The top two teams will be hand-picked by our hosts, Kevin Pereira and Olivia Munn and then flown to Fantastic Fest where the best trailer will be chosen by none other than our planet’s supreme arcade-to-megaplex megamaster UWE BOLL!  Game OVER!!!

Screenings of TOTALLY AWESOME VIDEO GAMES will happen during Fantastic Fest 2009, and registration is open right now over at G4TV.com/Fantastic. Head over there to check out the full rules and get your film uploaded before September 4!

The year is 2019. A mysterious plague has swept over the earth, transforming the majority of the world’s population into vampires. Humans are now an endangered, second-class species – forced into hiding as they are hunted and farmed for vampire consumption to the brink of extinction.  It’s all up to Edward Dalton, a vampire researcher who refuses to feed on human blood, to perfect a blood substitute that might sustain vampires and spare the few remaining humans. But time and hope are running out – until Ed meets Audrey, a human survivor who leads him to a startling medical breakthrough. Armed with knowledge that both humans and vampires will kill for, Ed must battle his own kind in a deadly struggle that will decide the fate of the human race.  Daybreakers opens nationwide on January 8, 2010.  Special thanks to Lionsgate for arranging this event. Details

Following the premiere of the opening night film GENTLEMEN BRONCOS, Fantastic Fest badgeholders are invited to join the cast and crew at the exclusive afterparty at The Highball (1142 South Lamar Blvd next to Alamo South Lamar).  We’ll have futuristic cocktails and food, supplies to make your own popcorn sculptures, a photo diorama where you can get your picture taken on an actual Brutus and Balzaak Battle Stag, DJs spinning spacey music as well as art from the film on display.

GENTLEMEN BRONCOS is the opening night film of Fantastic Fest 2009.  Writer/director Jared Hess, co-writer Jerusha Hess as well as stars Jemaine Clement, Mike White and Sam Rockwell will be in attendance.  Details

We are proud to announce the next 20 titles in the 5th edition of Fantastic Fest.  Subscribe to the Fantastic Fest Blog or Twitter Feed for all of the latest updates.  We will be announcing the 3rd wave of titles and the Fantastic Fest schedule on September 7.  You can view photos, watch trailers and find more information at www.fantasticfest.com.

Daybreakers (dir. Michael Spierig & Peter Spierig, 2009, USA)
The year is 2019. A mysterious plague has swept over the earth, transforming the majority of the world’s population into vampires. Humans are now an endangered, second-class species – forced into hiding as they are hunted and farmed for vampire consumption to the brink of extinction.  It’s all up to Edward Dalton, a vampire researcher who refuses to feed on human blood, to perfect a blood substitute that might sustain vampires and spare the few remaining humans.

Doghouse
(dir. Jake West, 2009, UK)
North American Premiere
Kicked out of the house and recently served with divorce papers, Vince (Stephen Graham, SNATCH) is at a low point in his life.  In an effort to rally their best mate’s spirits, his crew rents a charter bus for a country retreat of heavy drinking and womanizing.  The only problem is that the women in their idyllic country hideaway have been infested with the zombie plague, eaten every man in town and are now hungry for seconds.

Down Terrace

World Premiere
(dir. Ben Wheatley, 2009, UK)
Down Terrace is a darkly comedic drama from Britain that follows the daily travails of a dysfunctional family of crooks trying to keep their business from falling apart.

Duress
North American Premiere
(dir. Jordan Barker, 2009, US)

A cold-blooded killer has singled out a mild-mannered, recently widowed man and is forcing him, under threat of harm to his young daughter, to participate in his gruesome activities.  The indecisive father sinks deeper and more helplessly into the clutches of the ruthless killer – a man most definitely on a mission.

First Squad
World Premiere
(dir. Yoshiharu Ashino, 2009, Japan)

The battle along the Russian-German front of WWII has ground to a halt. Desperate to regain momentum the Nazi forces have turned to their occult division to raise the spirits of
their dead ancestors to fight on their behalf.  Russia’s only hope lies in the psychic abilities of a
teenage girl.

Hard Revenge, Milly: Bloody Battle
Regional Premiere
(dir. Takanori Tsujimoto, 2009, Japan)
In a near-future post-apocalyptic bombed-out shell of Japan, lawless gangs roam the outskirts of the city, raping and pillaging with impunity.  Milly, left for dead by a particularly
vicious gang, literally picks up the (her) pieces, bonds them with some truly inventive bio-weaponry and takes bloody revenge, one lowlife at a time.

Human Centipede
North American Premiere
(dir. Tom Six, 2009, Netherlands/UK)
Dr. Heiter (Dieter Laser), a leering, sepulchral surgeon from Germany whose specialty is separating Siamese twins, evolves his craft by sewing together living beings together at the “mucous-cutaneous zone” (guess) in order to create Siamese triplets with a single digestive system.

Macabre
World Premiere
(dir. The Mo Brothers, 2009, Indonesia)

After just embarking on a roadtrip, six friends stop to pick up a girl who has just been robbed and return her to her home at the end of an isolated forest.   Their act of kindness ends up being repaid by a night of unspeakable horror and butchery.

Mandrill
World Premiere
(dir. Ernesto Diaz Espinoza, 2009, Chile)

The dynamic duo of Chile, Marko Zaror and Ernesto Diaz Espinoza, are returning to Austin with the World Premiere of their new action thriller MANDRILL.  Marko Zaror plays MANDRILL, a young hitman who will not relent until he has exacted bloody revenge on the man who killed his mother many years ago.

Merantau
North American Premiere
(dir. Gareth Evans, 2009, Indonesia)

Indonesia’s first martial arts film in roughly fifteen years and quite possibly the first to ever feature a serious treatment of local martial art silat.

Metropia
U.S. Premiere
(dir. Tarik Saleh, 2009, Sweden)

What if the global oil shortage were to force civilization underground?  What if the subway system were expanded to connect all the major cities of Europe?  What if the voices in your head were real and the Powers That Be using transmitters hidden in shampoo to monitor your every word and action? It’s only paranoia if it’s not true …

Smash Cut
(dir. Lee Demarbre, 2009, Canada)
U.S. Premiere
When his latest film is panned for its sub-par effects work, veteran grindhouse filmmaker Able Whitman (David Hess, LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK) is struck with inspiration: the most realistic gore effects will come from actual
dismemberment and corpses!

Survival of the Dead
U.S. Premiere
(dir. George A. Romero, 2009, US/Canada)
George Romero returns to the Alamo Drafthouse cinema for the U.S. premiere of his latest zombie opus.  The action centers on two warring clans of Plum Island; one wants to kill every zombie on the island, the other tries to protect their undead family members until a cure for “zombieism” is found.

Sweet Karma
US Premiere
(dir. Andrew Thomas Hunt, 2009, Canada)
When her sister disappears without a trace – the apparent victim in a Russian prostitution ring in Toronto – a shy, beautiful, mute woman sets off on a bloody, intercontinental
trail of revenge.

Terribly Happy
(dir. Henrik Ruben Genz, 2009, Denmark)

Based on a true story, TERRIBLY HAPPY follows a young Copenhagen cop who is exiled to a provincial Jutland town after suffering a nervous collapse. The town and its “code” soon prove to be much more complex and challenging – not to mention much more deadly – than the big city beat.

Van Diemen’s Land
U.S. Premiere
(dir. Jonathan Auf Der Heide, 2009, Australia)
When their guard is killed en route to prison in 19th-century Tasmania, eight prisoners escape through the dense rain forest.  Their poorly-conceived escape plans crumble,
food runs out and the gang of prisoners engages in power struggles, psychological games and cannibalism in order to survive.  Based on the true-life story of Australian prisoner Alexander Pearce.

Yatterman
Regional Premiere
(dir. Takashi Miike, 2009, Japan)

A reimagining of the long-running Anime TV show, Miike’s YATTERMAN is a massive dayglo blast that hits your brain like a bullet train and kickstarts your pleasure centers.

Yesterday
Regional Premiere
(Rob Grant, 2009, Canada)When a strange flulike virus starts killing people and turning them into flesh-eating zombies, an unlikely group of guys band together, grab an SUV and head for the woods to wait out the epidemic.  Shot in 16mm on a micro-budget of $25,000, YESTERDAY transcends its resources, filling every scene with great practical effects, car crashes, ballistics and, most importantly, cracklingly sharp dramatic and comedic performances by every single principal cast member.

Zombieland
(dir. Ruben Fleischer, 2009, US)

Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) is a big wuss – but when you’re afraid of being eaten by zombies, fear can keep you alive.  Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) is an AK-totin’, zombie-slayin’ badass whose single determination is to get the last Twinkie on earth.

,

Dos Manos Zurdas y un Racimo de Ojos Manchados de Gris
(dir. Antonio Trashorras and Celia Rico, Spain, 19 min)
A love letter to the surreal, bloody classic giallos, by the screenwriter of The Devil’s Backbone.

Elder Sign (dir. Joseph Nanni, Canada, 2 min)
Are you troubled by the impending wrath of ancient demonic gods? Of course. We all are. Here’s what you can DO about it.

Full Employment (dir. Matthias Vogel and Thomas Oberlies, Germany, 12 min)
The revolutionary new government program allows young people to assist the elderly in carrying out their occupational responsibilities, even when said duty is out of the ordinary.

Heartbreak Motel (dir. Aaron McLoughlin, Australia, 7 min)
Some people’s fantasies are better left unexplored.

Inside (dir Tracie Laymon, USA, 13 min)
What do you do when there’s something growing inside of you? You get rid of it.

La Curiosa Conquista del Ampere (dir. Ramon Orozco, Mexico, 10 min)
Not even death can keep an electric plant worker from fulfilling his obligations to the people.

Luneville (dir. Sebastien Petit, Belgium, 9 min)
An otherworldly, old-timey, anti-reality fairytale of galactic discovery.

Meltdown (dir. David Green, USA, 6 min)
Triumph and tragedy in its most epic forms (and taking place entirely in a refrigerator).

Pathos (dir. Marcello Ercole, Italy, 17 min)
The future ain’t what it was cracked up to be, and this vision of tomorrow may have you unplugging your Ipod and throwing your cell phone out the window.

Rite (dir. Alicia Conway, USA, 9 min)

Blossoming to adulthood is no picnic. A dreamish, jarring vision of
growing up.

Shapes (dir. Alan Brennan, Ireland, 5 min)
Claire’s old enough to know there’s no monster in the bedroom, but when the lights go out…

Sinkhole (dir. Eric Scherbarth, USA, 13 min)
A self-serving developer learns that money can’t buy everything when he visits an abandoned coalmine shrouded in darkness.

Terrafarmer (dir. Will Adams, UK, 2 min)
It’s hard enough to farm on Earthly soil, but interstellar agriculture is downright ridiculous.

The Terrible Thing of Alpha-9! (dir. Jake Armstrong, USA, 9 min)
Fearless Spacehunter vs. Hideous Extraterrestrial Creature…with a little something extra.

The Tivo (dir. Adam Green, USA, 9 min)
A man buys a Tivo that changes his life.  All is wonderful until the Tivo develops its own fatal attraction to the man.

Every year, Fantastic Fest offers badgeholders a variety of elaborate parties and events, and the 2009 slate is already taking shape.  The opening night party will be themed to Gentlemen Broncos (more details later this Month).  On Friday September 25, we will be featuring a “meet the Japanese” Sake and Shochu party followed by what can only be described as a reckless, debauched and borderline dangerous karaoke party.  To augment the song choices that evening, visiting filmmakers are encouraged to take part in our “Karaoke Video War” and create their own karaoke video to their favorite anthem.  We are also amping up our Fantastic Debates party.  The debates are leaner and meaner this year, and each round of debate will be followed by a mandatory boxing match between the two dueling film industry authorities.  Many of the parties will be held at “The Highball,” a brand new entertainment mecca adjacent to the Alamo South Lamar.  “The Highball” will feature 8 lanes of bowling, 7 themed karaoke rooms, a diner, cocktail lounge, 6 lanes of skeeball and a ballroom.  The bowling, karaoke and skeeball will be free for Fantastic Fest badgeholders throughout the week and there will be parties every night in the Highball Ballroom.  We’ll be posting more details on all the parties closer to the festival.