By MICHAEL GINGOLD
Los Angeles’ biggest film festival will showcase a massive array of films old and new.
Beyond Fest has announced the complete lineup for its 2025 edition, which runs September 23-October 8 at LA’s Egyptian Theatre, Aero Theatre and Los Feliz 3. Among the 90 feature films on the slate are eight world premieres, five North American premieres, nine U.S. premieres and 25 West Coast premieres. Plenty of filmmakers will be attending the fest, which is presented exclusively by Neon and programmed and produced in partnership with the American Cinematheque.
“This year, we’re celebrating the full spectrum of genre filmmaking that intentionally ranges from the arthouse to the grindhouse,” says head of programming Evrim Ersoy. “Our goal has always been to connect film communities with the greatest variety of filmmakers, and the vast diversity of this year’s slate, featuring an unprecedented array of premieres and restorations, is a steadfast commitment to this mission and the power of genre cinema.”
The fest PR lays down the wide range of features on tap:
Opening and Closing Night honors are bestowed upon two of contemporary Cinema’s most beloved auteurs: Park Chan-wook and Yorgos Lanthimos, with NO OTHER CHOICE (Opening) and BUGONIA (Closing) bookending this year’s exhaustive program.
Major premieres anchor the festival once again with a blend of star power and genre thrills, including U.S. Premieres of Aziz Ansari’s GOOD FORTUNE starring Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, and Keke Palmer, and genre maestro Bryan Fuller’s DUST BUNNY (pictured above) starring Mads Mikkelsen and Sigourney Weaver. West Coast Premieres include the triumphant and terrifying return of Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill with BLACK PHONE 2, the maestro, Luca Guadagnino, exposes uncomfortable truths with AFTER THE HUNT, Gore Verbinski brings the theatrical debut with a very special screening of his action comedy GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE, and Mary Bronstein will be joined by stars Rose Byrne and Conan O’Brien as she debuts her revelatory IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU.
The best International Cinema brings a dazzling array of filmmakers in attendance with highlights including Jafar Panahi and his Palme d’Or winner, IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT, Kleber Mendonça Filho will dissect his exhilarating THE SECRET AGENT, and Oliver Laxe brings his Cannes stunner, SIRĀT. Complementing the slate are West Coast Premieres of Radu Jude’s DRACULA, Genki Kawamura’s EXIT 8, Harris Dickinson’s URCHIN, Stillz’s dazzlingly hallucinatory BARRIO TRISTE and Bi Gan with his jaw-dropping phantasmagoria, RESURRECTION.
Action Cinema is hyper-violently represented with the most electrifying films of the year. Stunt icon Kenji Tanigaki brings his instantly infamous epic fight-fest, THE FURIOUS, to the Egyptian Theatre for its U.S. Premiere. SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE sees Jalmari Helander dispatch his bullets and bombs to the Red Army, and PSYCHO GOREMAN’s Steven Kostanski reinvents the iconic DEATHSTALKER with an abundance of practical effects and gore galore.
Beyond Fest continues its tradition of honoring cinema icons with unforgettable in-person events. Complementing the previously announced Guillermo del Toro retrospective (which is already sold out), Japanese icon Meiko Kaji takes center stage with her first-ever U.S. appearance, celebrating decades of legendary performances. Beyond Fest will honor her career with a rare series of 2K restorations, including LADY SNOWBLOOD, FEMALE PRISONER #701: SCORPION, STRAY CAT ROCK: DELINQUENT GIRL BOSS, and BLIND WOMAN’S CURSE. Oscar-winner Sean Baker will join Kaji in conversation, offering audiences a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the charisma, ferocity, and enduring influence of one of Japanese Cinema’s most electrifying figures.
William Petersen is celebrated with TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. and a screening of MANHUNTER, Tim Robbins joins for the World Premiere of the 4K restoration of JACOB’S LADDER paired with Altman’s acerbic Hollywood takedown THE PLAYER, the Horror Master himself, Ryuhei Kitamura, joins to celebrate his kaiju-tastic GODZILLA: FINAL WARS, John Carpenter joins for an impossibly rare 70mm screening of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, Rob Reiner channels Stephen King with a double bill of STAND BY ME and MISERY, Al Pacino takes us back to the Technicolor explosion of DICK TRACY, a special screening of HOUSE with Willam Katt, we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Karyn Kusama’s THE INVITATION with a special cast and filmmaker reunion, Gore Verbinski returns to the Egyptian Theatre for a very special screening of THE RING, and the legendary Butthole Surfers reunite in person for Tom Stern’s THE BUTTHOLE SURFERS: THE HOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUTT.
New Genre titles gleefully splatter the screen with adrenaline, horror, and unrelenting creativity, including West Coast Premieres of PRIMATE, where a group of friends’ tropical vacation turns into a terrifying, primal tale of horror and survival, the viral sensation GOOD BOY, the beloved V/H/S franchise returns with V/H/S/HALLOWEEN, NIGHT PATROL exposes a sinister secret lurking on the mean streets of LA, Chris Stuckmann brings his mystery shocker SHELBY OAKS, Eli Roth and his Horror Section premiere their new nightmare DREAM EATER, and Japanese comedy sensation turned director Yuriyan Retriever’s horror debut MAG MAG will also receive its World Premiere. Fresh from its Venice bow, director David Kittredge and star Linda Blair bring the electrifying BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL, paired with an über-rare 35mm screening of EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC courtesy of the Martin Scorsese Collection. West Coast preems go to serial maniac Todd Rohal, who brings the most outrageous film of the decade and asks you to FUCK MY SON!, time travelers Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol desperately try to play the Rivoli with NIRVANA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE, and horror comedy QUEENS OF THE DEAD directed by Tina Romero and the highly anticipated World Premiere of THE BOULET BROTHERS’ DRAGULA: TITANS season two, hosted by Queens of Darkness Dracmorda and Swanthula Boulet.
Cinematic treasures are reborn with stunning restorations, including the World Premiere of Tobe Hooper’s SALEM’S LOT in a brand new 4K restoration, exclusively at BeyondFest. Mamoru Oshii’s seminal THE RED SPECTACLES 4K restoration also gets its World Premiere, Abel Ferrara’s lightning bolt MS. 45 4K restoration receives its International Premiere, Ruggero Deodato’s definitive downer, CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, enjoys its World Premiere uncut and in glorious Technicolor 4K courtesy of Bob Murawski’s Grindhouse Releasing, the North American Premiere of the new restoration of DAY OF THE DOLPHIN, and Rob Zombie and Sheri Moon Zombie join in person to celebrate the premiere of a brand new, 20th anniversary restoration of THE DEVIL’S REJECTS.
Los Feliz 3 at Beyond Fest 2025 is a powerhouse of premieres, restorations, and world-class genre Cinema and completely FREE thanks to the kind generosity of Neon. The lineup features the World Premiere of KILLING FAITH from director Ned Crowley, featuring DeWanda Wise and Bill Pullman, and U.S. premieres of Eric Owen’s vicious noir IN A COLD VEIN, Brock Bodell’s tense and nail-biting HELLCAT, Julie Pacino’s extraordinary I LIVE HERE NOW, powerhouse director Alice Maio Mackay’s blistering queer horror THE SERPENT’S SKIN, William Bagley’s action-filled horror-comedy HOLD THE FORT, Cristian Ponce’s new cosmic live-action animation horror THE KIRLIAN FREQUENCY, Peter S. Hall and Paul Gandersman’s occult madness MAN FINDS TAPE, Mickey Reece’s pitch-black EVERY HEAVY THING, and Kenji Iwaisawa’s life-affirming anime 100 METERS bring fresh voices to the festival. Audiences can also experience West Coast premieres of Ben Wheatley’s unhinged lo-fi sci-fi epic BULK, Marco Dutra’s apocalyptic horror BURY YOUR DEAD, Xander Robin’s deranged THE PYTHON HUNT, Lucile Hadžihalilović’s elegant and impeccable THE ICE TOWER, Yuta Shimotsu’s eerily unnerving NEW GROUP, Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani’s perfect in every way REFLECTION IN A DEAD DIAMOND, and Josh C. Waller’s unique and stunning THE LONE SAMURAI, while rare restorations like Vaughn Christion’s SILENT DEATH–a Terror Vision Lost & Found special, Charlie Ahearn’s restored seminal film WILD STYLE in eye-popping 4k, MS. 45 in a brand new 4K restoration and Mamoru Oshii’s restored rarity ANGEL’s EGG in 4K complete a diverse, high-energy program that highlights both new talent and cult classics.
“We’re incredibly proud to push Beyond Fest’s scope, encompassing some of the world’s best filmmakers,” says Chris LeMaire, American Cinematheque senior film programmer. “It’s a celebration of cinema without borders or compromise that embodies both the festival and the American Cinematheque. Bringing together the work of auteurs such as Jafar Panahi, Bi Gan, Radu Jude, Yorgos Lanthimos, Oliver Laxe, and Kleber Mendonça Filho, we’ve captured some of the most exciting and visionary cinema the world has to offer.”
There will also be five short film blocks screened at Los Feliz 3. Tickets for all of Beyond Fest’s offerings will be on sale via americancinematheque.com on Thursday, September 11 at 10:00 a.m. PST. More details can be found at beyondfest.com and americancinematheque.com.
