The third and final wave of films for next week’s FANTASTIC FEST has been announced. Continuing this year’s trend of blending big name, studio genre releases with smaller, indie weirdo gems, the Austin-residing fest looks to be another week of cinematic debauchery and actual debauchery. As much as we are looking forward to seeing HALLOWEEN and OVERLORD, the list here is with an eye on those films that are not getting a wide release soon after the fest ends.
In no particular order:
THE WIND
Director: Emma Tammi
Writer: Teresa Sutherland
Stars: Miles Anderson, Caitlin Gerard, Julia Goldani Telles
Exploring the horror of isolation in the old west, THE WIND promises to be a supernatural western thriller. A little madness and some ten gallon hats has never steered us wrong before.
TERRIFIED
Writer & Director: Demián Rugna
Stars: Ariel Chavarría, Maximiliano Ghione, Norberto Gonzalo
This Argentinian horror film has some downright creepy imagery in its promotional material. Part police procedural, part paranormal investigation, this looks like it could be an old fashioned haunter.
HOUSE OF SWEAT AND TEARS
Writer & Director: Sonia Escolano
Stars: Haydée Lysander, Eudald Font, Alzira Gómez
While there is not much information about this Spanish film, the promise of a claustrophobic cult is enough to get my attention. In addition to the promise of religious extremism, the film was featured at the Frontières Platform at this year’s Cannes Marché du Film, which is only reserved for the best of the best.
YOU MIGHT BE THE KILLER
Director: Brett Simmons
Stars: Fran Kranz, Alyson Hannigan
This film is not even available on IMDb yet, which made it’s announcement at Fantastic Fest that much more surprising. What we do know is that it takes place at a summer camp with a killer on the loose. To help get ahead of the crimes, the counselors contact a horror movie buff (Hannigan) instead of the cops.
PIERCING
Director: Nicolas Pesce
Writers: Ryû Murakami (novel), Nicolas Pesce
Stars: Christopher Abbott, Olivia Bond, Laia Costa
Nicolas Pesce’s first film THE EYES OF MY MOTHER completely blew us away in 2016. His second film, an adaptation of a Murakami novel, looks to be another style-driven film that focuses on visual language and peculiar characters.
IN FABRIC
Writer & Director: Peter Strickland
Stars: Gwendoline Christie, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Marianne Jean-Baptiste
Another choice anticipated film based solely on the director is IN FABRIC. Peter Strickland’s BERBERIAN SOUND STUDIO and THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY are both modern masterpieces of discomfort and storytelling. His latest film, of a haunted dress, has quite the legacy to live up to, but something is telling me that Strickland is up to the task.
LORDS OF CHAOS
Director: Jonas Åkerlund
Writers: Dennis Magnusson, Michael Moynihan (book)
Stars: Rory Culkin, Anthony De La Torre, Emory Cohen
Based on the unfathomably true story of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem, LORDS OF CHAOS looks to be a proper retelling of a horrifying tale. Director Åkerlund has deep roots in music videos, which just might be an excellent match for this larger than life film.
TUMBBAD
Directors: Rahi Anil Barve, Anand Gandh, Adesh Prasad
Writers: Mitesh Shah, Adesh Prasad, Rahi Anil Barve, Anand Gandhi
Stars: Ronjini Chakraborty, Sohum Shah, Harish Khannaa
TUMBBAD is the very first Indian film to open the Venice Film Festival, and it just so happens to be a horror film too. Dealing with ancient gods, decaying shrines, and human sacrifice, the film should be a new look into the potential horror lurking in rural Indian. Unlike previous films of Indian haunting from a Western perspective, I am looking forward to seeing these stories be told from the inside of that culture.
THE BOAT
Director: Winston Azzopardi
Writers: Joe Azzopardi, Winston Azzopardi
Star: Joe Azzopardi
What is intriguing about THE BOAT is its simplicity. Apparently it is about a sailor who gets trapped on an abandoned boat during a bad bout of fog. Man versus nature usually boils back down to man versus himself, and these films can be some of the best ones to watch with an eager fest audience.
DACHRA
Director: Abdelhamid Bouchnak
Tunisia’s first horror films seems like it will be a doozy. As three students travel to a remote village they discover witchcraft and cannibalism aplenty. This promises to be a unique cinematic experience, and a foray into a different culture’s presentation of terror.
