This year, the Austin-based genre film festival celebrates its 20th anniversary, and it’s pulling out all the stops to remind us why it’s the most unhinged, unpredictable and unforgettable film festival in the world. From satanic drumlines to secret screenings, Fantastic Fest is where the weird, wild and wonderful collide — and this year’s lineup is no exception.
With plenty of Texas talent in the mix, including some from Dallas-Fort Worth, we’ve rounded up 10 picks we’re most excited about.
1. Appofeniacs
In a world where AI blurs the line between reality and illusion, Appofeniacs takes that existential dread and cranks it up to 11. Directed by Chris Marrs Piliero (Britney Spears’ “Criminal” music video) and starring Sean Gunn (Gilmore Girls) and Jermaine Fowler (Sorry to Bother You), this horror-thriller follows a group of app developers who inadvertently create an AI that begins to manipulate their lives in terrifying ways. With themes of paranoia, technology and humanity’s overreliance on machines, this one feels eerily relevant — and promises some truly inventive kills.2. The Creep Tapes: Season 2
Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice return to their found-footage roots with The Creep Tapes: Season 2, an anthology series that expands on the unsettling world of the Creep films. The first three standalone episodes will premiere at the festival, making it easy for newcomers to dive in without prior knowledge. With its Texas premiere history and low-budget ingenuity, this series is a testament to how much terror you can wring out of a single camera and a deeply unsettling protagonist.3. Dildo Heaven
Yes, you read that right. Dildo Heaven is a long-lost gem from Doris Wishman, the legendary “Queen of Sexploitation.” This raunchy, surreal sex comedy follows three roommates on a chaotic quest to seduce their bosses, all while their Peeping Tom neighbor lurks nearby. Originally meant to mark Wishman’s triumphant comeback, the film premiered at the New York Underground Film Festival in 2002, just before her passing, and has remained largely unseen until now. Packed with absurd humor, sharp social commentary and even an original rap theme song, this shot-on-video oddity is a wild and unforgettable farewell from a true cult cinema icon.4. Fuck My Son!
Careful Googling this one, folks. This provocatively titled film, directed by Todd Rohal, is a depraved, absurdist adaptation of Johnny Ryan’s underground comic that’s as shocking as its title suggests. The story follows a young mother (Tipper Newton) and her daughter, who are kidnapped by a deranged old woman (Robert Longstreet) with a grotesque plan: force the mother to sleep with the kidnapper's son in exchange for freedom. Balancing bleak humor with nausea-inducing practical effects by legends Marcia King and Robert Kurtzman (From Dusk Till Dawn), this tongue-in-cheek exploitation film is sure to be a wild, goopy spectacle tailor-made for Fantastic Fest’s most daring audiences.5. Primate
Opening night at Fantastic Fest is always a spectacle, and Primate is set to kick things off with a bang. Directed by Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down), this wild animal horror flick follows a group of researchers who accidentally unleash a deadly virus while studying primates in a remote jungle. Starring Academy Award winner Troy Kotsur (CODA) and featuring intense, claustrophobic action, the film feels like a spiritual cousin to 28 Days Later.6. Secret Screenings
This year, Fantastic Fest will feature at least four secret screenings, and the mystery is half the fun. Will it be the next Guillermo del Toro masterpiece? A highly anticipated slasher? Or a surprise indie gem? Attendees spend the day speculating, and the collective gasp when the title is revealed is worth the price of admission. Past secret screenings have included everything from Saltburn to Split (a personal favorite secret screening experience of ours), so expectations are high. Even if one of the films turns out to be a soon-to-arrive streaming release, the thrill of discovery makes it all worthwhile.7. Shelby Oaks
YouTube film critic-turned-director Chris Stuckmann makes his feature debut with Shelby Oaks, a supernatural mystery blending found footage and traditional narrative styles. The story follows Mia (Camille Sullivan) as she investigates the decade-long disappearance of her sister Riley, a former member of the ill-fated paranormal investigation team “The Paranormal Paranoids.” With its Texas ties — cinematographer Andrew Scott Baird has called Austin home for 20 years —this one feels like a homecoming. Expect a deeply emotional and chilling exploration of grief, obsession and the unknown.8. V/H/S/Halloween
The V/H/S anthology series gets a Halloween makeover, and we’re here for it. This year’s six-chapter installment features segments directed by Alex Ross Perry (Pavements), Casper Kelly (Mandy) and Anna Zlokovic (Appendage), each bringing their unique voice to the table. The film leans into its Halloween theme with stories about haunted houses, cursed costumes and other seasonal scares. If you’re a fan of inventive, bite-sized horror, this one’s a no-brainer.9. Vicious
Bryan Bertino, the Crowley High School grad who gave us The Strangers, returns with Vicious, a psychological horror film starring Dakota Fanning. The story follows a young woman who returns to her childhood home to confront the trauma of her past, only to find that the house — and her memories — are not what they seem. With Bertino’s knack for atmospheric tension (thanks to his DFW roots) and Fanning’s acting chops, this one is bound to leave a mark.10. Whistle
Closing out the festival is Whistle, written by Austin’s own Owen Egerton (Mercy Black). The film follows a group of misfit high schoolers who stumble upon a cursed Aztec Death Whistle, only to discover its terrifying sound summons their future deaths to hunt them down. Starring Dafne Keen (Deadpool & Wolverine), this sure-to-be-chilling and inventive horror promises to be a thrilling finale to Fantastic Fest’s 20th anniversary celebration.Honorable Mentions
Because 10 just isn’t enough: Black Phone 2, Bride of Re-Animator (a 4K Restoration), Honey Bunch, Night Patrol and Sisu: Road to Revenge are all worth checking out, too.All badges for the festival are currently sold out, but if you can find screening times and information on how to hop into standby lines through the festival's website. Here's a pro-tip: The festival is held at Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar (1120 S Lamar Blvd, Austin), and offers walk-up tickets for individual showings, often available 10 minutes before showtime for $15 at the box office. So, grab your sense of adventure, maybe a shot of tequila (or two) and prepare for a week of thrills — see you in Austin.
