There are a lot of great events in Austin. But if you ask me what event I look forward to the most every year, there is really only one answer:

Fantastic Fest.

I’ve been volunteerings and attending Fantastic Fest since 2008, and with one exception—the year the festival temporarily moved to the Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline while South Lamar was being renovated—I have made my way back to the festival year after year.

At this point, Fantastic Fest isn’t just another Austin event on my calendar.

It’s a tradition.

It’s one of those weeks that makes Austin feel like Austin.

And in September 2023, Fantastic Fest is returning to its home at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, running September 21 through September 28.

The festival’s 18th edition is once again bringing horror, science fiction, fantasy, action and just about every other strange corner of cinema to Austin for eight days. The 2023 lineup includes 29 world premieres, along with numerous North American and U.S. premieres.

But if you’ve never been, it’s difficult to explain what makes Fantastic Fest different.

Because it isn’t simply a film festival.

It’s an experience.

THE FIRST TIME I WENT

My Fantastic Fest history starts in 2008.

That year, I walked into a festival that already had a reputation among serious genre-movie fans, but it still felt much smaller and more mysterious than the event it would eventually become.

Fantastic Fest 2008 ran September 18–25, and the lineup included movies such as The Chaser, Deadgirl, Alien Raiders, The Burrowers, Sauna, Chocolate and Feast 2: Sloppy Seconds.

But the movies were only part of the reason to be there.

The Alamo Drafthouse atmosphere was completely different from going to a normal movie theater.

People weren’t quietly walking into a theater, watching a movie and immediately leaving.

There were parties.

Guests.

Filmmakers.

Actors.

Food.

Drinks.

Costumes.

Surprises.

And the constant possibility that something completely ridiculous was about to happen.

That’s what hooked me.

And I’ve been going back ever since.

THIS ISN’T SUNDANCE

Fantastic Fest has always had its own personality.

Other major film festivals can feel formal.

Fantastic Fest feels like somebody took a movie convention, a Halloween party, a rock concert, a food festival and an eight-day movie marathon and threw them into the same building.

The festival specializes in genre films, but that’s almost too narrow a description.

You might see a horror movie one afternoon, a science-fiction film that night, an insane action movie afterward and then stumble into a party where one of the filmmakers is standing at the bar.

That’s normal at Fantastic Fest.

And the festival has developed a reputation for events that are just as memorable as the movies.

2008: BILL MURRAY AND A VERY STRANGE CLOSING NIGHT

One of my favorite things about having attended for so many years is being able to look back at how many unbelievable moments have happened at this festival.

The 2008 festival is a perfect example.

A secret screening of City of Ember ended up featuring a surprise appearance by Bill Murray.

And that wasn’t even the end of the night.

Murray later appeared at the closing-night afterparty at Longhorn Caverns, where he famously showed up about 35 feet underground.

That is the kind of thing Fantastic Fest does.

You don’t just watch a movie.

You have no idea what the night is going to turn into.

2009: ZOMBIELAND

Then came Zombieland.

The 2009 Fantastic Fest premiere brought Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and director Ruben Fleischer to Austin.

The movie would go on to become a major hit and one of the most recognizable zombie comedies of its generation.

But at Fantastic Fest, festival attendees got to experience it before the rest of the world really knew what it was going to become.

That has always been one of the biggest attractions of Fantastic Fest.

You aren’t necessarily watching movies that are already famous.

You’re watching movies that might become famous.

And sometimes you are watching them with the filmmakers sitting a few rows away.

2010: GETTING BURIED WITH RYAN REYNOLDS

If you want one story that perfectly explains the insanity of Fantastic Fest, look no further than Buried.

Ryan Reynolds stars in the movie as a man trapped inside a coffin.

Fantastic Fest decided that simply watching the movie wasn’t enough.

Four fans were actually placed inside coffins while watching the film on screens mounted inside.

They were then able to meet Reynolds afterward.

It was uncomfortable.

It was ridiculous.

It was completely unnecessary.

And it was absolutely Fantastic Fest.

The stunt became one of the festival’s most famous events and demonstrated that the organizers weren’t interested in simply showing movies.

They wanted people to experience them.

2011: THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE AND A FESTIVAL THAT KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS

By 2011, Fantastic Fest had fully embraced its reputation for being the place where mainstream movie events and completely bizarre genre cinema could coexist.

The festival opened with The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence, a movie that was obviously not going to appeal to everyone.

That’s the point.

Fantastic Fest doesn’t apologize for being weird.

It celebrates it.

The 2011 festival also featured filmmakers and movies from around the world, continuing to establish Austin as an important destination for genre filmmakers.

2012: FRANKENWEENIE TAKES OVER SOUTH LAMAR

Then came one of the festival’s biggest Hollywood moments.

Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie opened Fantastic Fest in 2012.

The event was so large that Disney transformed the exterior of Alamo South Lamar for the premiere, and Burton, Winona Ryder and Martin Landau were among the talent connected to the event.

The Austin Chronicle described the 2012 festival as the year Fantastic Fest “went Hollywood.”

And that’s an important part of the festival’s history.

It proved that a festival built around strange, independent and genre films could also attract major studios and some of the biggest names in filmmaking.

THE YEAR THE FEST MOVED NORTH

There is one year that stands out differently in my own Fantastic Fest history.

The festival temporarily moved away from South Lamar and up to Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline while the South Lamar location underwent renovation.

Lakeline had just opened as a massive 10-screen, 944-seat theater, and Fantastic Fest moved there for the 2013 edition.

For me, it just wasn’t quite the same.

Fantastic Fest belongs at South Lamar.

The building.

The neighborhood.

The restaurants.

The bars.

The lobby.

The people wandering around between screenings.

The entire atmosphere.

Lakeline was a perfectly good theater, but Fantastic Fest felt different there.

When the festival came back to South Lamar, it felt like coming home.

And that is why, all these years later, I still associate Fantastic Fest with that theater.

2014: A FOOD FIGHT

If you’ve noticed a theme here, you’re probably starting to understand Fantastic Fest.

It isn’t afraid to get weird.

For the festival’s 10th anniversary in 2014, the opening-night party reportedly turned into an actual food fight.

Not a metaphorical food fight.

An actual food fight.

Because apparently a normal anniversary party wasn’t enough.

This is another reason Fantastic Fest has such a loyal following.

People don’t just attend to watch movies.

They attend because they know something unexpected might happen.

THE MOVIES THAT BECAME CULT CLASSICS

Over the years, Fantastic Fest has also become a launching pad for movies that eventually developed huge followings.

The Babadook.

It Follows.

John Wick.

Zombieland.

The Chaser.

I Saw the Devil.

The Host.

Troll Hunter.

And countless others have passed through the festival.

In 2014 alone, movies such as John Wick, The Babadook and It Follows helped make that era of Fantastic Fest especially memorable for genre fans.

And that’s why picking movies at Fantastic Fest is so much fun.

You never really know which movie you’re going to be talking about five years later.

2019: PARASITE

One of the biggest moments in the festival’s modern history came in 2019 with Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite.

The movie would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

But Fantastic Fest audiences got to experience the film during its festival run, before it became one of the most celebrated movies of the year.

After a screening, the South Lamar Alamo was even ceremonially renamed Bong Joon Ho Cinema.

That’s the kind of Austin weirdness that makes the festival special.

THEN 2020 HAPPENED

And then, of course, everything stopped.

Fantastic Fest could not operate as the normal in-person event in 2020.

The festival instead put together virtual programming, including online screenings, events, Fantastic Feud and retrospectives.

For people who had made the festival an annual tradition, it was strange.

No crowds.

No packed lobby.

No running from theater to theater.

No standing around talking about the movie you just watched.

No random celebrity walking past you.

No late-night conversations about whether the movie you just watched was brilliant or completely terrible.

It was a reminder that Fantastic Fest isn’t really just about movies.

It’s about being there.

BACK TO SOUTH LAMAR

By 2023, Fantastic Fest had returned to the physical experience that makes it so special.

And this year’s lineup is a pretty good reason to get excited.

The festival opens with The Toxic Avenger, Legendary’s new take on the cult classic, starring Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Elijah Wood and Kevin Bacon.

The festival is also presenting The Creator, Gareth Edwards’ major science-fiction film, along with Eileen, The Book of Solutions, a prequel to Pet Sematary, and Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher.

And then there are the movies you don’t necessarily know about yet.

That’s where Fantastic Fest gets interesting.

A movie you’ve never heard of can suddenly become the movie everyone is talking about.

SECRET SCREENINGS ARE PART OF THE FUN

And then there are the secret screenings.

This is one of the reasons Fantastic Fest can be frustrating for somebody who wants to plan every minute.

You don’t know everything.

That’s intentional.

The festival has historically used secret screenings to surprise audiences with major films before release.

In 2023, secret-screening speculation was already running rampant among fans before the festival, with titles such as Saltburn, Dream Scenario, DogMan and Saw X eventually appearing among the secret screenings.

That is part of the experience.

You hear rumors.

You look at clues.

Someone says they heard a studio is bringing something.

Another person swears they know.

Nobody really knows.

Then the theater goes dark.

And suddenly you’re watching something that won’t be widely available for months.

FANTASTIC FEST IS ALSO A BAR SCENE

For Baller ATX, we can’t talk about Fantastic Fest without talking about the nightlife.

The festival is centered around South Lamar, which means the event naturally spills into the surrounding restaurants and bars.

People need food between movies.

People need drinks after movies.

People need somewhere to sit and argue about whether the movie they just watched was genius or terrible.

That’s part of the culture.

Fantastic Fest can easily turn into an all-day Austin experience.

Start with breakfast.

Watch a movie.

Grab lunch.

Watch another.

Get a drink.

Watch another.

Dinner.

Another movie.

Then drinks.

Then a party.

Then maybe another movie.

Then somehow it’s 2 a.m.

And you have to wake up and do it again.

For eight days.

This is not a festival for people who need eight hours of sleep.

THE PARTIES ARE AS IMPORTANT AS THE MOVIES

Fantastic Fest has developed some legendary parties and events over the years.

There have been zombie parades.

Wild premieres.

Costume events.

Celebrity karaoke.

Food events.

The famous Fantastic Debates.

And parties where the distinction between movie promotion and complete chaos becomes difficult to identify.

Celebrity karaoke has become part of the festival tradition, with stars and filmmakers taking the stage alongside festival attendees.

And the Fantastic Debates have become another signature event, combining trash talk, debate and physical competition.

According to recent retrospectives, participants over the years have included Elijah Wood, Dominic Monaghan, Michelle Rodriguez and even Keanu Reeves.

Again:

Only at Fantastic Fest.

WHAT TO WATCH IN 2023

If you’re heading to Fantastic Fest this year, the obvious big titles are worth checking out.

The Toxic Avenger is the big opening-night draw.

The Creator is another major theatrical title.

The Fall of the House of Usher is especially interesting for horror fans because it comes from Mike Flanagan.

But don’t spend your entire festival watching movies you already know about.

That’s the wrong way to do Fantastic Fest.

Pick a couple of big titles.

Then gamble.

Find something you’ve never heard of.

Read the description.

Look at the director.

Take a chance.

That’s how you find the movie you’ll be recommending to everyone six months later.

MY FAVORITE PART OF THE FESTIVAL

After attending since 2008, the best part isn’t even necessarily the movies.

It’s the people.

You start seeing the same faces every year.

People who you only see during Fantastic Fest.

People you’ve met in line.

People you recognize from previous years.

People who know that when you say, “I’ll see you at the festival,” you mean you’ll probably see them ten times over the next week.

The festival creates its own little temporary community.

For eight days, everyone is obsessed with movies.

Everyone has an opinion.

Everyone has a schedule.

Everyone is tired.

Everyone is drinking too much coffee.

And everyone wants to know:

“What did you see?”

That question gets asked constantly.

And it never gets old.

IF YOU’VE NEVER BEEN, THIS IS YOUR YEAR

If you’ve lived in Austin for years and have never attended Fantastic Fest, 2023 is a good time to change that.

You don’t have to be a hardcore horror fan.

You don’t have to know every obscure director.

You don’t need to understand Japanese horror cinema.

You don’t need to dress like a movie character.

Just be willing to try something different.

Start with one movie.

Then another.

Check out a party.

Walk around South Lamar.

Grab a drink.

Talk to people.

See what happens.

You might become hooked.

I did.

Back in 2008.

And I’m still going.

FIFTEEN YEARS LATER

That’s probably the strangest part for me.

When I went to my first Fantastic Fest in 2008, I wasn’t thinking about the fact that I’d still be talking about the festival 15 years later.

I certainly wasn’t thinking about writing an article about it.

I was just there to watch movies.

But that’s what great Austin traditions do.

They become part of your life.

You remember the movies.

You remember the parties.

You remember the celebrities.

You remember the weird stuff.

You remember the people you met.

You remember sitting in a theater at midnight wondering what the hell you had just watched.

And then you come back the next year.

And the next.

And the next.

Except for that one Lakeline year.

Even after all these years, Fantastic Fest remains one of the events that makes me proud to call Austin home.

Because it isn’t trying to be polished.

It isn’t trying to be normal.

It’s loud.

It’s weird.

It’s creative.

It’s unpredictable.

It’s obsessed with movies.

And it embraces exactly the kind of strange energy that has always made Austin special.

So as September approaches, start getting your schedule together.

Pick your movies.

Leave some room for surprises.

Find something you’ve never heard of.

Grab dinner.

Get a drink.

Talk to strangers in line.

Stay up too late.

And prepare yourself for the inevitable question:

“What are you watching next?”

Because once Fantastic Fest starts, you don’t really have a schedule anymore.

You have a mission.

Watch as many movies as humanly possible.

And hope you survive the week.

Fantastic Fest 2023 runs September 21–28 at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar.

I’ve been going since 2008.

And if you’ve never experienced it, there’s really only one thing left to say:

Welcome to Fantastic Fest.