As summer gave way to fall, much of the film industry’s attention turned to film festivals in Venice and Toronto, where films looked for the sort of critical acclaim that can lead to box office and awards success. But around the same time, another festival has become the same sort of launch pad for horror and sci-fi.
Fantastic Fest, which just completed its 17th edition a week ago, showcases genre films at Alamo Drafthouse’s flagship location in Austin, Texas, with offerings that range from major-studio fare to bizarre, offbeat finds from the VHS vault of the American Genre Film Archive.