Tower, the Austin documentary screening at Montreal's Fantasia film festival

Tower, the Austin documentary screening at Montreal’s Fantasia film festival

The autumn film festival season isn’t quite with us yet. But as Austin film fans brace themselves for news about Austin Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, Other Worlds Austin, and more, Austin filmmakers are packing their bags, loading up their Blu-rays, and heading across the planet to show their latest projects.

Fantasia International Film Festival (Montreal, Canada, July 14-Aug. 3)

Slash

The Montreal festival kicked off already, with three Austin-shot features making their Canadian debuts: The Devil’s Candy, which was one of the audience favorites at Fantastic Fest 2015 (read our review), and two SXSW fan and critic faves, Slash (directed by Clay Liford) and Keith Maitland’s award-winning Tower.

Then there’s a double whammy of shorts from Other Worlds Austin festival founder Bears Fonte: “Roadside Assistance,” which he directed, and “The Procedure“, which he produced and which played during SXSW.

Proving the power of Austin’s festival community, there’s a whole roster of films that have already played in the ATX. Deep breath: First, from SXSW, there’s The Alchemist Cookbook, Another Evil, The Arbalest, true crime documntary Beware the Slenderman, Fede Alvarez’s home invasion shocker Don’t Breathe, The Dwarvenaut, The Greasy Strangler, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, horror-lit adaptation I Am Not a Serial Killer, Ti West’s In a Valley of Violence, The Master Cleanse, Operation Avalanche, and Teenage Cocktail. Add in some Fantastic Fest titles (Demon and “Portal to Hell“) and Embers, which was part of Other Worlds Austin’s year-round programming.


Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Edinburgh, UK, Aug. 5-29)

The Intergalactic Nemesis

Not technically a film festival, the massive art gathering includes a run at the prestigious Pleasance for The Intergalactic Nemesis. The live action graphic novel runs throughout the fest, with previews Aug. 3-5.


Bruce Campbell’s Horror Film Festival (Chicago, Aug. 18-21)

Found Footage 3D

If you’re feeling like a break from Austin’s Summer, you could head to Chicago for the third annual Bruce Campbell’s Horror Film Festival, hosted by the mighty chinned one himself. That’s where you’ll catch the world premiere of Found Footage 3D, the meta-horror by Austin filmmaker Steven DeGennaro and produced by formerly Austin-based critic Scott Weinberg and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre producer Kim Henkel (read about our set visit).

There is also a stack of SXSW 2016 titles (Don’t Breathe, Dominic Monaghan’s twisted kidnap thriller Pet, I Am Not a Serial Killer, and The Greasy Strangler) on the schedule.


FrightFest (London, UK, Aug. 25-29)

Johnny Frank Garrett’s Last Word

The UK’s leading horror festival gets the international premiere of Found Footage 3D. Also look out for The Devil’s Candy, and the European premiere of another local-linked production, Simon Rumley’s Johnny Frank Garrett’s Last Word (read our interview with Rumley).

Add on to that schedule another appearance for SXSW Midnighter Pet, plus the UK debut of My Father Die.

This article appears in July 15 • 2016.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.