Fantastic Fest 2015 Announces First Wave of Films!

It's about to be that time of year again. That wonderful time where movie nerds flock to Austin to gorge on a feast of genre films. It's THE festival you want to go to if you love film, plus it's located at one of the best theatres in existence, The Alamo Drafthouse. Clearly, it's one of our favorites.

So today, Fantastic Fest announced its first wave of films, including a world premiere for its closing night film. There's already so many great films listed, and this is just the first announcement. Plus, there's going to be a retrospective of Turkish Genre Cinema. Now you can't get that anywhere else except Fantastic Fest. 

Enjoy the list!

HE 11TH FANTASTIC FEST SET TO WREAK HAVOC AT THE  ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE  WITH CANNIBAL CARNAGE, ARTFUL EXPLOITATION, AND A SMORGASBORD OF TURKISH DELIGHTS WORLD PREMIERE OF BONE TOMAHAWK SET FOR CLOSING NIGHT WITH KURT RUSSELL, CAST AND CREW IN ATTENDANCE Austin, TX - Thursday, July 30, 2015 - Fantastic Fest announces the first wave programming lineup for its 11th annual celebration of exciting genre-bending films, including the World Premiere of BONE TOMAHAWK with Kurt Russell and Matthew Fox in attendance, a retrospective of Turkish Genre Cinema, and a special Mondo Gallery event and programming series curated by filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn to celebrate the release of his new book Nicolas Winding Refn: The Act of Seeing, which profiles Refn's collection of vintage exploitation-era American movie posters. "We're very excited about this year's mix of premieres, unique events and a retrospective theme unlike any other featuring audacious and otherworldly Turkish remakes of classic Hollywood films," said Fantastic Fest founder Tim League. See the full list of first wave films below and stay tuned for news on more films and events in the weeks to come. Fantastic Fest takes place September 24 - October 1 in Austin, TX at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. S. Craig Zahler's existential horror western BONE TOMAHAWK closes out what guarantees to be another furious week of chaos with the director and film's ensemble cast descending on Austin. "Bringing Kurt Russell back to the Alamo is something we've been trying to do for a long time" said League, "And to do it with BONE TOMAHAWK, a quintessential Fantastic Fest film, means we're in for one hell of a closer.  Huge thanks to Caliber Media for making it all happen." Turkish genre cinema is at the heart of this year's Fantastic Fest, inspiring both feature programming and the festival theme. This relatively unknown school of '70s renegade filmmaking is explored in REMIX, REMAKE, RIP-OFF, which will be receiving its U.S. Premiere with director Cem Kaya in attendance. ''We are delighted to be digging deep into Turkish cinema for a journey of discovery," said Fantastic Fest Head Programmer, Evrim Ersoy. "With its 'filmmaking-at-any-cost' mentality, the sheer insanity of Turkish cinema is a perfect match for Fantastic Fest." As part of the Turkish celebration, Fantastic Fest will be screening three seminal films, DÜNYAYI KURTARAN ADAM (aka THE MAN WHO SAVES THE WORLD, aka TURKISH STAR WARS) , YILMAYAN ŞEYTAN (aka THE DEATHLESS DEVIL) and TARKAN VİKİNG KANI (aka TARKAN VS THE VIKINGS). The screenings will be complemented by the attendance of iconic Turkish filmmaker Çetin İnanç and moviestar Kunt Tulgar. "Due to the high cost of exhibiting American movies, Turkish filmmakers created their own versions of these classics, and with it a new universe of madcap cinema was born. I'm proud to say we've selected some of their wildest rides." said Ersoy. In keeping with the Turkish spirit, this year's poster is comprised exclusively of elements from classic Turkish movie art, of which there will be over 60 original movie posters on display at the festival. Filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn shares his unique collection of rare American exploitation movie posters in the lush new hardcover book Nicolas Winding Refn: The Act of Seeing. Three of the films featured in the book - FAREWELL UNCLE TOM, THE X-RATED SUPERMARKET and MY BODY HUNGERS - were selected by Refn to screen during the opening weekend of Fantastic Fest, followed by a Q&A and book signing. The Mondo Gallery, located at 4115 Guadalupe Street, will be hosting a special exhibit showcasing 15 of the original posters featured in Nicolas Winding Refn: The Act of Seeing, plus a brand new limited edition poster by artist Jay Shaw inspired by the book and created specifically for the gallery show. Refn will be on hand to sign copies of the book at the gallery during the opening reception on Friday, September 25th. The exhibit will run September 25th - September 27th. "Being a massive fan of Austin, Texas, I consider it a great privilege to join forces with Fantastic Fest and the Mondo gallery to host the exclusive U.S. debut of Nicolas Winding Refn: The Act of Seeing," said filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn. "I'm excited to show the world this odyssey of rare and exclusive poster art at the festival alongside screenings of some of the films that inspired it." Fantastic Fest 2015 first wave film lineup below: BONE TOMAHAWK United States, 2015 World Premiere, 133 min Director - S. Craig Zahler Kurt Russell stars in this character driven and at times horrific Western about a group of men (including Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox and Richard Jenkins) who set out to rescue a local woman and a young deputy who've been kidnapped by a tribe of cannibalistic troglodytes.   DARLING United States, 2015 World Premiere, 78 min Director - Mickey Keating A young woman slowly goes crazy after taking a job as the caretaker for an ancient New York home in the new film from writer/director Mickey Keating. THE DEATHLESS DEVIL  Turkey, 1972 Repertory Screening, 84 min Director - Yilmaz Atadeniz The mysterious Dr. Satan's nefarious plans threaten the future of everyone on the planet, and the only men who can stop him are the brilliant Copperhead and his assistant Sherlock Holmes! DER BUNKER Germany, 2015 North American Premiere, 85 min Director - Nikias Chryssos A student rents a room from a family in their converted army bunker, and ends up the tutor to the child and a virtual slave to the parents. FAREWELL UNCLE TOM Italy, 1971 Repertory Screening, 123 min Directors - Gualtiero Jacopetti, Franco Prosperi The first movie based on historical facts about the rise and revolt of slavery in America is one of the most brilliant, misunderstood and reviled of all time. GERMAN ANGST Germany, 2015 US Premiere, 111 min Directors - Jörg Buttgereit, Michal Kosakowski & Andreas Marschall German directors Buttgereit, Kosakowski and Marschall unleash this brutal assault on the senses, a surreal three-part horror anthology touching on love and hate and everything in between. IN SEARCH OF ULTRA SEX France, 2015 North American Premiere, 60 min Directors - Nicolas Charlet and Bruno Lavaine A pandemic infects people everywhere with infinite lust, and the only ones who can save us are a group of astronauts in space, desperately looking for a solution. THE INVITATION United States, 2015 Special Screening, 97 min Director - Karyn Kusama A haunted man attends a dinner party at the house he once called home, and becomes gripped with paranoia that his ex-wife and her new husband are harboring an insidious agenda. LIZA THE FOX FAIRY Hungary, 2015 Regional Premiere, 98 min Director - Károly Ujj-Mészáros Somewhere in 1970s Budapest, nurse Liza dreams of romance. But as all her suitors die in violent and extreme ways, she begins to fear the worst: maybe she is really a fox fairy, doomed to remain alone forever! LOVE AND PEACE Japan, 2015 US Premiere, 117 min Director - Sion Sono Fantastic Fest staple Shion Sono returns once again with a deeply personal (and expectedly odd) film about a lonely businessman with dreams of punk rock stardom and his best friend, a turtle. LOVEMILLA Finland, 2015 North American Premiere, 97 min Director - Teemu Nikk LOVEMILLA is a delightful peek at life and love in Finland, filled with all the usual zombies, black holes, giant pandas and superheros you'd expect from the land that gave us Renny Harlin. THE MAN WHO SAVES THE WORLD Turkey, 1982 Repertory Screening, 91 min Director - Çetin İnanç There has never been and will never be another film like THE MAN WHO SAVES THE WORLD, and your only chance to discover why is at this special Fantastic Fest screening! MY BODY HUNGERS United States, 1967 Repertory Screening, 80 min Director - Joseph W. Sarno A roadhouse hostess goes undercover to investigate the murder of her sister in a little-seen sexploiter from grindhouse rebel and master of erotica Joe Sarno. OFFICE Korea, 2015 US Premiere, 111 min Director - HONG Won-Chan OFFICE is the story of Kim, the salaryman who one day brutally murders his entire family with a hammer, and Lee, the put-upon intern at his workplace. It's dark-as-night corporate satire hiding behind a slasher veneer with scares so well timed, you'll jump out of your seat non-stop. REMAKE, REMIX, RIP-OFF Turkey/Germany, 2014 US Premiere, 96 min Director - Cam Kaya Welcome to Turkey. It's home to Yesilcam, the Turkish Hollywood where, in the late '70s, dreams were built on nothing more than a dime. Both a loving tribute to the burgeoning cinema of this young country and a trip into history, REMAKE, REMIX, RIP-OFF brings you the most outlandish story you've never heard, about filmmaking so dangerous that you need a safety harness just for watching. RUINED HEART Phillipines-Germany, 2015 Regional Premiere, 73 min Director - Khavn de la Cruz Filipino iconoclast Khavn De La Cruz teams with famed cinematographer Christopher Doyle and Japanese mega star Tadanobu Asano to create a self-described "punk noir opera." SENSORIA Sweden, 2015 World Premiere, 82 min Director - Christian Hallman Caroline Menard is a woman in her thirties who has lost everything. As she moves into a new apartment searching for a new start, she's unaware that something ancient is waiting for her. THE SIMILARS Mexico, 2015 World Premiere, 89 min Director - Isaac Ezban On a dark and stormy night, eight strangers are stuck in a small bus station waiting for a bus to Mexico City. When strange things start happening, they find themselves trapped in a struggle for sanity and survival. SPEED South Korea, 2015 North American Premiere, 104 min Director - Lee Sang-woo Four friends navigate sex, love and life in a heart-breaking new film from Korean director Lee Sang-woo. STAND BY FOR TAPE BACK-UP United Kingdom, 2015 US Premiere, 65 min Director - Ross Sutherland Hypnotically scanning the contents of a VHS tape, this experimental essay-film eulogizes the former custodian of the analog artifact, transforming its recordings of GHOSTBUSTERS and FRESH PRINCE (among others) through rap-infused anecdotal narration, and inscribing both profound and hilarious associations to the tracking-lined images.  STAND BY FOR TAPE BACK-UP will be presented as both a traditional screening as well as a live performance by creator Ross Sutherland. TARKAN VS THE VIKINGS Turkey, 1971 Repertory Screening, 86 min Director - Mehmet Aslan Based on one of the most popular comic strips in Turkey. this rip-roaring adventure sees Tarkan and his trusty wolf companion Kurt take on the despicable Viking invaders after they leave him for dead! VICTORIA Germany, 2015 Regional Premiere, 138 min Director - Sebastian Schipper Sebastian Schipper's fourth directorial work is a single-shot tour-de-force that follows a Spanish barista through a dance club, the streets of Berlin, a coffee shop, a bank robbery and her destiny. THE X-RATED SUPERMARKET United States, 1972 Repertory Screening, 62 min Director - Paul Roberts Want to save money on your weekly sex toy budget? Look no further than the supermarket shelves in some salacious tips and reactions from suburban horny housewives.    Attend Fantastic Fest 2015 DAYTIME ONLY Badges, FAN Badges, and 2ND HALF Badges for Fantastic Fest 2015 are available for purchase here. Members of the film industry who purchase either a FAN or SUPERFAN badge can apply for a free INDUSTRY upgrade and Fantastic Market access by filling out the form here. Only approved industry will be considered for access to FANTASTIC MARKET. All Industry requests must submitted by no later than August 15th, 2015. For the latest developments, visit the Fantastic Fest official site www.fantasticfest.comand follow us on Facebook & Twitter. About Fantastic Fest Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the U.S., specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world. In years past the festival has been home to world premieres of JOHN WICK, FRANKENWEENIE, MACHETE KILLS, RED DAWN, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, APOCALYPTO, ZOMBIELAND and RED while the guest roster has included such talent as Tim Burton, Andy and Lana Wachowski, Robert Rodriguez, Rian Johnson, Mel Gibson, Bill Murray, Keanu Reeves, Martin Landau, Winona Ryder, Edward Norton, Ryan Reynolds, Karl Urban, Josh Hartnett, The RZA, Dolph Lundgren, Paul Rudd, Bill Pullman, Paul Thomas Anderson, Kevin Smith, Jon Favreau, George Romero, Darren Aronofsky and Mike Judge. Fantastic Fest also features world, national and regional premieres of new, up-and-coming genre films. Fantastic Fest has seen the acquisition of many titles, including BULLHEAD, KILL LIST, MONSTERS, KLOWN, THE FP, PENUMBRA, HERE COMES THE DEVIL, NO REST FOR THE WICKED, VANISHING WAVES, COMBAT GIRLS and I DECLARE WAR. Fantastic Fest is held each year at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Austin, Texas. Alamo Drafthouse has been named the best theater in the country by Entertainment Weekly, Wired and TIME. Variety included Fantastic Fest in a list of "10 Film Festivals We Love," and was also named one of the "25 coolest film festivals" by Moviemaker Magazine. Our Partners Presenting Sponsors for Fantastic Fest include Texas' own  Shiner Beer, whose family of products will be featured throughout the festival. And  Chiller, the only cable channel devoted to delivering round-the-clock scares. About Alamo Drafthouse Tim and Karrie League founded Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in 1997 as a single-screen mom and pop repertory theater in Austin.  17 years later, the now 19-location chain has been named "the best theater in America" by Entertainment Weekly and "the best theater in the world" by Wired. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has built a reputation as a movie lover's oasis not only by combining food and drink service with the movie-going experience, but also introducing unique programming and high-profile, star studded special events. Alamo Drafthouse Founder & CEO, Tim League, created Fantastic Fest, a world renowned film festival dubbed "The Geek Telluride" by Variety. Fantastic Fest showcases eight days of genre cinema from independents, international filmmakers and major Hollywood studios. The Alamo Drafthouse's collectible art gallery, Mondo, offers breathtaking, original products featuring designs from world-famous artists based on licenses for popular TV and Movie properties including Star Wars, Star Trek & Universal Monsters. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is expanding its brand in new and exciting ways, including Drafthouse Films which has garnered two Academy Award nominations in its short three year existence and Birth. Movies. Death, an entertainment content platform edited by veteran journalist Devin Faraci.

Tweet