Today we spoke to Kristen Bell, Festival Director of the
9th FANTASTIC FEST
DEADLINE • 29 May 2013
This year we have reduced the number of people viewing the festival submissions and are really steering the focus on finding the best genre features and shorts out there. We also tightened our submission deadlines so that we would have more time to review everything as many times as needed to find the best of the best. With a few new talented eyes for genre on board and a smaller group doing the reviewing process, we hope to come out with a great, talented, genre heavy line up this year.
Fantasia and Sitges are two festivals we are often compared to in regards to programming. Both have a genre focus, like Fantastic Fest, and we all share programming leads or ideas when timing allows us to. Fantastic Fest and Fantasia also share a love for karaoke and co-host a karaoke party every year at Berlinale and Cannes which is an event not to be missed if you are traveling to either of these festivals.
We are a very filmmaker friendly festival. We go out of our way to make everyone feel at home and comfortable at the festival. Filmmakers are invited to several filmmaker only events throughout the festival in addition to all the events that are open to all badge holders. Our badgeholders are all very respectful of the filmmakers in attendance and are there to just enjoy these great films alongside the people that made them.
Kristen Bell, Festival Director, Fantastic Fest to FilmFestivalLife, 8 May 2013
19 – 26 September 2013, Austin, Texas, United States
Fantastic Fest on FilmFestivalLife
Read more FOCUS features from FilmFestivalLife
:: FOCUS • Ottowa International Animation Festival
:: FOCUS • San Francisco Black Film Festival
