You may have heard some whisperings around the internet that Legion M is going to be at Fantastic Fest this year. And you may have found yourself asking the tough question: what the heck is Fantastic Fest?

I’m so glad you asked!

Fantastic Fest is an independent film festival that was founded in 2005 by co-founder and CEO of Alamo Drafthouse (and now Legion M advisory board member) Tim League. It’s the largest genre film festival in the US. In fact, it’s the very place Legion M first discovered Colossal! And if you think you know what to expect because you’ve been to a film festival before, think again – because this one is unlike any you’ve ever experienced.

The first thing to know is that you’re going to watch a LOT of movies. Unlike larger film festivals like Sundance or Tribeca which can have screenings spread miles apart across the city, Fantastic Fest takes place in a single 8 screen Alamo Drafthouse – so you don’t have to worry about figuring out shuttle bus routes or grabbing an Uber in the snow to get to your next film screening. The festival runs over an eight-day period, and your pass gets you into five screenings a day(!!) from morning until after midnight. Badge holders can select the films they’d like to see the night before in order of their predilection, and the festival’s algorithm will allocate tickets according to what will accommodate the most fans’ preferences. If that’s not a fan-first attitude, I don’t know what is!

Not only that, but most screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the director, filmmakers, and often cast of the film to give the audience a chance to delve even deeper into the world of the film. But it’s not like Comic Con where there’s an invisible wall between the audience and the panelists. Once the Q&A is over, the filmmakers and cast will often hang out in the lobby with the audience before the next screening. Everyone is open, accessible and available for mixing and mingling with the folks who really connected with their work, making it much more intimate than other festivals.

As you may have surmised by now, the community around Fantastic Fest is really cool – very much like our community at Legion M! These are the kinds of people you want to hang out with because they love movies and genre just as much as you do, and they’re just as eager to talk about the films with other fans. The Fantastic Fest team does a, well, FANTASTIC job of curating a lineup of truly unique films. As a genre film festival, there’s some of the best horror, sci-fi, and fantasy from around the world, as well as other selections that are just so creative, downright strange, or otherwise off the beaten path that they deserve to be seen. 

What else can you expect for your Fantastic Fest experience? FOOD. You won’t need to survive on a diet of popcorn and soda at this movie theater. Alamo Drafthouse is equipped with a full menu, including appetizers, salads, pizzas, sandwiches, entrees, and of course – dessert. Some screenings even offer special film-specific menu items! If you don’t leave Austin feeling like you need to hit the gym or start a new exercise regimen, you’re not doing it right. But if you’re worried about that, you shouldn’t be – the Alamo Drafthouse puts on a lot of cool events to keep you active and engaged, including golfing excursions, VR experiences, karaoke, rap battles, dance parties, interactive podcasts, and more.

What will Legion M’s involvement be this year? We can’t tell you just yet… but we can tell you that you won’t want to miss out. So what are you waiting for? Badges are on sale right now! If you think you might want to join us in Austin, be sure to snag your pass as they sell out every year. If you change your mind, you’ll have until mid-August to receive a full refund. But this is a festival you really have to experience for yourself.

But don’t just take my word for it. See what Legion M’s own Terri Pinon had to say about it – and she should know, she’s been to quite a few!

So what do you say? Will we see you there, or what?