Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the US, specializing in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from around the world. Taking place in Austin, Texas from September 23 to October 1, primarily in Alamo Drafthouse locations around the city, Fantastic Fest is a mecca for cinephiles from around the globe. The festival also features world, national and regional premieres of new, up-and-coming genre films.

This year opens with Gentlemen Broncos, the newest film from Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess. The festival continues with Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl, a dark comedic twist on the high school love triangle, the 100 Best Kills Party, a compilation of some of the greatest and goriest movie death scenes, and the US premiere of George Romero’s newest zombie flick Survival of the Dead, with the director live in person. Fantastic Fest once again lives up to its namesake and promises a smorgasbord of genre films of all shapes and sizes. Check out the fantastic online schedule.

Other festivals starting this week include:

Global Peace Film Festival (Sept 22-27)

AFI Latin American Film Festival (Sept 23-Oct 12)

Urbanworld Film Festival (Sept 23-26)

San Diego Film Festival (Sept 23-27)

Friars Club Comedy Film Festival (Sept 24-27)

Peachtree Village International Film Festival (Sept 24-27)

Port Townsend Film Festival (Sept 24-27)

Edmonton International Film Festival (Sept 25-Oct 3)

Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival (Sept 25-27)

TromaDance Indiana (Sept 25-27)

Moondance International Film Festival (Sept 25-27)

B-Movie Celebration (Sept 25-27)

Festivals starting next week include:

Scottsdale International Film Festival (Oct 2-6): The festival’s mission is to be the undisputed Arizona leader in the use of film to foster a meaningful understanding of the world’s cultures, lifestyles, religions, and ethnicities. Film selection exemplifies how serious Scottsdale is about exposing its audience to other ways of life and rarely seen images. In addition to exposing new audiences to foreign films from around the globe, the festival has sought out high value, artistically important releases in the art and independent film world.

Dark Carnival Film Festival (Sept 28-Oct 4)

International Black Film Festival of Nashville (Sept 30-Oct 4)

Sound Unseen Festival (Sept 29-Oct 4)

KingDomWood Christian Film Festival (Oct 1-3)

Tacoma Film Festival (Oct 1-8)

Script2Screen Film Festival (Oct 1-3)

Shriekfest (Oct 1-4)

Camden International Film Festival (Oct 1-4)

Boston Latino International Film Festival (Oct 3-12)