The festival, running from September 23 to October 6, will present an impressive 81-film program, featuring 10 world premieres and four North American premieres. Among the buzzy titles for L.A. audiences are Victorian Psycho, Paper Tiger, and a special 35mm screening of Ken Russell’s The Devils. Television fans can look forward to the first two episodes of Mike Flanagan’s Carrie series, alongside Alex Gibney’s new documentary Musk.
A major highlight for horror aficionados is the world premiere of V/H/S/Mixtape, the latest installment in the popular anthology series. This new entry brings together a compelling roster of filmmakers including Ernest Dickerson, Flying Lotus, Tobias Forge, David Moreau, RZA, and Renee Zhan, promising fresh takes on found-footage terror.
Beyond premieres, Beyond Fest is known for its unique programming and guest appearances. This year, acclaimed director Robert Eggers will take over the Egyptian Theatre for an in-person retrospective, screening his horror hits The Witch, The Lighthouse, The Northman, and Nosferatu, while also offering a sneak peek at his upcoming Werwulf. Attendees can also expect to see a star-studded lineup of guests, including M. Night Shyamalan (with his own retrospective), Conor Oberst, Jamie Lee Curtis, Matt Berry, Michael Mann, Dolph Lundgren, Danny DeVito, Al Pacino, Martin Brest, Fede Álvarez, Bruce Dern, Rodo Sayagues, Stephen Lang, and Jeremy Saulnier.
The festival also embraces cinematic preservation with a series of restoration and recut screenings. Audiences can experience 4K versions of David Lynch’s Wild at Heart, Michael Mann’s Miami Vice, Bong Joon Ho’s The Host, and Jackie Chan’s Rumble in the Bronx. Cult classics like E. Elias Merhige’s Begotten and Michele Soavi’s The Goodbye Kiss will also be presented.
Beyond Fest is proudly presented by Mubi and curated in partnership with the American Cinematheque, with all ticket proceeds benefiting the latter. Chris LeMaire, American Cinematheque’s Director of Programming, emphasized the festival's unique appeal: “Beyond Fest is at its most exciting when a world premiere, a radical new filmmaker, a 70mm epic and a once-in-a-lifetime tribute can all exist within the same program.” He added that the lineup "reflects the range, curiosity and complete commitment to theatrical cinema shared by Beyond Fest and the American Cinematheque.” Screenings and events will be held across several iconic Los Angeles venues, including the Egyptian Theatre, the Mubi Theatre at the Aero, Directors Village, and the Mubi Theatre at the Los Feliz 3.