The Circuit

Austin's Fantastic Fest has announced the first pot of films for their fourth event.  Fest director Tim League, along with programmers Harry Knowles (Ain't It Cool News), Todd Brown (Twitchfilm.net), Blake Ethridge (Cinema is Dope), Zack Carlson and Lars Nilsen (Alamo Drafthouse Cinema) "scoured the globe for the strangest, the most heart-pounding and the most challenging new genre films."

Though only four years old, Fantastic has made name by screening first-looks of such films as Mel Gibson's "Apolocalypto," and Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood."

While League won't yet say what sneaks he's planning this year, the list of films so far is a thorough cross-section of recent genre films.  The program includes fest circuit favorites such as Aleksei Balabanov's "Cargo 200," Tomas Alfredson's vampire flick "Let the Right One In," and Aristomenis Tsirbas' animated sci-fi "Terra" (pictured).

DJ Caruso is expected to attend, bringing his Shia LaBeouf thriller "Eagle Eye" to screen. 

The fest's opening night party is dubbed the Air Sex World Final.  (Imagine an air guitar contest, then replace the imaginary guitar with an imaginary person.) 

There will also be a dance party in a mile-deep cave, and a boat party after a screening on "Donkey Punch," which if you've seen the film may not sound like much fun.


Feature films:

"Art of the Devil 3" (2008, Thailand, director: Ronin Team)

"Cargo 200" (2007, Russia, director: Aleksei Balabanov)

"Dark Floors" (2008, Finland, director: Pete Riski)

"Doctor Infierno" (2008, Spain, director: Paco Limon)

"Donkey Punch" (2008, United Kingdom, director: Oliver Blackburn)

"Eagle Eye" (2008, USA, director: D.J. Caruso)
   
"Estomago" (2007, Brazil, director: Marcos Jorge)

"Ex Drummer" (2007, Belgium, director: Koen Mortier)

"Fighter" (2008, Denmark, director: Natasha Arthy)

"Gachi Boy: Wrestling with a Memory" (2008, Japan, director: Norihiro Koizumi)

"How to Get Rid of the Others" (2007, Denmark, director: Anders Rønnow Klarlund)

"I Think We’re Alone Now" (2007, USA, director: Sean Donnelly)

"Jack Brooks Monster Slayer" (2007, Canada, director: Jon Knautz)

"Let the Right One In" (2008, Sweden, director: Tomas Alfredson)

"Muay Thai Chaiya" (2007, Thailand, director: Kongkiat Khomsiri)

"The Short Films of Nacho Vigalondo" (various, Spain, director: Nacho Vigalondo)

"South of Heaven" (2007, USA, director: Jonathan Vara)

"Spine Tingler - The William Castle Story" (2007, USA, director: Jeffrey Schwarz)

"The Substitute" (2007, Denmark, director: Ole Bornedal)

"Terra" (2008, Canada, director: Aristomenis Tsirbas)

"The Tingler" (1959, USA, director: William Castle)

"Tokyo Gore Police"  (2008, Japan, director: Yoshihiro Nishimura)