Are you ready to go beyond? The 11th annual Beyond Fest will return to Los Angeles later this month with a 15-day event across multiple theaters that celebrates the best genre films of the past and the present. And while the writers and actors remain on strike, several prominent directors will be guests at Beyond Fest screenings for some of their most memorable movies. This year’s guests include James Cameron for The Abyss Special Edition, Brad Bird for The Iron Giant, Guillermo del Toro for Pacific Rim, Michael Mann for Manhunter, and a special tribute to Roger Corman. The latter will feature the legendary director and producer alongside some of his previous collaborators, including Ron Howard, Jon Davison, Amy Holden Jones, Joe Dante, and Allan Arkush.
However, Beyond Fest isn’t just about retrospective screenings. Several new titles will premiere at this year’s event, including Rogue One director Gareth Edwards’ new sci-fi flick The Creator, Nicolas Cage’s Dream Scenario, Macon Blair’s new remake of The Toxic Avenger, the Christmas slasher flick It’s a Wonderful Knife, Joe Lynch’s Suitable Flesh, and many more.
“With over 19,000 attendees in 2022, our goal this year was to go bigger while also exposing audiences to new filmmakers who represent the future,” said Evrim Ersoy, Beyond Fest’s head of programming. “We’ve delivered on that promise with a program that has the world’s most celebrated artists like James Cameron, Guillermo del Toro, and Roger Corman joining us alongside some of Cinema’s boldest new voices, including Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, Demián Rugna and Macon Blair.”
“Fifty-five movies across 15 days adds up to a true celebration of the theatrical experience — the very mission at the heart of the American Cinematheque,” added American Cinematheque’s Grant Moninger. “It is an honor to give back to the incredible film-loving community that supports us year-round and the city that was literally built by cinema.”
Beyond Fest will run from September 26 to October 10, with screenings at the Aero Theatre, Los Feliz 3, and Regency Village Theatre. Tickets are slated to go on sale at American Cinematheque’s official site at 10 a.m. PT on Friday, September 15. More information can be found at that site and on BeyondFest.com.
The complete lineup and locations for Beyond Fest 2023 are below.
Regency Village Theatre
The Abyss: Special Edition
Special screening
Director: James Cameron
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 171 minutes
1989
Guests: Director James Cameron
Aero Theatre Presented by Neon
The Creator
Special screening
Director: Gareth Edwards
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 133 minutes
2023
Kill
West Coast premiere
Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
Country: India
Runtime: 106 minutes
2023
Guests: Director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
The Royal Hotel
West Coast premiere
Director: Kitty Green
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 91 minutes
2023
Crash – NC-17 Cut
Special screening
Director: David Cronenberg
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 100 minutes
1996
Guests: With virtual intro by podcaster Karina Longworth
Manhunter
Special screening
Director: Michael Mann
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 120 minutes
1986
Guests: Director Michael Mann
Caligula: The Ultimate Cut
Special screening
Principal Photography: Tinto Brass
Country: U.S., Italy
Runtime: 173 minutes
1979
Guests: Actor Malcolm McDowell and archivist/author Thomas Negovan, moderated by critic/historian Stephen Farber
Rock ’N’ Roll High School
Special screening
Directors: Allan Arkush, Joe Dante
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 93 minutes
1979
Guests: Director Allan Arkush
Grand Theft Auto
Special screening
Director: Ron Howard
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 84 minutes
1977
Piranha
Special screening
Director: Joe Dante
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 94 minutes
1978
Guests: Director Joe Dante
The Raven
Special screening
Director: Roger Corman
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 86 minutes
1963
GUESTS: Director Roger Corman
The Toxic Avenger
West Coast premiere
Director: Macon Blair
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 102 minutes
2023
Guests: Director Macon Blair
When Evil Lurks
West Coast premiere
Director: Demián Rugna
Country: Argentina
Runtime: 99 minutes
2023
Guests: Director Demián Rugna
V/H/S 85
West Coast premiere
Directors: David Bruckner, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Natasha Kermani, Mike Nelson, and Scott Derrickson
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 110 minutes
2023
Guests: Directors Scott Derrickson, David Bruckner, Natasha Kermani, Gigi Saul Guerrero
Adam Chaplin
Extended version – theatrical premiere
Directors: Emanuele De Santi, Giulio De Santi
Country: Italy
Runtime: 94 minutes
2011
Anatomy of a Fall
West Coast premiere
Director: Justine Triet
Country: France
Runtime: 151 minutes
2023
Foe
West Coast premiere
Director: Garth Davis
Country: Australia
Runtime: 110 minutes
2023
Totally Killer
West Coast premiere
Director: Nahnatchka Khan
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 106 minutes
2023
Guests: Director Nahnatchka Khan
Suitable Flesh
West Coast premiere
Director: Joe Lynch
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 100 minutes
2023
Guests: Director Joe Lynch
Cemetery Man
4K Restoration – world premiere
Director: Michele Soavi
Country: Italy
Runtime: 105 minutes
1994
All of Us Strangers
West Coast premiere
Director: Andrew Haigh
Country: U.K.
Runtime: 105 minutes
2023
True Romance
Special screening – Hosted by Rucking Fotten
Director: Tony Scott
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 120 minutes
1993
Iron Giant
Special screening
Director: Brad Bird
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 86 minutes
1999
Guests: Director Brad Bird
Pacific Rim
Special screening
Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 131 minutes
2013
Guests: With Director Guillermo Del Toro in attendance
The Raid: Redemption
4K Restoration – North American premiere
Director: Gareth Evans
Country: Indonesia
Runtime: 101 minutes
2011
Final Destination
Special screening
Director: James Wong
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 98 minutes
2000
Guests: Jeffrey Reddick
Welcome Space Brothers
World premiere
Director: Jodi Wille
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 101
2023
Guests: Director Jodi Wille with moderator Daniel Noah and special Unarian guests in attendance
It’s Wonderful Life
World premiere
Director: Tyler MacIntyre
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 90 minutes
2023
Guests: Director Tyle MacIntyre
The Wicker Man
Special screening
Director: Robin Hardy
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 96 minutes
1973
Guests: Actor Britt Ekland
The Church
4K Restoration – world premiere
Director: Michele Soavi
Country: Italy
Runtime: 110 minutes
1989
Dream Scenario
West Coast premiere
Director: Kristoffer Borgli
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 100 minutes
2023
Neon theatre at Los Feliz 3
Spooktacular!
West Coast premiere
Director: Quinn Monahan
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 105 minutes
2023
GUESTS: With director Quinn Monahan, Linda Blair and Kane Hodder, Spencer Charnas and Spooky World founder David Bertolino
Mancunian Man: THhe Legendary Like of Cliff Twemlow
West Coast premiere
Director: Jake West
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 124 minutes
2023
Guests: With Director Jake West and actor John Saint Ryan
Enter the Clones of Bruce
West Coast premiere
Director: David Gregory
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 100 minutes
2023
Guests: Director David Gregory and producer/expert Michael Worth
History of Evil
World premiere
Director: Bo Mirosseni
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 90 minutes
2023
To Fire You Come at Last
North American premiere
Director: Sean Hogan
Country: U.K.
Runtime: 46 minutes
2023
Guests: Director Sean Hogan
Raging Grace
Special screening
Director: Paris Zarcilla
Country: U.K.
Runtime: 99 minutes
2023
So Unreal
West Coast premiere
Director: Amanda Kramer
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 95 minutes
2023
Guests: Director Amanda Kramer
Omen
U.S. premiere
Director: Baloji
Country: Belgium, Netherlands, The Democratic Republic Of The Congo, France, South Africa
Runtime: 90 minutes
2023
The Funeral
U.S. premiere
Director: Orcun Behram
Country: Turkey
Runtime: 90 minutes
2023
Femme
U.S. Premiere
Director: Sam H. Freeman, Ng Choon Ping
Country: U.K.
Runtime: 99 minutes
2023
Hostile Dimensions
North American premiere
Director: Graham Hughes
Country: U.K.
Runtime: 80 minutes
2023
Guests: Director Graham Hughes
Nowhere
Special screening
Director: Gregg Araki
Country: U.S., France
Runtime: 78 minutes
1997
Guests: Director Gregg Araki
All You Need is Death
World premiere
Director: Paul Duane
Country: Ireland
Runtime: 90 minutes
2023
Slashers
New restoration – world premiere
Director: Maurice Deveraux
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 99 minutes
The Cassandra Cat
4K Restoration – U.S. Premiere
Director: Vojtěch Jasný
Country: Poland
Runtime: 101 minutes
1963
Mayhem!
U.S. premiere
Director: Xavier Gens
Country: France
Runtime: 96 minutes
2023
Night of the Hunted
World premiere
Director: Franck Khalfoun
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 90 minutes
2023
Guests: Director Franck Khalfoun
Vincent Must Die
U.S. premiere
Director: Stéphan Castang
Country: France
Runtime: 108 minutes
2023
Last Straw
North American remiere
Director: Alan Scott Neal
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 90 minutes
2023
The Becomers
U.S. premiere
Director: Zach Clark
Country: U.S.
Runtime: 86 minutes
2023