2024 is coming to an end, and that means Beyond Fest is upon us! The genre festival, the go-to for any true cinephile, has been a staple in Los Angeles for decades, and the people behind it are back. This year’s festival will be another fantastic feat in cinema viewing, with its lineup of little-known movies all the way to the heavy hitters in cinema. The 2024 slate will include World, West Coast, International Premieres, special screenings, and many more, with the filmmakers and cast in attendance.
Beyond Fest has been known to bring their “A” game when showcasing hidden gems, restorations, and films that have garnered some serious buzz during the film festival markets. The lineup dropped online on September 12th, gearing up for what is sure to be another sold-out event as tickets will go on sale on September 13th. What excellent films are set at the festival? Well, I’m glad you asked.
People attending the festival can expect the World Premiere of the long-awaited 2024 adaptation of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot. This film has been the talk of the cinema world for what seems like forever, and those fortunate enough to grab tickets will surely be in for a treat. Beyond Fest will present the West Coast Premiere of Brady Corbet’s epic historical drama, The Brutalist, in glorious 70mm. If that doesn’t tickle your fine art fanny, how about Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner Anora? Yet, if you’re into something a little different, Beyond Fest has you covered.
Visionary director Sam Raimi is set to appear in a much-deserved spotlight to help showcase the 35mm triple feature of Darkman, The Quick and the Dead, and Drag Me Hell. Consequently, the audience will get the same incredible treatment as a quadruple bill of Shane Black’s Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and The Nice Guys. And yes, you can expect a Q&A with the filmmaker. The festival only gets better with the 30th Anniversary of the action film that redefined the genre, Speed. This event is even more incredible because Jan de Bont, actors Sandra Bullock, and Keanu Reeves will be present for a Q&A.
Head of Programming Evrim Ersoy made a statement with the lineup announcement to let festival fans know that the people working behind the scenes genuinely understand the power of cinema.
Here’s what they had to say:
“Combining a celebration of cinema whilst firmly focusing our gaze on the next generation of filmmakers has always been at the heart of the Beyond Fest. And this year, we have even more opportunity to bring together the full spectrum of genre filmmaking to the community that is at the core of everything we do: from Kiyoshi Kurosawa to Brady Corbet, Jennifer Kent to Sam Raimi, we have created a program that embraces all corners of the cinematic spectrum.”
The highly anticipated Nightbitch, Terrifier 3, It’s What’s Inside, V/H/S Beyond, and Little Bites are other films set in stone and ready to be shown. The rogues’ gallery of amazing cinema at this year’s Beyond Fest is too large to list, but you bet they’ll have the right amount of theaters for the event. This year’s Beyond Fest will be hosted at the Aero Theatre, Los Feliz 3, The Vista, and the legendary Egyptian Theatre.
Tickets for 2024’s Beyond Fest go on sale Friday, September 13th at 10:00 am PST.
Visit the Beyond Fest and American Cinematheque websites to grab yours before they sell out.