Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy return to Kansas City, MO, to kick off the 12th annual Panic Fest on April 4th, 2024, with a 40th-anniversary screening of Night of the Comet. This year’s festivities feature the fest’s largest program in its history with over 150 features and short films.
The hybrid festival will once again allow genre fans to enjoy programming in-person and also keep the party going online at home with virtual programming.
Panic Fest co-founder Tim KC Canton says, “Our lineup is bursting at the seams with genre goodness. In addition to over 150+ films we also have some amazing retro programming and horror icons joining us for anniversary screenings. We are excited to welcome back our friend Joe Lynch for another secret screening currated by the man himself. Definitely a week of films you won’t want to miss!”
Legendary scream queen Heather Langenkamp will be in attendance with the 40th anniversary of Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street and director Eduardo Sanchez and co-star Michael Williams with the 25th anniversary of The Blair Witch Project.
“Each year the festival continues to grow with the line-up and each year we think, “how could we outdo ourselves” and then we do. The amount of incredible films that were submitted this year is truly astounding and makes for the most diverse line-up featuring a robust selection of international films.” said Adam Roberts, Festival Director.
Other highlights for this year’s programming include the world premieres of Kiah Roache-Turner’s Sting, Jill Gevargizian’s Ghost Game, and Justin Denton’s Curse of the Sin Eater. And returning for his (now iconic) Mystery Movie is filmmaker and friend of the fest, Joe Lynch, who annually brings a deep cut and this year might just be the wildest screening yet. Plus: Rewind Video and Dive Bar, offering nostalgia ripped straight from your parents’ basement in the ’90s, but with a full-service bar, board games, retro gaming systems, a neon-infused atmosphere and VHS tapes. All podcasts, meet-and-greet events, and after-parties will be held in the basement of the theater.
Panic Fest’s in-person programming runs April 4-10, with the virtual fest happening April 4-14. Get your tickets on the official Panic Fest website. Check out more programming in the press release below.
Our podcast lineup includes Cult Podcast, Horror Virgin and Nightmare Junkhead.
50+ Feature Films
100+ Short Films
4 Podcasts
Rewind VHS Bar and Dive
Special Events / After Parties
Panic Fest continues their partnerships with genre leaders Shudde, IFC Films, RLJ Entertainment, XYZ Films, Magnolia Pictures, Dark Star Pictures, Dark Sky Films, Epic Pictures, and Cinedigm /Screambox.
Panic Fest is presented by Logboat Brewing Company, 4 Hands Brewing Company, J. Rieger and Co, Missouri Film, Boulevard Beverage Company and KC Film.
FEATURE FILM PROGRAMMING
A Nightmare on Elm Street (40th Anniversary with Heather Langkenkamp)
D: Wes Craven
Teenager Nancy Thompson must uncover the dark truth concealed by her parents after she and her friends become targets of the spirit of a serial killer with a bladed glove in their dreams, in which if they die, it kills them in real life.
All Alone Together
D: Maximus Jenkins
As a tormented filmmaker reaches new levels of success, the horrors of his film start to creep into his life.
All You Need is Death
D: Paul Duane
A young couple who collect rare folk ballads discover the dark side of love when they surreptitiously record and translate an ancient, taboo folk song from the deep, forgotten past.
Arcadian
D: Benjamin Brewer
A father and his twin teenage sons fight to survive in a remote farmhouse at the end of the end of the world.
Azrael
D: E.L. Katz
In a world no one speaks a devout female hunts down a young woman who has escaped her imprisonment. Recaptured by its ruthless leaders, Azrael is due to be sacrificed to pacify an ancient evil deep within the surrounding wilderness
Blair Witch Project with Co-Director Eduardo Sanchez and Star Michael Williams
D: Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick
Three film students vanish after traveling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.
Blind Cop 2
D: Alec Bonk
When an influx of illegal weapons trafficking explodes onto the scene, a grieving blind police officer must purge the city streets or risk mass chaos breaking loose.
Cannibal Mukbang
D: Aimee Kuge
An introverted nerd finds himself dangerously deep inside the crazy world of mukbanging after he falls head over heels for a mysterious woman.
Carnage Radio
D: James Fite
Set in West Texas and inspired by the classic styles of John Carpenter and The Coen Brothers, the indie feature CARNAGE RADIO was filmed in Big Spring, TX, which is known as the Crossroads of the Lone Star State. With the help of a late-night radio show DJ, a local police detective sets out to save her small, West Texas town from a deranged sociopath who is killing off the DJ’s radio show listeners, one by one.
Couples to Hell
D: Anglee
Cruel stories about 4 couples who are unhappy when they are together.
Curse of the Sin Eater
D: Justin Denton
A poor construction worker makes a deal with a dying business mogul to inherit billions only to discover that he has also been cursed by the man’s terrifying sins.
Don’t Die
D: Benjamin Stark
Jenks has been pushed to the brink by a system that does not care about him. Desperate for life-saving medicine, he resorts to robbing a small-town drug store. But when he injures a mysterious woman involved in a black market pharmacy, his attempts to save her life may end up jeopardizing his own.
Faceless After Dark
D: Raymond Wood
Following her breakout success in a killer clown horror flick, Bowie finds herself held hostage by an unhinged fan determined to recreate the film’s fatal plot.
Ghost Game
D: Jill Gevargizian
Participating in an internet challenge that requires breaking into homes and living undetected alongside the residents, a thrill-seeking couple target an infamous haunted house and endure a series of chilling incidents as they witness a family descending into madness.
Haunted Ulster Live
D: Dominic O’Neill
On Halloween night 1998, TV veteran Gerry Burns, teams up with popular children’s presenter Michelle Kelly to investigate poltergeist activity in a haunted house in Belfast. A seance causes the broadcast to descend into chaos. When the youngest child is mysteriously abducted by an unseen force, the two presenters must face their greatest fears on live TV.
Heiresses
D: Carlos Marban
After the death of her husband César, Elena and her daughter, Celia, face a new stage in their lives. One night Celia suffers an accident while alone at home. From that moment, Elena will face the consequences of her terrible acts.
Hippo
D: Mark H. Rapaport
Loosely based on the Greek tragedy ‘Hippolytus’ — HIPPO examines the coming-of-age of two step-siblings: Hippo, a video-game addicted teenager and Buttercup, a Hungarian Catholic immigrant with a love of classical music and Jesus. Like the Ancient Greek Aphrodite, Buttercup’s love is unrequited by a brother who prefers to indulge the art of war and chaos.
Hostile Dimensions
D: Graham Hughes
Two documentary filmmakers travel through alternate dimensions to uncover the truth about a graffiti artist who has vanished.
Infested
D: Sebastien Vanicek
Kaleb is a young adult who lives on petty jobs. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a poisonous spider in a bazaar and brings it back to his flat. It only takes a moment for it to escape and reproduce, turning the place into a dreadful web trap. At the same time, the police locks down the building where the residents are ambushed. Only option for Kaleb and his mates: find the way out, to survive.
Jeffrey’s Hell
D: Aaron Irons
This documentary explores what really happened to filmmaker Aaron Irons went he disappeared in the East Tennessee wilderness area known as Jeffrey’s Hell.
Keratyna
D: Miguel Azurmendi
Rata lives voluntarily crowded in his room, devising conspiracy theories that he publishes on his YouTube channel. His life turns upside down the day he witnesses a possible crime. Will Rat be the hero he claims to be?
Killington
D: Mark Dudzinski, Frank Perz
When a group of women from Manhattan win a weekend getaway with wellness influencer Kali to picturesque Killington, VT, the creepy local vibes and characters take on a life of their own. Tensions spark among the longtime friends as Kali pushes their boundaries, and things take an unexpected turn.
Kryptic
D: Kourtney Roy
Kryptic is a psycho-thriller about a woman’s search for a missing monster hunter and her growing realisation that she is inescapably linked to the creature being pursued.
Liverscreams
D: Michelle Iannantuono
In the screenlife found footage film LIVESCREAMERS, Michael Smallwood (Halloween Kills, Righteous Gemstones) leads a popular group of streamers who face a lesson in teamwork when a cursed video game kills them one by one.
Mother Father Sister Brother Frank
D: Caden Douglas
The Jennings family couldn’t be more painfully suburban, but when asshole Uncle Frank crashes their weekly Sunday dinner with a nasty surprise, murder turns up on the menu. Can the Jennings’ overcome secrets, dysfunction and the distances between them to learn that ultimately, the family that slays together, stays together?
Never Hike Alone 2
D: Vincente DiSanti
20 years after the last sighting of Jason Voorhees, Crystal Lake resident and former victim Tommy Jarvis still lives with the haunting notion that Jason will one day return.
New Life
D: John Rosman
A mysterious woman on the run, and the resourceful fixer assigned to bring her in. Their two unique stories inextricably link, as the stakes of the pursuit rise to apocalyptic proportions.
NOCLIP
D: Gavin Charles and Alex Conn
Two filmmakers set out on an adventure into a creepy old mall, only to find themselves lost in an increasingly claustrophobic maze of hallways, liminal spaces, stairwells and backrooms in this comedic found footage horror film.
Oddity
D: Damian McCarthy
Uncovering the truth behind sister’s death with the help of wooden mannequin.
OFF RAMP
D: Nathan Tape
A couple of lovable, degenerate Juggalos must sojourn through America’s hellish underbelly to The Gathering of the Juggalos, the one place on earth they feel accepted.
Property
D: Daniel Bandeira
To protect herself from a revolt by the workers on her family’s farm, a reclusive woman locks herself in her own armored car. Separated by a layer of glass, two universes are about to collide.
Psychosis
D: Pirie Martin
Criminal Fixer Cliff Van Aarle’s unique psychological condition gives him an edge in the criminal underworld, but when he’s hired by two amateur drug dealers claiming they were attacked by ‘zombies,’ Van Aarle is dragged into a terrifying and bizarre mystery that will force him to relive the traumatic past he thought he’d escaped.
Purgatory Jack
D: Brett Butlerf
Purgatory Jack is a neo-noir mystery thriller set in the afterlife, a dangerous landscape that’s run by a bloodthirsty, limb-collecting gang and populated with outlaws and outcasts. The latest case for musician turned grizzled private detective, Jack Marlin, is helping new arrival Viv Vacious, a punk pop star who overdosed, stay safe as she races against time to find her mother who committed suicide twenty years earlier. While navigating the treacherous terrain of hells waiting room, these two musicians from clashing eras unlock a murderous conspiracy and discover why blood is more than a drug in Purgatory.
Satranic Panic
D: Alice Maio Mackay
When Max, trans queen Aria’s found brother and the love of artist Jay’s life, is ruthlessly slaughtered by a shadowy cult in a ritual to summon a cadre of demons, two friends will follow a mysterious note promising answers and hit the road. Together they will slay the demons that oppose them, perform at drag gigs, make uncertain allies, and uncover a conspiracy of prejudice and self-hatred, that leads closer to home than they’d ever imagined. A bloody, demon-infested road movie about the power of claiming one’s identity and the importance of chosen family, Satranic Panic exposes the hypocrisy of the status quo with biting wit, killer drag, and incredible tits.
Sheryl
D: Justin Best
After she’s dumped by her serial killer boyfriend for not being “hot enough”, Sheryl, a beauty-obsessed woman, goes on a murderous, blood-soaked quest to create the perfect face, while simultaneously navigating her new relationship with the cop investigating the murders. In the end, she must try to learn to accept herself as she is… even if that means she is a looks-obsessed, psycho killer.
Sleep
D: Jason Yu
A young, expectant wife must figure out how to stop her husband’s nightmarish sleepwalking habits before he harms himself or his family.
Spookt
D: Tony Teamesj
The buried secrets of a small town are revealed when a paranormal investigator and a skeptic join forces to discover the truth behind a missing girl and the infamous Dr Byler, portrayed by Eric Roberts. Beliefs are tested when unexplained occurrences begin to happen, centering around the infamous Gibson house. Sins of the past come back to terrorize the living when Claire and Rachel’s reality is turned upside down in SpookT.
Sting
D: Kiah Roache-Turner
Terror strikes when 12-year-old Charlotte’s pet spider rapidly transforms into a giant flesh-eating monster.
The Activated Man
D: Nicholas Gyeneyi
As Ors Gabriel struggles with the grief and pain from losing his best friend and beloved dog, Louie, to cancer, the shock from the trauma brings on strange visions only Ors can see. While he questions whether his mind has fractured or if it’s actually real, a mysterious rise in murder-suicides takes hold of the city, and Ors becomes haunted by images of a shadowy figure known to many as ‘The Fedora Man’. Through torments and terror, Ors uncovers dark secrets from his past, forcing him to embrace who he really is, and what he is meant to do. But, with escalating visions of ‘The Fedora Man’, Ors must face his fears as he spirals downwards, testing the very limits of his sanity.
The Buildout
D: Zeshaan Younus
A friendship is tested as two women experience something strange in the desert.
The Ceremony is About to Begin
D: Sean Nichols Lynch
Madness, mayhem, and mummification rites ensue when a documentary filmmaker investigates an Ancient Egyptian inspired cult.
The Hyperborean
D: Jesse Thomas Cook
A seasoned crisis manager navigates a dysfunctional family and their faltering whiskey company through a PR disaster involving triple homicide, Arctic ice mummies, and intergalactic moonshine.
The Wait
D: F. Javier Gutierrez
Eladio, a hunting estate keeper, takes a bribe from a veteran hunter. What looked like the opportunity of a lifetime turns into a macabre descent to hell.
Tiger Stripes
D: Amanda Nell Eu
An 11-year-old girl who is carefree until she starts to experience horrifying physical changes to her body.
What You Wish For
D: Nicholas Tomnay
A down-on-his-luck chef with gambling problems flees to a Latin American villa, where he assumes the identity of another man.
Worlds
D: Chris Hammarberg
A young woman documents her experience being stalked by an anonymous stranger, which leads a documentary film crew to discover an otherworldly mystery. Unexplainable events, an unravelling conspiracy, and an unsolved murder begin to reveal a threat lurking just beyond our understanding.
Young Blondes, Stalked and Murdered
D: Nick Funess
A struggling actress starts to believe a serial killer is after her.
SHORT FILM PROGRAMMING
SHORT BLOCK #1
We Joined a Cult D: Chris McInroy
Mystery Box D: Tomas Morrison, Marko Pandza, Jason Kerr
Bath Bomb D: Colin G Cooper
Type A D: Jake Barcus
Amygdala D: Oskar Johansson
Overnights D: Shannon Brown
The Chain D: Tom Hipp
Influence D: Nate Laver
4 Little Angels D: Julio Martí Zahonero
SHORT BLOCK #2
“Ride Baby Ride” D: Sofie Somoroff
“The Crossing Over Express” D: Luke Barnett, Tanner Thomason
“Be Bad” D: Lauren Hart
“My Scary Indian Wedding” D: Ramone Menon
“Consumer” D: Matthew Fisher
“Mallet” D: Brian Emond
“Bookworm” D: Javier Yañez Sanz
“Nap” D: Javier Chavanel
SHORT BLOCK #3
“The 6 Relics of Helena Mason” D: Joseph Díaz
“Coleoptere” D: Martin Gouzou
“Detox” D: Alex Hanno
“Bruja” D: Mando Franco
“The Universe and You” D: Brendan Mitchell
“Bisected” D: Danny Pineros
“The Power of Strike” D: Dima Barch
SHORT BLOCK #4
“Strange Creatures” D: Nicholas Payne Santos
“Rats” D: Alexis Caro
“Yummo Spot” D: Ashley Brandon
“Honk” D: Charles de Lauzirika
“We All Belong to the Tower” D: Dustin Paul Weible
“Carnivora” D: Felipe Vargas
“Subject 7” D: Aaron Hall
“Ten of Swords” D: Faye Jackson
SHORT BLOCK #5
“96% Cooked” D: Mike Langer
“Outer Reaches” D: Karl Redgen
“Catacombs” D: Chad Cunningham
“Florence in Customer Care” D: Jordan Sommerlad, Cory Stonebrook
“You’re An Angel” D: Zachary Eglinton
“Toad Boy” D: Phillip J. McLaughlin
“Stay” D: Luca Canali
“Paralian” D: Evan Gorski
ONLINE BLOCK #1
“Wishes” D: Anthony Ladesich
“There’s Someone At Your Door” D: Jacob Ewing
“Confession” D: Torres Cascado
“Sleep Tight” D: Lisa Ovies
“Apotemnofilia” D: Jano Pita
“Interrogator” D: Logan Brown
“Facies” D: Raúl Cerezo, Carlos Moriana
“Gummies” D: Renetta G. Amador
ONLINE BLOCK #2
“Washed Up” D: Thomas Bayne
“Static” D: Jamin Mears
“Party Time” D: Michael Marrero, Jon Rhoads
“Three Baths” D: Rafael De Leon Jr.
“The Queue” D: Michael Rich
“The Christ of the Skull” D: Chus Lara
“The Little Curse” D: Nicholas Berger, Dana Berry
ONLINE BLOCK #3
“Suckers” D: Jose Quinones
“ID EST” D: Shayda Frost
“Cereal” D: Shane R. Preston
“Super Happy Fun Clown” D: Patrick Rea
“Signal” D: Jérôme Pierrat
“Ivan” D: Damien Fannon
“Sandra Gets a New Fridge” D: Michael Beddoes, Penelope Yeulet
“Up on the Housetop” D: Dakota Millett, Michael Fischer
ONLINE BLOCK #4
“Delora” D: Darren Kwan
“In Your Hands” D: Luigi Sibona
“Howl at the Dead” D: Gregg Bishop
“A Suit and Straight Razor” D: John Veron
“The Retreat” D: Emmett Kerr-Perkinson
“Blends” D: Ioannis Argiris
“The Eyes of Marge” D: Lily Howkins
ONLINE BLOCK #5
“The Curse of the Velvet Vampire” D: Christoffer Sandau Schuricht
“Come Home” D: Mike Pecci
“Hickory Hickory Dock” D: Jennifer Trudrung
“Greetings” D: Stephanie Bencin
“One for the Road” D: Daniel Carsenty
“Green” D: Chris Johnson
“Sweet Satan’s Diaper” D: Adam Raynes, Joey Partridge
LONG FORM SHORTS PROGRAMMING
IN-PERSON BLOCK
“Bug” D. Stu Silverman
“Bloody Fury” D. Inconstant Jordan
“Monstrum Opus” D. Nalbeat Kwon
“Red Iron Road: In the Heat” D. Sam Chou
“Juggernaut” D. Daniele Ricci, Emanuele Ricci
ONLINE BLOCK #1
“Volition” D. Ashley George
“Thirst Trap” D. Samuel Aguirre-Kelly
“Good Girls Get Fed” D. Kelly Lou Dennis
“The Glowing Man” D. Nick Sparger
“Rebirth” D. William Brooke
“The Overkill” D. Joanna Tsanis
ONLINE BLOCK #2
“Deja View” D. Vikneshwaran Silva Naigam
“A Dire Strait” D. Liang-Chun Lin
“Marbles” D.Kyle Hatley
“The Kindness of Strangers” D. Stu Silverman
ONLINE BLOCK #3
“You Promised” D. Matthew Hersh
“Parasomnia” D. Michael Skanes
“Jeong-Dong” D.Choi Woo Gene
“Robbie Ain’t Right No More” D. Kyle Perritt
“Hollow” D. Allison Miller
“Trespasser” D. Christopher Reith
EVENT PROGRAMMING
A Nightmare on Elm Street: 40th Anniversary with Heather Langenkamp hosted by Nightmare on Film Street
The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy
After Hours with Joe Lynch: Secret Screening
Cult Podcast
Horror Virgin Podcast
Nightmare Junkhead Podcast and Game Show
Nightmare on Film Street
Rewind VHS Bar and Dive
