Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock will buckle up for a “Speed” reunion, while Al Pacino will salute them with a “Scarface” tribute at this year’s Beyond Fest, which returns to Los Angeles later this month and features 82 films in its star-studded lineup.
The 12th edition of Beyond Fest, taking place from September 25 to October 9, features its largest and most diverse lineup to date, with a wide range of films spanning horror, sci-fi, fantasy and action.
This year’s festival opens with the world premiere of “Salem’s Lot,” a highly anticipated new adaptation of Stephen King’s 1975 vampire novel directed by Gary Dauberman. The festival’s closing night will pay tribute to legendary Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who will present the world premiere of his latest film “Cloud” and participate in a retrospective of his work, which has blended psychological horror with existential themes in films such as “Cure,” “Pulse” and “Tokyo Sonata.”
In between those two evenings, Marielle Heller’s films “Nightbitch,” starring Amy Adams, a stay-at-home mother who believes she’s turning into a dog, and Steven Soderbergh’s “Presence,” which The Times called “a stylish and sublimely agile ghost story” when it premiered at Sundance earlier this year, will screen on the West Coast. Ali Abbasi’s controversial Trump biopic “The Apprentice,” which continued to generate buzz at the Telluride Film Festival earlier this month, will also screen before its nationwide release on Oct. 11.
A scene from the upcoming horror film “Salem's Lot,” which will have its world premiere at Beyond Fest.
(Warner Bros.)
Beyond Fest, unique among fall festivals that tend to favor Oscar hopefuls, has proven an increasingly powerful draw for talent as a springboard for new genre offerings that play to eager audiences. In 2022, the festival bet big on Indian filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli, helping launch a successful Oscar bid for his action epic “RRR.” (This year’s lineup includes the equally sweeping “Devara: Part 1,” starring “RRR” star N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) Last year’s edition featured heavyweights James Cameron, Guillermo del Toro and Michael Mann.
In addition to the highly anticipated “Speed” reunion, which reunites Reeves, Bullock and director Jan de Bont to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the bus-bombing action classic, Pacino will be on hand for a career retrospective focusing on his iconic role as Tony Montana in 1983’s “Scarface.” The appearance comes as Pacino is set to release his memoir “Sonny Boy” next month. Genre legend Sam Raimi, known for “Evil Dead” and “Spider-Man,” will also be in person for a triple feature of “Darkman,” “The Quick and the Dead” and “Drag Me to Hell.”
Al Pacino as Tony Montana in “Scarface” from 1983
(Universal Studios)
The festival will also host a 50th anniversary screening of the 1974 horror classic “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” featuring 12 members of the original cast and crew. Other retro highlights include a 30th anniversary matinee of Tim Burton’s “Ed Wood,” hosted by screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, and a career tribute to “Twin Peaks” star Kyle MacLachlan, featuring screenings of some of his most iconic films, including “Blue Velvet,” “Dune” and “The Hidden.”
Fan favorite Ron Perlman will be on hand for a 20th anniversary screening of del Toro’s “Hellboy,” while “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise stars Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss, Lin Shaye and Ronee Blakley will host a screening of Wes Craven’s original horror hit, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Australian director Jennifer Kent will make a rare U.S. appearance to celebrate the 10th anniversary of her horror film “The Babadook,” while Don Johnson will take the stage for a career retrospective that includes a double bill of his 1975 post-apocalyptic cult film “A Boy and His Dog” and the 1990 noir thriller “The Hot Spot.”
Steven Soderbergh’s “Presence,” a ghost story that surprised Sundance, will have its West Coast premiere at Beyond Fest.
(NEON)
Screenings will take place at several iconic Los Angeles venues, including the Egyptian Theatre, Aero Theatre, Los Feliz 3 and Vista Theatre, with all proceeds benefiting the American Cinematheque, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and presenting the art of cinema.
Tickets go on sale September 13 at americancinematheque.com. For more information, visit beyondfest.com.
