Fantastic Fest 2009

A cold-blooded killer has singled out a mild-mannered, recently widowed man and is forcing him, under threat of harm to his young daughter, to participate in his gruesome activities. The indecisive father sinks deeper and more helplessly into the clutches of the ruthless killer - a man most definitely on a mission.

Jess Franco's tremendously stylish modern dress adaptation of a key Marquis De Sade work follows a teenage girl as she learns the libertine lifestyle from her father's mistress and her depraved half brother.

Freshly released from prison, Tai must go underground and infiltrate the shady world of Fireball to take revenge on the gang that put his brother into a coma. And what is Fireball? No holds barred, to-the-death, full contact combat basketball. Bring your lead pipe, 'cause you know the other guy is going to.

"You need the dead to fight the dead." It is 1942 and the war has stalled along the Eastern Front. Desperate to advance Hitler's forces turn to the Ahnenerbe, the secret occult division of the SS, to raise the spirits of their dead ancestors to fight on their behalf. Should they succeed it will be an all out slaughter, for how can the Russian army possibly stand against the forces of the undead? Fortunately the Russians are not without occult resources of their own, their 6th Division conducting their own experiments with the afterlife, their one great hope the gifted teenage psychic Nadya, who they must send into the underworld to recruit the spirits of her dead companions – the departed souls of the First Squad – to stand against the Nazi threat. Loosely based on characters from a hugely popular series of Soviet-era propaganda comics, First Squad is a totally unique fusion of history and fiction. The battle sequences and secret societies are factual – both the Ahnenerbe and the Russian 6th Division are known to have existed and been active in this period – with a layer of pure speculation and fantasy added to the mix. Using moc-documentary inserts to heighten the experience the goal is not just to entertain but to create a believable alternate history of the Russian-German campaigns of World War Two. The first ever Russian produced anime feature, the Russian creators of First Squad have worked closely with hugely acclaimed Japanese animation house Studio 4C (The Animatrix, Genius Party, Tekkon Kinkreet), to create something truly unique. (Todd Brown)

In 1975, the year before the Sex Pistols released their first album, a Japanese punk band called Gekirin recorded their single, “Fish Story” and then they broke up, never to record again. Thirty-seven years later, in 2012, their song saves the world. (New York Asian Film Festival)

FREE to all FF badgeholders! VIP and regular badge holders may pick up ticket for the panel the night before! The Future of 3D: Panels and Presentations Fantastic Fest, RealD and 3DFF and have assembled a half-day of panels and presentations geared towards filmmakers who are interested in learning the fundamentals of shooting in 3D. This presentation is open to Fantastic Fest badgeholders as well as area filmmakers and students. The Panel will run from 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM and includes a lunch from the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. Tickets for this event are $75, $25 students and Austin Film Society members. Admission is limited and we expect these to sell out quickly. Additional support for The Future of 3D Panels and Presentations is provided by the Texas Film Commission. Panel and presentation details: Opening Panel: The Future of 3D With 3D technology taking hold in cinemas and the promise of home delivery mechanisms on the horizon, the growing amount of 3D content hints that 3D is back for good. Or is it? Leaders in 3D industry technology will explore the impact of 3D technology and content, how it has revolutionized the marketplace, and what the future holds. Panelist include: Joshua Grier (President and co-founder, RealD) Prior to founding RealD, Greer was Co-Founder and Chief Convergence Officer of Walden Media, where he was responsible for overseeing all of the company's technology and infrastructure and was involved in the development of such films as The Chronicles of Narnia, Holes and Charlotte's Web, as well as James Cameron's 3D documentaries for IMAX, Ghosts of the Abyss and Aliens of the Deep. It was his work with Cameron, designing the first all-digital 3D projection system, which first inspired him to create RealD along with Michael Lewis. He has spoken to audiences around the world about turning technologies into products and businesses, and he participates on a number of key standards groups including SMPTE, ATSC, IEEE, and SPIE. Bob Whitehall (Pixar Animation) Bob Whitehall began his career at Pixar Animation Studios in April 2004. Brought on as a Layout Artist on the Golden Globe® winning Cars, he continued in this role on Pixar's animated short film Lifted, and the Academy Award® winning feature WALL-E. Whitehill served as Stereoscopic Supervisor on the 3D production of Disney/Pixar's hit 2009 release UP. He is also the Stereographic Supervisor on the 3D conversion of the original TOY STORY and TOY STORY 2. Andrew Fear (Senior Product Manager, Consumer 3D Products - NVIDIA Corporation) Andrew Fear has more than 11 years of experience in the high-technology field with an emphasis on graphics processing units, 3D gaming, and the PC market. Mr. Fear began his career at 3dfx and was instrumental in leading the product management cycle for 3D graphics drivers. Mr. Fear currently is a senior product manager at NVIDIA Corporation and is responsible for NVIDIA’s consumer stereoscopic 3D products, including NVIDIA 3D Vision. Brian Zucker (Dell Technology Strategist and Blu-ray Board of Directors) Brian Zucker is a 20 year Dell veteran and currently a Technology Strategist in the Office of the CTO. Mr. Zucker is responsible for driving a deeper understanding of new consumer focused PC technologies while helping to define future product direction. Some of the projects he is involved with include 3D technology and its applications to personal computers, design concepts around living room PCs, and new methods for human interactions with computers. Mr. Zucker is also on the Board of Directors of the Blu-ray Disc Association. This organization is continuing the development of the high definition optical disc format to bring enhanced features to the home such as those related to 3D playback. Presentation: 3D Theory, a Primer and Demonstration Whether you are shooting with two cameras screwed to a 2X4 or are using an automated, self-adjusting motorized camera rig, the camera operator in both scenarios must understand the basic theory of 3D. This presentation will provide a crash-course on 3D theory, illustrate the differences between parallel and convergence systems, and explore the concept of how 3D is perceived with each. About the Presenter: 2008 EMMY award winning DP for Cinematography, Published Author and HD Instructor B. Sean Fairburn SOC served as Lead 3D rig tech and IO&C Puller for U23D. Sean specializes in HD, and is one of the most knowledgeable High Definition Cameramen in the country. Often working as Consultant, DP, Cam Op, or DIT on difficult or challenging projects that require a strong blend of disciplines both highly technical and artistic. Learning the Craft of 3D from esteemed 3DDP Peter Anderson ASC, Sean spent the past 8 years working with him in every aspect of 3D live action production. Presentation: Simple Tools, Impressive 3D Results A leader in 3D music video production, 3DStereolabs have developed their own live 3D preview system for stereoscopic shoots as well as cutting edge stereoscopic workflows in Final Cut Pro. The 3DStereolabs team (Michael Page, Keith Driver and Fernando Apodaca) demonstrate how to combine elbow grease and consumer grade tools to effectively create stereoscopic effects. About the Presenters: Fernando Apodaca (3DStereolabs) Fernando Apodaca’s innovative work as a film director, composer, and painter/sculptor has been exhibited and premiered internationally. Apodaca has directed music videos for Pearl Jam, Chris Cornell, Unwritten Law, Mburu, Slightly Stoopid, and Mad Juana. Fernando’s use of non-traditional and organic processes earned him a nomination for "Best Special Effects" at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards and "Best Music Video Director" at the San Diego Film Festival for the Pearl Jam music video. He is directing a 3-D music video for the legendary New York Dolls, and was recently asked to direct his first feature film utilizing 3-D film technology. Michael Page (3DStereolabs) Michael Page is an award winning digital 3D producer with extensive hands-on production experience both on and off the set. Having found a haven in the creative and expressive world of 3D and digital 3D production, Michael co-founded the Los Angeles based 3Dstereolab and is now serving as Executive Producer on several 3D music videos currently in production in Europe and the U.S. Keith Driver (3Dstereolab) Keith has over 5 years experience in steoerscopic shooting and editing. He has designed a Live 3D preview system for stereoscopic shoots and developed cutting edge stereoscopic workflows in Final Cut pro as well as 2D to 3D conversion techniques. Presentation:Troublemaker presents a 3D Filmmaking Primer An early adopter of digital 3D technology, Robert Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios have been working in digital 3D since 2002. Jabbar Raisani and members of the digital post-production team from Troublemaker will go through what data to capture on-set, how to acquire it, and how to utilize the data gathered in post-production to help you best understand how to properly finish your 3D feature. About the presenter: Visual Effects Supervisor, Jabbar Raisani currently works as a staff member at Troublemaker Studios in Austin, TX. He recently worked as the on-set VFX Sup on "Machete" and is in production on "Predators". Previously he worked in Los Angeles at Stan Winston Studio on such films as IRON MAN, INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, FANTASTIC FOUR, SUPERMAN RETURNS, and numerous award winning commercials. Following the presentation, attendees are invited to visit the 3D Lounge at the Highball (1142 South Lamar, in the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar shopping center) for further conversation and demonstrations.

Benjamin (Michael Angarano), home-schooled by his eccentric mother (Jennifer Coolidge), is a loveable loner whose passion for writing leads him on an offbeat and hilarious journey as his story first gets ripped off by the legendary fantasy novelist, Ronald Chevalier (Jemaine Clement) and then is adapted into a disastrous movie by the small town’s most prolific homespun filmmaker.

2008 Academy Award winner Yojiro Takita's (DEPARTURES) early skeleton in the closet, a pink film that combines French bedroom farce, slapstick humor and softcore sex.

In a near-future post-apocalyptic bombed-out shell of Japan, lawless gangs roam the outskirts of the city, raping and pillaging with impunity. Milly, left for dead by a particularly vicious gang, literally picks up the (her) pieces, bonds them with some truly inventive bio-weaponry and takes bloody revenge, one lowlife at a time.