Fantastic Fest 2009

This year Fantastic Fest welcomes hugely prolific auteur Jess Franco, a man who has carved out a special place in film history with his wholly unique oeuvre of sex films. We will show a selection of Mr. Franco's films during Fantastic Fest and present him with our first Lifetime Achievement Award.

This special pre-Fantastic Fest Weird Wednesday presentation was made possible by the generous cooperation of Blue Underground.

The works of the Marquis De Sade have provided the spark of inspiration for some of Jess Franco's most memorable works. This film, made during his fruitful association with English producer Harry Alan Towers, is among Franco's best, and one of his own favorites. It's the story of a teenage girl, played by the lovely Marie Liljedahl, who enters the cruel and corrupting orbit of her father's mistress and her slightly insane half-brother when she visits their secluded island retreat for a weekend. The adventurously shot film, full of lugubrious set pieces is a joy to behold. The gorgeous psychedelic dream world Franco creates makes the viewer feel the blood-racing excitement of sexual abandon, an uncommon achievement in sex films, as anyone who has laughed and yawned through a number of them will assent. Featuring Franco regulars Maria Rohm, Paul Muller, Jack Taylor and Christopher Lee, who later claimed he didn't know it was an adult film. (Lars)

Please note: Mr. Franco will not attend this special pre-Fantastic Fest screening.