WHERE GENRE COMES ALIVE

Somewhere between the bayous and the neon, Phantom Fest was born. We’re Houston’s genre film and performance festival, a gathering for anyone who has ever stayed up too late with a monster movie, longed to connect to other lovers of fascinating stories, or walked out of a theater thinking what did I just see? Houston is America’s fourth-largest city and one of its most international, and Phantom Fest reflects that. We're a festival as varied, unpredictable, and hungry for the new as the city that hosts it.

FIRST LOOKS

Phantom Fest audiences see it here first. Our lineup features regional premieres alongside restorations, rarities, and cult favorites ready for a second life. Some films will scare you, some will baffle you, and a few will become the movies you can’t stop talking about for years. We program for the curious and the brave, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
 

ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES, SIDE BY SIDE

Genre has always belonged to its fans, and at Phantom Fest the line between the screen and the seats disappears. Directors, actors, writers, and other artists join the crowd for screenings, conversations, and celebrations that honor both the people who make these films and stories and the people who keep them alive. It’s a festival where a first-time filmmaker and a lifelong collector might end up debating the same ending over drinks long after the screening is over.
 

BEYOND THE SCREEN

The movies, shows, and performances are only half the story. Phantom Fest fills its days and nights with special events you won’t find anywhere else: costume nights, live scores, provocative performances, and surprises we’re not ready to reveal yet. Come for the art, stay for everything else, and leave with unforgettable stories and connections.