Beyond Fest
Los Angeles, CA / Fall 2019 / beyondfest.com
Boasting that it’s “the highest-attended genre film festival in the U.S.,” Beyond Fest draws crowds for a good cause: Its proceeds go to the nonprofit American Cinematheque. Not everything costs, however: Co-presenting sponsor Shudder hosted a free screening of a new fright feature each night this year. The globe-spanning lineup runs the full spectrum from major, much-anticipated titles to independent discoveries to classics, with numerous moviemakers and actors on hand. (The biggest news this year: the 13-film retrospective “Cronenberg With Cronenberg,” attended by the legendary director.) Says a panelist, “Curators Christian Parkes and Grant Moninger select an impressive, eclectic lineup with great premieres, and they take pride in collaborating with the biggest names in film. Plus, they screen their movies at The Egyptian Theatre, an iconic L.A. landmark.”