Cinema Scholars highlights some of our favorite films from Fantastic Fest 2025. The week-long film festival takes place annually at the flagship Alamo Drafthouse location in Austin, Texas.
CRAZY OLD LADY
Introduction
There’s been a recent spate of wickedly compelling elder horror. From last year’s demented The Rule of Jenny Pen with John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush to the creepily tragic Patricia Heaton starrer The Beldham, genre films focusing on our aging population are having a moment.
Enter Argentinian writer/director Martín Mauregui and his alarming take on dementia with Vieja Loca, aka Crazy Old Lady. The pitch black story provides an unflinching look at how past demons can come back to haunt us when we’re at our most vulnerable.
Synopsis
Laura is a single mom who also cares for her aging mother, Alicia. While away on a weekend road trip with her daughter, Laura becomes worried when incessant phone calls and repeated conversations with her mom raise major red flags.
Out of desperation, Laura recruits Pedro, a former flame familiar with Alicia and the situation, to check in on her mom while she is away. But what Pedro thinks will be a simple well check quickly spirals into a horrifying ordeal that no one could have predicted.
Discussion
The horror genre is known for providing a conduit for tackling heavy subject matter in an entertaining manner. But when the topic involves the challenges of aging, the terror takes on a new level of significance. While there’s the actual horror playing out, there’s the palpable dread of the inevitability of aging and death itself.
Mauregui doesn’t hold back in his depiction of a tortured soul finally unleashed by deteriorating mental capacity. While it’s not uncommon for those affected by dementia to mistake a person for someone from their youth, in this case, Alicia’s confusion has incredibly dire consequences for Pedro.
While he comes to grips with his sudden predicament, sordid details of Alicia’s past gradually come to light through her delirious fit. As terrible details of Alicia’s secret backstory unfold in harried bits and pieces, Pedro’s current peril only accelerates all the more.
Performances
As Pedro, Daniel Hendler goes from gently compassionate to rightfully aghast in no time. He exudes anguish, both mentally and physically, creating a relatable character as the story builds. While he mostly holds it together, Hendler’s tortured performance (literally and figuratively) aptly signals the futility of the situation.
As Alicia, Argentinian star Carmen Maura perfectly encapsulates her character’s deadly disorientation. While her condition might make her somewhat sympathetic at times, Maura’s menacing performance quickly quells any cheering for the crazy old lady.
Conclusion
Crazy Old Lady is a double-tap of dread. First, there’s the whole terrifying concept of losing your marbles. Then there is the real onscreen horror once the marbles have officially hit the floor. With unsettling nuance and a small dose of effective gore, Mauregui has crafted a captivating movie that horrifies on more than one level.
BAD HAIRCUT
Introduction
Nearly everyone can sympathize with a good old-fashioned awkward phase. Figuring out your hair, skin, style, and dating life during adolescence is a unique rite of passage. In Kyle Misak’s quirky comedy-thriller Bad Haircut, an unwitting ugly duckling seeking a makeover gets much more than just a glow-up.
Synopsis
Billy is struggling socially and romantically. Though his buddies see his potential, Billy’s unpolished look leaves much to be desired. When they suggest he visit their favorite stylist, Mick, to transform him from mop-top to macho, Billy discovers that his new barber has a sinister secret. What begins as an innocent trim soon spirals into an outrageously dreadful journey.
Discussion
Misak, who also wrote the screenplay, crafts a simple but effective creep story. Though he peppers the film with silliness and a few epic needle drops (Falco’s Amadeus, anyone?), the overall vibe remains deeply unsettling. The cinematography matches the tone with deep, rich coloring and pops of neon that offset the darkness. The result is an unnerving juxtaposition of happy and sad, funny and scary, silly and serious, sane and insane.
While the pacing lags in a few scenes, a knockout score by Geoff Zanelli helps maintain the diabolical tempo. Where some bits in the film feel overplayed, other scenes—like a terrifying haircut dance sequence—save the film from being too dark without feeling overly campy.
Performances
Spencer Harrison Levin perfects Billy’s wide-eyed terror. As he falls deeper into Mick’s twisted web, Levin continues to exude utter shock. Just when it seems that might be the only note he gets to play, a third-act shift finds Levin harnessing true leading-man energy—delivering the transformation Billy was searching for all along.
And then there’s Frankie Ray as the disturbing stylist, Mick. Disarmingly strange, Ray commands every scene with the charisma of a train wreck. There’s something sinister about him, yet you can’t look away. Ray skillfully handles the absurdity of his character while maintaining a sense of menace at every weird turn. It’s a joy to watch a performer really go for it, and Frankie Ray’s masterstroke as Mick already feels like a genre legend in the making.
Conclusion
Bad Haircut is a great little indie comedy-thriller with horror tendencies. Wacky moments combined with a slow simmer of genuine terror keep the story moving. And riveting performances—especially from its lead creep—make the film a must-see for fans of bizarre cinema. Bad Haircut is an oddball delight.
SIRÂT
Introduction
Most of the time, going into a movie, you think you know how the story might go. You get a sense for the general plot and vibe with few surprises along the way. And other times, the narrative does a wonderful bait and switch, turning a seemingly familiar theme into something much more meaningful.
In the new drama Sirât, co-writer/director Óliver Laxe uses rave subculture as the backdrop to a surprisingly poignant journey about loss, chosen family, and community.
Synopsis
A tower of stacked speakers. Winding networks of cables. People gathering. The never-ending undulating beat. These are the sounds and images of a remote rave in the Mauritanian desert that first captivates in Sirât. Among the dusty, dancing bodies, Luis, a fish out of water, searches for his daughter, who has been missing for too long. As nighttime slowly segues to dawn, the hopeful father returns to his van to care for his young son in tow.
Soon, however, armed soldiers arrive to break up the party amid the buzz of an impending world war. Undeterred, Luis breaks from the forced evacuation by following a group of all-terrain vehicles making a hasty escape across the desolate and unforgiving landscape. With his son and their dog, the unlikely fugitives continue their dangerous search for their loved one and learn about their own humanity along the way.
Discussion
At first glance, Sirât is a fascinating look at the often misunderstood rave subculture. Getting a glimpse of the nomadic hand-to-mouth lifestyle in a parade of souped-up vans, buses, and all-terrain vehicles is entirely captivating from the gritty get-go. A never-ending burning man, but in the isolation of Northern Africa.
As the group navigates the rough terrain of their unplanned detour, a powerful story of commonality emerges. Through his desperate search for his daughter, Luis collects a ragtag team of unexpected allies that is lovely to behold. And when ultimate tragedy strikes, he can lean on his newfound community.
Performances
Laxe has gathered an unorthodox cast seemingly plucked straight from the rave scene in which the film takes place. Nomads like Jade (Jade Oukid), Stef (Stefania Gadda), Tonin (Tonin Janvier), and Josh (Joshua Liam Henderson) lend the film a sense of authenticity while also turning in convincing, emotionally charged portrayals of versions of themselves.
As Luis, Sergi López provides the outsider-looking-in perspective with painful realism. López’ imbues Luis with a naïveté that makes his character sympathetic while also packing the most heartbreaking emotional punch.
Conclusion
By no means a feel-good movie, Sirât is peppered with several bright spots amid the general despair. Spending time with a group of outsiders and diving into their unconventional lifestyle is completely engrossing. But it’s the surprising camaraderie between Luis and the gang of misfits that ends up entrancing even more.
Though the story lacks any true resolution, it’s the challenges getting there that offer the satisfaction rather than the endgame. Ultimately, Sirât teaches us that when life gets unbearable, you’ve got to just keep dancing.
FORBIDDEN CITY
Introduction
By now, movie audiences are well accustomed to the “one man army” genre. Think John Wick, The Raid, or Nobody.
These types of films deliver on the non-stop action viewers have come to expect. Yet few actually have the storyline worthy of all the mayhem. While these high-octane movies scratch a specific cinematic itch, many times they leave viewers wanting more in the narrative department. While it can be argued that people don’t see action movies for the story, it is certainly a stroke of genius when a filmmaker masters both narrative and fight.
In Gabriele Mainetti’s Forbidden City, the director strikes a superb balance between incredible action, a web of intrigue, and a moral compass that continuously guides the intricate storytelling.
Synopsis
Mei’s story begins as a child in 1990s China, where her very existence remains a secret under the one-child law. While her beloved older sister enjoys a normal life, going to school and making friends, Mei’s cloistered existence extends little beyond home and martial arts training by her father. Flash forward to modern-day Rome, where Mei’s days of hiding have come to an explosive end.
The secret sister has come to Italy to find her beloved sibling, who has been MIA for too long. As Mei searches for her sister, she unwittingly sets off a chain of events that entangle her with a struggling restaurateur as well as a notorious crime syndicate. The result is an electrifying and emotional journey for all involved.
Discussion
From the get-go, Mainetti sets the overall tone of the film with a juxtaposition of Mei’s relatively serene childhood and the sudden flash forward to an ass-kicking sister. This ebb and flow between action and emotion carries on throughout the film as Mei continues her relentless quest for answers.
And boy, do those action scenes thrill! Innovative fight scenes in new and exciting locations provide fresh vehicles for Mei’s path of destruction. All the great choreography in the world doesn’t matter if the camera doesn’t frame it clearly. Thankfully, expert cinematography from Paolo Carnera succinctly documents every kick and punch with amazing clarity.
On the emotional side of things, Mainetti takes time weaving an intricate story of converging family dynamics. When Mei becomes unexpectedly tied to the purveyors of a classic local Italian restaurant, she learns that she’s not the only one with familial strife. As the story unfolds, every single well-rounded character experiences their own emotional reckoning.
Conclusion
Forbidden City has it all. Incredible fight scenes, a tangled web of intrigue, and even a little unexpected romance. Come for the badass action, but stay for the beautifully tragic story of loss and loyalty.
SILVER SCREAMERS
Introduction
The 2009 documentary Zombie Girl: The Movie follows 12-year-old director Emily Hagins and her cast and crew of fellow tweens as they spend their summer making the horror cult classic Pathogen. Like any good doc, the film chronicles the ups and downs of making a film. Plus, the challenges when most of your talent and crew aren’t even teenagers yet.
Playing on a similar yet opposite theme, the new feature documentary Silver Screamers brings us the story of a group of senior citizens who volunteer to be crew members for a horror comedy short film. As each team member brings their own unique skills and perspective to the set, they also learn about the teamwork it takes to make a film live and breathe.
Synopsis
Sean Cisterna is a Canadian filmmaker struggling to secure funding for his next horror short film project. Thinking outside the box, Cisterna decides to recruit local senior citizens interested in volunteering to work on his production. After presenting his offer at senior centers, retirement communities, and even the local Order of Oddfellows, Cisterna found a group of excited participants.
With his new crew assembled, the director begins production on the short film, The Rug. Simultaneously, Cistena is also documenting his experience working with his elderly team. The resulting doc, Silver Screamers, is an endearing and light-hearted look at the nuts and bolts of genre filmmaking while proving that you can teach old dogs new tricks.
Analysis
From the onset of pre-production, the enthusiasm of the freshly minted crew members is delightful. From the Assistant Director devising the shooting schedule to the Visual Effects supervisor testing practical rigs, there is no doubt about the team’s dedication to craft.
In addition to the production behind the scenes, Cisterna takes time to feature each of his elderly team members. Some have actual filming experience they want to use again. Some are creatives who have always been interested in filmmaking. Some just want to try something new and challenging. And then there are the players who simply need a diversion from all the trials of aging. The result is a fascinating and profound look at life and staying vital.
Conclusion
Silver Screamers is an endearing fish-out-of-water look at filmmaking. From the early recruitment to the actual production, the doc tells a lovely story about living life to the fullest. While the elders in the crew definitely learn a lot, their younger mentor/counterparts end up gleaning way more from their old charges than expected.
