Concrete Playground

Australians may not entirely embrace Halloween, but there’s no question that we dig the genre films served up alongside. And so it is that the Fantastic Planet Film Festival descends upon the Dendy Newtown, spreading some sci-fi and horror thrills for local audiences.

Boasting both world and Australian premieres, the festival will open with Nathan Christoffen’s Eraser Children. Despite screening an unfinished preview, Eraser Children took out the Best Australian Film at the recent Melbourne Underground Film Festival. It looks to be a dystopic trip into the future in the vein of Terry Gilliam’s Brazil and Fritz Lang’s infamous Metropolis.

Also premiering is the revisionist vampire flick (no Twihards here) Strigoi as well as a special Halloween screening of Woody Harrelson kicking carcass in the much anticipated Zombieland.

Rounding out the program are more grisly looking features, shorts, Q&A sessions and a closing night screening of super-hero love story Franklyn (starring Ryan Phillipe and Eva Green). Also on the cards are some extra curricular activities at Mu-Meson Archives, Metro Screen and Club 77: for further details, check out the program.