We know we’ve referred to What The Fest!? as a “film festival” before, but there is a lot more than that…

There will be live jazz band at an opening night World Premiere! There will be a doomsday preparedness talk! There will be a talk with zombie auteurs Scooter McCrae (SHATTER DEAD), Glen Baisley (FAIRVIEW FALLS), FX artist Brian Spears (I SELL THE DEAD)!

You’ll also get some inside dirt on being a stunt person from the legendary Kimmy Suzuki! And an ice cream social! And a lesson on ‘Why Don’t You Just Die!’ with comic Harrison Greenbaum (“Last Comic Standing”).

Additionally you can enjoy some face time with our in-person special guests Larry Fessenden (World Premiere: DEPRAVED), Pollyanna McIntosh (East Coast Premiere: DARLIN’), Emma Tammi (East Coast Premiere: THE WIND), Billy Senese (NY Premiere: THE DEAD CENTER), Roxanne Benjamin (NY Premiere: BODY AT BRIGHTON ROCK), Grady Hendrix (We Sold Our Souls), Adam B. Stein (NY Premiere: FREAKS), Lucien Greaves (subject, HAIL SATAN?), and Kirill Sokolov (WHY DON’T YOU JUST DIE!).

Opening night screening of DEPRAVED – Film and Opening Night Party: $25 ($20 IFC Center members), Film only: $20 ($15 IFC Center members)

Tickets for film screenings are $17 adults, $12 IFC Center members

Tickets for talks and panels are $12 adults, $8 IFC Center members.

Tickets for all screenings are available online at WhatTheFestNYC.com, or in-person at the IFC Center box office, 323 Sixth Avenue (at West 3rd Street), open daily 10:30AM-10:00PM.

SPECIAL EVENTS AT SCREENINGS INCLUDE…

Opening Night: DEPRAVED (World Premiere)
Wednesday, March 20th, 7:00PM

Before the Film: When we celebrate at What The Fest!?, we go all in. Live music (Brooklyn’s own New Orleans-style funk/jazz Hot Hand Band!) gets the party started out on the sidewalk, and you can join in the procession of filmmakers as they head inside. We’ll pay tribute to the legacy of Mary Shelley’s immortal creation with a look back at the ways her story has been brought to the screen in a special Frankenstein Origins video, putting our opening night film into majestic context, then meet the filmmakers after the screening.

After the Film: Filmmaker Larry Fessenden and cast will appear in-person for a Q&A. And to cap off the night,  head over to New York’s very own bar for eccentric explorers and mad scientists – the West Village’s Jekyll and Hyde Club!

THE UNTHINKABLE (NY Premiere)
Wednesday, March 20th, 9:45PM

Before the Film: Join us to hear what Doomsday in New York would mean! Anna Maria Bounds, a professor and urban sociologist at Queens College of the City University of New York and author of the upcoming Bugging Out or Hunkering Down?: Prepping for New York’s Apocalypse (coming later this year from Routledge) is an expert on doomsday preparedness. Can the events seen in THE UNTHINKABLE actually occur in NYC? What would that even look like here? Find out, if you dare!

DARLIN’ (East Coast Premiere)
Thursday, March 21st, 7:00PM

Before the Film: Jack Ketchum tribute by Douglas Winter in collaboration with the world’s longest-running educational organization devoted to the study of horror history – The Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies.

After the Film: Writer/Director/Star Pollyanna McIntosh will appear in-person for a Q&A.

ONE CUT OF THE DEAD
Thursday, March 21st, 9:45PM

After the Film: Over the years, it seems like everyone and their brother has made a low-budget zombie movie like the one in ONE CUT OF THE DEAD, and in New York that’s especially true. We’ll be joined by Scooter McCrae (SHATTER DEAD), Glen Baisley (FAIRVIEW FALLS), FX artist Brian Spears (I SELL THE DEAD) and others to hear about the horrors of battling deadlines and money troubles to put their zombie visions on screen.

THE WIND (NY Premiere)
Friday, March 22nd, 7:00PM

Before the Film: Music wafting through the building warns to you beware of what may come! Watch out for a sermonizing preacher and his demented assistant, who might just try to save your very soul in the ticket line if you’re not careful. Hold fast to what they offer you as you may need it for the long journey ahead of you on the vast plains. And keep your eyes on the stage before the film starts as something sinister might take over the cinema!

After the Film: Filmmaker Emma Tammi will appear in-person for a Q&A, then join us for a party from 8:00 – 11:00 at Vol de Nuit. Bring your ticket for free drinks! Co-presented by IFC Midnight.

GREENER GRASS (East Coast Premiere)
Friday, March 22nd, 9:30PM

Before the Film: Join us for a party from 8:00 – 11:00 at Vol de Nuit. Bring your ticket for free drinks! Co-presented by IFC Midnight. Expect pastels, braces and babies (trust us)!

THE DEAD CENTER (NY Premiere)
Saturday, March 23rd, 2:30PM

Before the Film: Pathology has more in common with detective work than you might think, relying on  observation and small details to uncover huge amounts of information. But how do you fine tune those skills when it comes to a dead body? And what are the similarities between the living and dead? Brian. D Robinson is more than just another specialist, he’s truly passionate about a  field most of us know very little about–maybe due to the fact that there’s only a handful of pathologists in the US. You have a rare chance to meet one in real life and you are in for a treat – and he’s promised he won’t show pictures.

After the Film: Filmmaker Billy Senese will appear in-person for a Q&A.

BODY AT BRIGHTON ROCK (NY Premiere)
Saturday, March 23rd, 7:00PM

After the Film: WTF!? Q and A’s are a beast of their own. Last year we had a blast with THE ENDLESS and getting to know how it was made. This year you are in for another treat after watching BODY AT BRIGHTON ROCK: not only will you get to see unseen footage of the film specially prepared just for this screening, there’s also an ‘Eat-A-Bear’ raffle that might make you jump for joy — or maybe puke your guts out. Filmmaker Roxanne Benjamin will appear in-person for a Q&A,  then join us for a party from 9:00 – 11:00 at Vol de Nuit. Bring your ticket for free drinks! Co-presented by Shudder.

SHADOW (NY Premiere)
Saturday, March 23rd, 9:30PM

Before the Film: SHADOW features some incredible action and stunt work, and we’ve asked NYC-based stuntwoman Kimmy Suzuki for insight into the planning and preparation of the  kinds of stunt sequences and sword fights that make SHADOW so memorable!

SATANIS: THE DEVIL’S MASS (Restoration World Premiere)
Sunday, March 24th, 12:00PM

Before the Film: Take a quick look at the wild ways the Church of Satan has been portrayed in the media!

We Sold Our Souls – Live Talk and Book Signing
Sunday, March 24th, 2:00PM

After the Talk: Book signing with author Grady Hendrix; copies of We Sold Our Souls will be available for sale on-site.

FREAKS (U.S. Premiere)
Sunday, March 24th, 3:30PM

Before the Film: Join us for an ice cream social!

After the Film: Filmmaker Adam B. Stein will appear in-person for a Q&A.

HAIL SATAN? (NY Premiere)
Sunday, March 24th, 6:15PM

After the Film: Pay a tithe to Satan before film subject and The Satanic Temple spokesperson Lucien Greaves appears in-person for a Q&A, then join us for a Happy Hour from 8:00pm – 9:00pm at Vol de Nuit. Bring your ticket for free drinks! Co-presented by Magnolia Pictures.

WHY DON’T YOU JUST DIE! (North American Premiere)
Sunday, March 24th, 8:45PM

Before the Film: Stand-up comedy! Because who could have more fun with the idea of “why don’t you just die” than comedian Harrison Greenbaum (“Last Comic Standing”).

After the Film: Filmmaker Kirill Sokolov will appear in-person for a Q&A.