Aliens.  Things that go bump in the night.  Kung-Fu.  Creatures and characters of your nightmares.  Those things that are so bad you can’t help but laugh.  All of these and more are ingredients of the movie genre Fantastic Films, where science fiction, horror, thriller, dark comedy, parody, and the absurd meet and meld.  The Finger Lakes Region is happy to celebrate this popular form of entertainment during the annual Ithaca International Fantastic Film Festival, being held this year on November 13-17, 2013!

The IIFFF was brought to Ithaca because of the town’s support of art and new ideas.  While the event is new, it is quickly becoming a major area draw; now in its second year, the IIFFF has already grown from three to five days!  Two Ithaca theatres (Cinemapolis and Cornell Cinema) will present a total of a dozen different full-length feature choices: six favorites from the US and abroad, and a six-film retrospective of screenwriter/director Dan O’Bannon’s work.  Meanwhile, a film competition, concerts, and parties will also be offered.

• Cheap Thrills (USA – 2013), directed by E.L. Katz – a dark comedy about how far a man will go for money.
• LFO: The Movie (Sweden/Denmark – 2013), directed by Antonio Tublen – This film explores the pull of power when a man discovers that he can hypnotize people using sound.
• Confession of Murder (South Korea – 2012), directed by Byeong-gil Jeong – What happens when a convicted murderer tells all after his statute of limitations expires?
• Demon’s Rook (USA – 2013), Directed by James Sizemore – A boy is raised in magic by a demon… and his wrath is unleashed when he learns a long-kept secret?
• Bushido Man (Japan – 2013), directed by Takanori Tsujimoto – One man takes on a martial arts mission to earn knowledge of martial secrets.
• I am Divine (USA – 2013), directed by Jeffrey Schwarz – Discover how Harris Glenn Milstead’s alter ego, Divine, became the drag icon and muse of Actor/Writer/Director John Waters.

• Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott – A US space team unwittingly brings back dangerous alien life after responding to an alien distress call.
• Dead and Buried (1981), directed by Gary Sherman – A small town in Rhode Island is plagued by a killing spree by the locals… but the dead won’t stay dead!
• Invaders from Mars (1986), directed by Tobe Hooper – One boy tries to stop aliens who are taking over the minds of those close to him.
• Heavy Metal (1981), directed by Gerald Potterton – A series of animated shorts based on the science-fiction and fantasy stories in ‘Heavy Metal’ magazine.
• Lifeforce (1985), directed by Tobe Hooper – Vampires arrive from outer space to take over the world… starting with London!
• The Return of the Living Dead (1985), directed by Dan O’Bannon himself – Two bumbling warehouse workers release a gas into the air which reanimates the dead in Louisville, KY.

A single-show ticket runs $8 ($7 for students), with a 6-show pass at $30.  Want to enjoy 3 entire days of fun?  You can have that for just $45.

Just 15 minutes from the Inn at Gothic Eves here in Upstate New York, you can take in some quirky movie fun during your bed and breakfast getaway during the Ithaca International Fantastic Film Festival!

Plan your visit: Explore our guide to the best things to do in the Finger Lakes, then make yourself at home in the luxury suites at our Finger Lakes boutique hotel.