Panic Fest 2026: Final Wave Announced, Incl. a Maori Gothic Revenge Horror And a Survival Horror Starring Randy Couture

Rounding out the final wave is the gothic horror film, Mārama, friendship is put to the test when a series of bad guys come around in Find Your Friends, a competition goes awry on a mysterious island in The Pitchfork Retreat, Randy Couture starring survival horror film, Pitfall, and a twisty thrill ride that is Hellcat. 

Panic Fest 2026 Announces Final Wave of Programming

14th film festival includes 50+ features and 100+ shorts

 

The final horrors awaken at PANIC FEST, with its additions rounding out nearly 150 feature, long form, and short film programming over the festival. 

 

Kicking off the opening night with Spider One’s latest Big Baby, a movie that finds the prolific filmmaker taking a massive leap forward in scale, followed by the 15th anniversary of Adam Wingard’s You’re Next on 35mm with co-star AJ Bowen.

 

NEON presents closing night with two highly anticipated films, Damien McCarthy’s Hokum and Adrian Chiarella’s Leviticus.

 

“This year is absolutely unreal with films and filmmakers bursting the seams of the lineup with possibly the best fest to date. If there were ever a year to start attending Panic Fest, it’s this year.” Said Adam Roberts, Co-Founder and Festival Director.

 

Rounding out the final wave is the gothic horror film, Mārama, friendship is put to the test when a series of bad guys come around in Find Your Friends, a competition goes awry on a mysterious island in The Pitchfork Retreat, Randy Couture starring survival horror film, Pitfall and a twisty thrill ride that is Hellcat. 

 

Finally, the horror-centric gameshow, Better Luck Than Chuck, hosts a live event and episode screening that will be one for the books. 

 

The 14th annual Panic Fest returns to Kansas City with over 140+ features and short films playing at the festival. Panic Fest will once again be a hybrid festival, allowing genre fans to enjoy programming in-person and keep the party going online at home with our virtual programming. 

 

Panic Fest co-founder Tim KC Canton says, "Horror has always reflected the world back at us. Sometimes uglier, sometimes stranger, and always beautifully unhinged. We continue to embrace that chaos with our 2026 slate of films. We’re proud to give a stage to filmmakers that shock, provoke, terrify, and occasionally make you laugh at the darkness by bringing the most fearless voices in the genre to Kansas City.”

 

This year's headliners include Neon’s terrifyingly haunted film from Damian McCarthy, Hokum, Focus Features’ shocking and hilarious film from Curry Barker, Obsession, Lionsgate’s action extravaganza, The Furious, Spider One’s Big Baby, and Danielle Harris and Scout Taylor-Compton’s Last Chance Motel.

 

“Every year an inadvertent theme seems to emerge in the films we select, but this year has the widest variety of subjects, presentations, and genres that we’ve ever shown. We have traditional horror offerings next to some of the weirdest, funniest, goriest films we’ve ever had to offer.” said Adam Roberts, Co-Founder and Festival Director.

 

Additional highlights for this year's programming include world premieres for The Voices of Our Mother, Don’t Sleep Alone, Demonetize, and Ivan. 

 

Returning for their highly anticipated annual Mystery Movie are filmmakers Joe Lynch & Rebecca Howard, who bring another deep cut mystery film to the festival. This year will also feature a special live recording of their podcast, A Couple of Old Fashioneds.

 

Festival attendees enjoying a weekend packed with horror and sci-fi goodness can also sneak away from the action into Rewind Video and Dive Bar. This blast of nostalgia is ripped straight from your parents’ basement in the ’90s! It features a full-service bar, board games, retro gaming systems, a neon-infused atmosphere and shelves of VHS tapes. All podcasts, meet-and-greet events, and after-parties will be held in this unique bar located in the basement of the theater. Come party like it’s 1999!

 

Can’t make it to the fest in person but still want to hang out at the VHS store? Join our virtual attendees on Gather, our 16-bit isometric festival experience. Design your avatar and hop into our virtual theater to network, discuss the films you have seen, or play some board games. 

 

Our podcast lineup includes A Couple of Old Fashioneds and Nightmare Junkhead.

 

Panic Fest 2025 includes:

 

50+ Feature Films

100+ Short Films

Live Podcast Recordings

Rewind VHS Bar and Dive

Special Events / After Parties 

 

In-Person: April 9 - April 15th 2026

Virtual Fest: April 9 - 19th 2026

Get Your Tickets Here: https://panicfilmfest.com/tickets  

 

FEATURE FILM PROGRAMMING

 

Assets and Liabilities

D: Zach Weintraub

Zach is a suburban father haunted by the impending arrival of middle age as he juggles the demands of work, family, and the sale of an investment property. When his wife and daughter go away for a short trip, he seizes the opportunity to live out a day as his younger, less responsible self. A spontaneous encounter with a fellow skater feels like a victory until an unsettling connection between the two emerges. The result is a forcible confrontation with his own bourgeois standing that shatters the illusion of Zach’s carefree day and sends it spiraling into dark territory.

 

Babybacks

D: Geno Marx

On the run from ruthless cartel hitmen, two young lovers from Mexico seek refuge with a welcoming older couple in rural America — but their saviors soon reveal themselves as predators forcing the young woman into a brutal fight for survival.

 

The Barn Part III

D: Justin M. Seaman

Years after the events of 'The Barn Part II', the group is still left in fear that the evil three might come back to finish the harvest once and for all.

 

Big Baby

D: Spider One

Successful horror screenwriter Adam struggles for inspiration until a terrifying nightmare about a masked killer sparks an idea for his new script. As he delves deeper into the story, the line between reality and fiction begins to blur.

 

Break a Leg

D: Kaitlyn Boyé

When two rival actors find themselves trapped in a theatre after their director fails to show up for their audition, egos, desperation, and sense of time quickly unravel, spiraling into delusion, violence, and theatrical absurdity. Blurring the line between performance and reality, Break A Leg is a self aware arthouse horror comedy that explores ambition, identity, and the artist’s burden within the entertainment industry.

 

Buffet Infinity

D: Simon Glassman

In a series of cheap, locally produced television commercials, a story unfolds that begins as a simple business rivalry between small business owners and the looming threat of Buffet Infinity. As Buffet Infinity endlessly expands and grows, swallowing everything in its path, a sinister conspiracy unfolds at the margins, and unfathomable powers begin to worm their way into the vulnerable community of Westridge County, Alberta.

 

The Burning of Broken Beak

D: Christian Carroll

After the murder of her uncle, activist Māori photographer Emma returns from NYC to New Zealand to claim her inheritance. Once home she begins to have visions of a mythical monster called Broken Beak and as more family members die, Emma feels compelled to right an ancestral wrong.

 

Camp

D: Avalon Fast

A story of impossible redemption, modern witchcraft, and duels that repeat themselves like cursed cycles.

 

Cat Cam

D: Sara Werner

When two cat owners decide to put up pet cameras in their new home while they’re away on a trip, they soon make a terrifying discovery as to why their cat has been acting so strange.

 

Creature of the Pines

D: Chris Ruppert, Tyler Transue

A documentary investigation into the disappearances at Pine Hollow reveals a presence lurking deep within the New Jersey Pine Barrens.

 

Cruel Hands

D: Al Kalyk

A psychological social thriller about a mother and her young son escape from an abusive husband to an isolated farmhouse, only to find themselves trapped between him and a raging bushfire that surrounds them.

 

Dead Bloom

D: Domonic Paris, Damien Paris

Dead Bloom unfolds as a socially charged horror story about the lingering effects of environmental contamination and corporate denial. Set across generations, the film follows a family living on land poisoned by a buried chemical compound. As the contamination seeps into soil, fruit, and bloodline, the story evolves into a chilling allegory about capitalism, exploitation, and survival. It shines a disturbing, yet relevant light on corporate malfeasance and environmental injustice turning them into modern folklore.

 

Dead Media

D: Joseph Scrimshaw

A troubled young woman wants to relax by streaming an old horror movie. Her lonely Gen X uncle demands they watch it on DVD. But the disc is haunted, plunging them into a movie night that won’t die.

 

Debone

D: Lee Daehan

After killing his abusive father to protect his mother, Gyutark serves his youth in prison. Released into a hostile world where he and his ailing mother face persecution from villagers, Gyutark flees to find work at a distant warehouse. When his mother collapses and needs expensive surgery, his meager wages aren't enough. Desperate to save the only person who ever loved him, he crosses into the criminal underworld...

 

Demonetize

D: Alexander Watson

Out-of-work television ghost hunters discover the key to getting their jobs back - and proving ghosts are real - is by working with the last group of people anyone would expect: Social Media Stars.

 

Don’t Sleep Alone

D: Talo Silveyra

After her father’s suicide, Sami begins to suffer from sleep paralysis, unleashing a terrifying presence and a secret buried inside her home.

 

Find Your Friends

D. Izabel Pakzad

Amber and friends visit Joshua Tree for a fun getaway but face hostility from locals. As the tension escalates, they uncover Amber's past trauma, igniting their rebellion against toxic masculinity, turning their trip into one of revenge.

 

FlyTrapper

D: Drew Britton

Crystal’s life of extremely aggressive rap music, jet-skiing, and nefarious activities is upended by a visit from her estranged best friend, Melonie. With a motive in hand, Melonie begins digging into the past, what led to their falling out, and the connection it might share with the present. As the situation becomes increasingly unstable, she can’t help but stay as the two rekindle their friendship.

 

Frankie Maniac Woman

D: Pierre Tsigaridis

After years of wanting to look like those who grace the covers of magazines, Frances Ramirez ends up making headlines in a different way. She is soon to be known as the Maniac Woman.

 

Free Buffet

D: Zoe Berriatúa 

Xian and Ikki are an Asian couple with an all-you-can-eat buffet threatened by bankruptcy. Their problems seem to be solved by an improvised plan:killing all their enemies. But...what if they themselves are their own enemies?

 

Frogman Returns

D: Anthony Cousins

There’s unfinished business in Loveland. Dallas, Amy and Frogman are back to settle the score.

 

The Furious

D: Kenji Tanigaki

When his daughter Rainy is abducted, humble tradesman Wang Wei is thrust into a deadly underworld of corruption and violence. His only ally is Navin, a relentless journalist haunted by his own past. Together, they fight their way through an international criminal network in a desperate bid to save Rainy and uncover the truth.

 

Goody Goody

D: Raymond Creamer

A home birth turns terribly wrong when complications arise during a raging blizzard.

 

Grind

D: Brea Grant, Ed Dougherty, Chelsea Stardust

A workplace horror anthology in four parts

 

Hellcat

D: Brock Bodell

A woman wakes in the back of a moving camper trailer with a badly infected wound. A voice from the truck towing it tells her they must reach a doctor within the hour or she'll suffer a horrific fate.

 

Hokum

D: Damian McCarthy

A horror writer visits an Irish inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, unaware that the property is said to be haunted by a witch

 

Ivan

D: Damien Fannon

Abigail is thrilled when her estranged father reappears, gifting her a cutting-edge AI device named Ivan. However, she soon discovers his sinister plan to use Ivan to control her and her mother, leading to devastating consequences.

 

Jump Scare

D: Donnie Hobbie

The female metal band ‘JUMP SCARE’ retreated to a remote cabin to write their next album only to be terrorized by the family of cannibals next door.

 

LandLord

D: Remington Smith

When a black bounty hunter moves into a rundown apartment complex, she finds herself forced to protect an orphaned boy from the white vampire landlord.

 

Last Chance Motel

D: Danielle Harris, Scout Taylor-Compton

A newlywed couple whose dream wedding spirals into a bloody nightmare when they discover that their secluded venue, a desolate motel deep in the Nevada desert, is run by a relentless bloodthirsty family with dark secrets.

 

Lesions

D: Codey S Wilson

In the wake of a devastating diagnosis, a fractured couple’s retreat into isolation spirals into a night of violence, transformation, and a love that refuses to die.

 

Leviticus

D: Adrian Chiarella

Two teens try to escape from a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most.

 

Lily’s Ritual

D: Manu Herrera

Four friends travel to an isolated house deep in the forest to perform a witchcraft initiation ritual and complete the circle of the four elements.But what begins as a white witchcraft ritual in harmony with nature soon turns into a diabolical nightmare.

 

Loner

D: Charlie Robb, Douglas Tawn

Aspiring vlogger, Angus Mattock, ventures to a remote wilderness retreat to create nature and survival videos. His idyllic getaway descends into a nightmarish fight for his life as he is held captive by a mysterious, natural force.

 

Mārama

D: Taratoa Stappard

A Maori Gothic Revenge Horror set in Victorian England, 1859.

 

Narcisa’s Will

D: Clarissa Appelt, Daniel Dias

Haunted by the memories of her recently deceased mother, the once known Brazilian star Narcisa, Ana wants to sell her childhood home and split the money with her younger brother, Diego. But when her mother’s ghost starts giving signs of her presence in the dressing room, it becomes clear that Narcisa’s will is still stronger than her own, even after death.

 

Obsession

D: Curry Barker

After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

 

Parasomnia

D: James Ross II

After her friend vanishes, Riley must confront the demon from her night terrors that may have crossed into reality, while facing her own tragic past.

 

The Pitchfork Retreat

D. Gregory Van Voorhis, Nicole Van Voorhis

Matt, Mandy and Nikolai journey to a secluded island for a life-changing competition at a high-stakes horror retreat. But, the prize comes with a price as they realize there is nowhere to hide when the darkness from within comes to light.

 

Pitfall

D: James Kondelik

After a young man gets separated from his friends in the woods, he falls into a 20 foot deep pit of spikes, impaling him through his leg and leaving him trapped. He quickly learns that his fall was not an accident.

 

Projection

D: Evan Samaras, George Scoufaras

A man is struggling with grief due to the recent death of his father. He copes by beginning to write and envision a reality where he and his father are bonding over their shared passion, filmmaking. The lines between the realities begin to blur until only one remains.

 

Quiet After Supper

D: Francis Tejada

Tristan Weathers, a serial killer in Los Angeles, receives a surprise visit from his childhood friend, Abby, who stumbles upon artifacts that tells the story of each of his victims which leads Abby to confront a horrifying truth.

 

The Red Mask

D: Ritesh Gupta

When outspoken queer screenwriter Allina Green is chosen to pen the final installment of the legendary slasher franchise The Red Mask, anger, outrage, and online death threats from die-hard fans causes a rift in her relationship with reticent fiancé Deetz. Desperate for a creative breakthrough, the pair escape to a secluded Airbnb, where Allina concocts a dangerous game for the two to play to unlock her writer’s block. But when two uninvited houseguests crash the scene, the weekend turns dark and a twisted game devolves into a duel to the death.

 

Saccharine

D: Natalie Erika James

Hana, a lovelorn medical student, becomes terrorized by a sinister force after taking part in an obscure weight loss craze: eating human ashes.

 

Suffocation

D: Louis Chan, Stone Chang

Suffocation is a suspenseful thriller set in Zhongshan High School, revolving around the lives of several swim team members. What begins as an ordinary evening slowly unravels into a chilling tale of hidden school legends and untold secrets. The story opens with the mysterious drowning of a female student in the school pool.

 

Theater is Dead

D: Katherine Dudas

An earnest engineering student begins to sense that her true calling is the theater, but when she lands the lead in a prestigious production, she realizes there may be a demonic dark side to this fantastical dream.

 

Voices of our Mother

D: Mark O’Brien

When a family matriarch falls seriously ill, relatives gather and discover their shared ancestral ties bind them in unexpected ways.

 

We Put the World to Sleep

D: Adrian Țofei

Adrian and Duru get lost in the characters they play in an apocalyptic film and embark on a secret mission to end the world for real. What follows goes beyond their wildest imagination.

 

You’re Next (35mm) with AJ Bowen

D: Adam Wingard

When the Davison family comes under attack during their wedding anniversary getaway, the gang of mysterious killers soon learns that one of the victims harbors a secret talent for fighting back.

 

SHORT FILM PROGRAMMING

 

SHORT BLOCK #1

“Knitting Club” D. Diogo Abrantes, João Rito

“Prey For Us” D. Zoe Kerr

“UN-DEAD” D. Bo Webb

“Pactum” D. Pablo Otero

“Itch” D. Joe Savage

“The Recluse” D. Matt Webb

“Heirlooms” D. Dan Abramovici

“The Bones Exist” D. Kelsey Deanndra Bollig, Matthew DuVall

 

SHORT BLOCK #2

“Wall Udder” D. Alexandra Hayden

“You Have Her Eyes” D. Jordan Sommerlad, Cory Stonebrook

“Seance For The ‘Gram” D. Sam Schlenker

“The Binding” D. Ryan Kennedy

“Can I Come In?” D. Dustin Paul Weible

“Meat” D. Michael Skanes

“The Lomax Delusion” D. Jay Mansell

“Blood Moon” D. Cole French

 

SHORT BLOCK #3

“Inheritance” D. Arvind Palep

“CHÄIR” D. Chris McInroy

“House Rules” D. Geri Courtney-Austein

“Missing Socks” D. Joe Anderson, Nadine Vincent

“The Visitor” D. Elliot Kealoha Blanchard

“Gobbledygook” D. Lizzete Flores, Nathaniel Elegino

“Hyperburn” D. Travis Dubridge

“Star-Crossed” D. Bud Myrick

“Rough Cut” D. Mitchell Vincent Slan

 

SHORT BLOCK #4

“Tapestry” D. Jason Sheedy

“Stay In” D. Michael Buran

“Blood Sistersr” D. Patrick Rea

“Blossom Needs a Ride Home” D. Tim Schwagel

“Obey” D. Jordan Wippell

“Cosa Mala (Evil Things)” D. Gero Costas

“George’s Garage” D. Patrick Murphy

“Tasty Bones” D. Ronald Short

“Ekelbrode” D. Ben Montgomery-Pierson 

 

SHORT BLOCK #5

“And They Shall Handle Serpents” D. Stuart Valberg

“Dunwich” D. Chris Marrone, Chris S. Gabriel

“The Me In The TV” D. Gordon Phillips

“Scullion” D. Trevor Graciano

“Violet Vendetta” D. Ted Hayden

“A Good Death” D. Kaz PS

“Penelope” D. Fiona Rene

“Chameleon” D. Lily Kaplan

 

ONLINE BLOCK #1

“Would You Rather” D. Sophie O'Donovan

“No Good Calls Come From The Middle Of The Night” D. Angela Cohen

“Spill” D. Carter Breaux

“The Prowler” D. Christopher Piñero

“The Mrs. Wolf Show” D. Drew Highlands

“Like Father, Like Son?” D. Josef Embring, Philip Sterner

“Breeder” D. Sapphire Sandalo

“Matchlight” D. Joaquín Russek

 

ONLINE BLOCK #2

“Molly’s Crossing” D. Jacob Streilein

“Peepers” D. Kevin Linn

“I Can’t Wake Up” D. Nico Burasco

“Jekyll/Hyde” D. Joshua Leonard

“Pelacaras” D. Ricardo Albarrán

“Brian Won’t Wear Condoms” D. Genna Edwards

“These Colors Don’t Run” D. Chris Ethridge

“Walter” D. Danik Gollain Bartolini

“Lady Puritan” D. Gustine Füdickar, Justin Streichman

 

ONLINE BLOCK #3

“LingKellia” D. Adam Raynes

“Vowels” D. Rafael De Leon

“Big Steps” D. Oliver William Staton

“Jack’s #1 Bestseller” D. Thomas Hernandez

“Closing Shift” D. M-Alain Bertoni

“Inebriated” D. Max r Lincoln

“It’s a Wonderful Night of the Living Dead” D. John Bell, Dan Bell

“Cockroach” D. Paolo Mancini, Daniel Watchorn

“Pearls” D. Alastair Train

 

ONLINE BLOCK #4

“Unholy Rapture”  D. Jennifer Rose, Brynn Mitchell

“Brick Boy” D. Scott Vasey

“The Convenience Store” D. Julian Davis

“Embrace” D. Matthew Rush

“Script Tease”  D. Chad Thurman

“All For One”  D. Andrew Narváez

“Car Stuff” D. Will Canalizo

“The Scene” D. Daniel Meyers

“Bloodbuzz” D. Daisy Bata

 

ONLINE BLOCK #5

“Porta Killer” D. Joseph Pieken

“My Severed Arm” D. Casey de Fremery

“Don’t Bury It” D. Kristian Fitsall

“Hell’s Half-Acre: Sojourn” D. Nicholas Nicastro

“Tame” D. Will Schneider

“Trad” D. Dave Bekerman

“Manifest” D. Andrew Gibbs

“Shift”  D. Bridgette Cannell

 

 

LONG FORM SHORTS PROGRAMMING

 

IN-PERSON BLOCK

“Altera Partem” D. Simon Doutreleau

“Stolen Future” D. Vedd V Rawtaani

“Shift” D. Lucca Vieira

“Forever Liam” D. Guillermo de la Rosa

“Hide” D. Brenden Hubbard

 

ONLINE BLOCK #1

“Us-Her” D. David Salgado Marcote

“Bear” D. Matteo Bocchi

“The Man Upstairs” D.  Wendy Wang

“Total Party Kill” D. Alan Sanchez

 

ONLINE BLOCK #2

“Nightfall” D.  Zac Villanueva

“Alpaca” D. Sylvia Caminer

“Halfway Haunted” D. Sam Rudykoff

 

ONLINE BLOCK #3

“Res Extensa” D. Miguel Vazquez

“She Felt Like Murder” D.  Ryan Clausen

“Wrathbone” D. Steve Flavin

 

 

EVENT PROGRAMMING

Panic Fest is more than just a film festival. Each year features a curated selection of events and live podcasts at Rewind VHS Bar and Dive:

 

Joe Lynch and Rebecca Howard: Secret Screening

 

A Couple Old Fashioneds - Live Recording

 

Nightmare Junkhead - Live Game Show

Better Luck Than Chuck - Live Game Show