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Fanomenon

Fantasy, sci-fi, horror, dark comedy, cult films, the unclassifiable, and much more. This year we present an expanded programme of new films, two new competitions, and a retrospective, The Weird of Oz.

Fanomenon is packed with acclaimed new films that have wowed, shocked, thrilled, mesmerised, moved and entertained audiences at film festivals around the world. This year’s highlights include Thibault Emin’s psychedelic body-horror Else, John Hsu’s madcap ghost hit Dead Talents Society, a thrilling anthology from South Korea inspired by the Hemingway story The Killers, and Joel Potrykus’ Vulcanizadora, a raw and darkly comedic exploration of outcasts and misfits.

We are delighted to launch two new competitions for Fanomenon at LIFF 2024 – one for feature films with seven UK Premieres, and one for short films which has grown from our very popular selection of fantastic genre shorts.

Also very popular, our Fanathon film marathons return for LIFF 2024 with Sci-Fi day on 2 November, Day of the Dead on 9 November, and Night of the Dead on 15 November, this year opening with the world premiere of Aidan Leary’s Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round.

Films at LIFF 2024

  • Jupiter

    Dir. Benjamin Pfohl
    Fanomenon / Competition
    Sat 2 Nov - Sun 10 Nov
    In this dark sci-fi drama, a teenage girl grapples with her family’s deepening devotion to a cosmic cult that promises a higher existence on Jupiter.
    Past event
    • Sat 2 Nov
      16:00 - 17:40
      Sci-fi Day
      Vue in the Light, Leeds
      Screen 11
      Past event
    • Thu 7 Nov
      16:15 - 17:55
      Vue in the Light, Leeds
      Screen 12
      Past event
    • Sun 10 Nov
      20:00 - 21:40
      Q&A with director Benjamin Pfohl
      Everyman Cinema Leeds, Leeds
      Screen 4
      Past event

  • The A-Frame

    Dir. Calvin Lee Reeder
    Fanomenon / Sci-fi Day
    Sat 2 Nov and Mon 4 Nov
    A mind-bending sci-fi tale about an ambitious inventor who accidentally discovers a cancer treatment while opening a portal to a subatomic universe.
    Vue in the Light, Leeds
    Screen 11
    Past event
    • Sat 2 Nov
      14:00 - 15:22
      Sci-fi Day
      Vue in the Light, Leeds
      Screen 11
      Past event
    • Mon 4 Nov
      12:45 - 14:07
      Vue in the Light, Leeds
      Screen 11
      Past event

  • A Samurai in Time

    Dir. Jun'ichi Yasuda
    Fanomenon
    Sat 2 Nov - Sat 16 Nov
    A sleeper box office hit in Japan, this heartfelt fish-out-of-water comedy pays loving homage to samurai cinema with a time-travelling twist.
    Vue in the Light, Leeds
    Screen 11
    Past event
    • Sat 2 Nov
      11:00 - 13:11
      Vue in the Light, Leeds
      Screen 11
      Past event
    • Mon 4 Nov
      14:45 - 16:56
      Vue in the Light, Leeds
      Screen 11
      Past event
    • Sat 16 Nov
      13:00 - 15:11
      Vue in the Light, Leeds
      Screen 11
      Past event

  • Escape from the 21st Century

    Dir. Yang Li
    Fanomenon Opening Film
    Fri 1 Nov and Sun 3 Nov
    A wildly imaginative sci-fi action comedy adventure where three teenage friends sneeze and fight their way to the future and back to save their Earth-like planet.
    Past event
    • Fri 1 Nov
      20:45 - 22:23
      Vue in the Light, Leeds
      Screen 12
      Past event
    • Sun 3 Nov
      17:00 - 18:38
      Cottage Road Cinema, Leeds
      Screen 1
      Past event

  • The Gesuidouz

    Dir. Kenichi Ugana
    Fanomenon
    Fri 1 Nov - Sat 16 Nov
    Kenichi Ugana’s delightfully deadpan comedy about the creative process follows a misfit horror-themed punk band as they retreat to rural Japan to find inspiration.
    Past event
    • Fri 1 Nov
      18:45 - 20:18
      Everyman Cinema Leeds, Leeds
      Screen 4
      Past event
    • Sun 3 Nov
      15:45 - 17:18
      Everyman Cinema Leeds, Leeds
      Screen 4
      Past event
    • Sat 16 Nov
      11:00 - 12:33
      Vue in the Light, Leeds
      Screen 11
      Past event

  • Chainsaws Were Singing

    Dir. Sander Maran
    Fanomenon / Night of the Dead
    Fri 15 Nov - 23:00
    Almost ten years in the making, this deliberately trashy, DIY musical splatterfest recently won Best Picture in Horror Features at Fantastic Film Fest.
    Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds
    Screen 1
    Past event

  • Dark Match

    Dir. Lowell Dean
    Fanomenon / Night of the Dead
    Fri 15 Nov - 23:00
    A team of pro wrestlers accept a gig from a mysterious client played by Chris Jericho in this high-octane tribute to 80s wrestling from WolfCop director Lowell Dean.
    Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds
    Screen 1
    Past event

  • Night of the Dead

    Fanomenon / Fanathon
    Fri 15 Nov - 23:00
    The ultimate all-night horror marathon returns to Hyde Park Picture House with a fantastic mix of wild films guaranteed to deliver plenty of thrills, chills, comedy and gore.
    Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds
    Screen 1
    Past event

  • Day of the Dead

    Fanomenon / Fanathon
    Sat 9 Nov - 13:30
    The Day of the Dead marathon is back for LIFF 2024 with a psychedelic body horror, a supernatural horror comedy, and two horror thrillers.
    Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds
    Screen 1
    Past event

  • Sci-Fi Day

    Fanomenon / Fanathon
    Sat 2 Nov - 14:00
    Join us for this year's Sci-Fi Day marathon and explore a subatomic universe, a cosmic cult, dating in space after the Earth explodes, and the mystery of time.
    Vue in the Light, Leeds
    Screen 11
    Past event
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