FilmQuest, one of the largest genre festivals in the country and one of MovieMaker Magazine’s 2021 “Top 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee,” announced its 8th annual edition. The 2021 in-person lineup is headlined by the Tim Blake Nelson, Angela Bettis, and David Arquette starring Ghosts of the Ozarks, Netflix’s The Old Ways, The Free Fall starring Andrea Londo and Shawn Ashmore, and the Slamdance Best Documentary winner Code Name: Nagasaki.

Taking place October 29th – November 6th in Downtown Provo, Utah, the festival is requiring all guests be vaccinated, following a model it was able to test run successfully in May.

“We were able to host our postponed 2020 festival this past May in-person, one of the first to do so in the world, by requiring all attendees be vaccinated or pass a rapid test,” said Festival Founder & Director Jonathan Martin. “By making the safety of our guests a top priority, we were able to establish a comfortable atmosphere highlighted by the very best genre cinema in the world, making an unforgettable experience for all involved.”

FilmQuest is also taking advantage of the rise of virtual screenings at film festivals, incorporating a hybrid virtual/in-person approach that has also afforded it a chance to expand upon its historically large lineups.

“As festivals have changed and adapted in a COVID world, we wanted to look into the advantages a virtual component could bring and what that meant not just for the festival, but filmmakers as well,” said Martin. “Thus, we were able to expand our lineup of Official Selections through incorporating a selection of films, still in competition, as well as special workshops and lounges, accessible only through our virtual portal.”

Expanding upon the festival’s mission to create new opportunities for emerging voice in genre, the festival also announced new partnerships with Gunpowder & Sky’s ALTER and DUST, Dread Central, and MovieMaker Magazine.

“In an increasingly competitive market, we’re constantly looking for new partners and collaborators to increase the opportunities to our filmmakers and guests, to have their work seen and their careers advanced. ALTER and DUST are the premier destinations for genre shorts in the world, and we couldn’t be more excited for them to be the presenting sponsor of our shorts program this year,” said Martin.

“Dread Central, along with their Dread distribution platform, furthers our mission to see these great feature films delivered to audiences, while our partnership with MovieMaker Magazine will help filmmakers realize their dreams via their Production Services program that will only enhance the market with quality content moving forward,” Martin concluded.

Special guests of the festival who will be participating in workshops include Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place), CAA Executive Julia Glausi, and SVP David Wardle of Saban Films. Events will also include a funds matching pitch session with MovieMaker Magazine via their MovieMaker Production Services program.

For more information about the 2021 FilmQuest, including its full lineup and schedule, visit www.filmquestfest.com.