WHAT’S NEW for 2024
Check out what’s new for this year’s Overlook!
More info on What’s new HERE
- New Pass Tiers and Price Deadlines
- Prytania Theatres becomes Festival Co-Producer
- Improved Lines and Theater Operations
- More Food Options At Fest HQ
- Discounts for 2023 Pass Holders!
- The Academy of Magical Arts Returns with New Shows
- Super Yaki to Debut New Festival Merch
- Immersive Experiences will be individually ticketed, requiring separate purchase
- Program Won’t Include a Weekend-Long Alternate Reality Game
- Locals Bonus night is back April 8th
ABOUT THE OVERLOOK FILM FESTIVAL
Where is the Festival held?
The Overlook Festival is held in the most haunted city in America, New Orleans!
- Our box office, most film screenings, panels, and live shows will be held at our Festival Headquarters, the Prytania Theatres At Canal Place at the edge of the French Quarter.
- Additional screenings will take place at the Historic Prytania Theatre Uptown, a 100 + year old institution with the distinction of being the longest continually operated theater in the south.
What kind of films and events will be at the festival?
The Overlook Film Festival is dedicated to all things horror – it’s a genre film festival celebrating the best of horror films. We have a selection of feature length and short films, contemporary to classic, including festival favorites, anticipated new releases and world premieres in the horror, thriller, and sci-fi genres from both emerging artists and master filmmakers.
In addition to the films, the festival hosts signature live events and activities which include live shows, radio plays, one-person performances, interactive entertainment, games, and one-of-a-kind immersive experiences, all an essential part of our genre summer camp weekend. The 2024 festival program can be viewed here.
Where and when is the festival?
The festival takes place in New Orleans, America’s most haunted city, annually. Our next edition will be held April 4th – 7th, 2024.
What is the schedule for the weekend?
We kick off the evening of Thursday, April 4th with screenings and our Opening Night festivities. Shows, experiences and events will play throughout the weekend until the night of Sunday, April 7th. Our Closing Night Screening and Halloween Party will take place on Saturday, April 6th, though films will continue to screen through Sunday. Bonus screenings for locals will happen on Monday, April 8th, as well. We’ll announce the schedule in early March.
Who attends the festival?
The coolest kids you’ll ever meet! Horror fans from all over the globe to industry folk and filmmakers… you never know who will be cycling through the festival hub — guest or ghoul. Many of the films selected for the festival will feature Q&As with the filmmakers following the screenings. Festival advisors include filmmakers such as Elijah Wood, Leigh Whannell, Joe Dante, Stuart Gordon, Karyn Kusama, Mick Garris and Larry Fessenden as well as industry luminaries. Additional guests have included Nicolas Cage, Jim Jarmusch, John Goodman, Roger Corman, Taika Waititi, Jason Blum, Robert Rodriguez, Darren Lynn Bousman, Ari Aster and David Dastmalchian.
Where are you showing films?
Film Screenings, live shows, panels, virtual reality and events will take place at the Prytania Theatres At Canal Place in downtown New Orleans at the edge of the French Quarter and the Central Business District, as well as the Historic Prytania Theatre located Uptown.
The locations of individual live immersive shows will be revealed to ticket holders.
Is there food available at the venues?
Yes! In addition to all the standard movie-going fare (popcorn, etc), this year there will be all new food options available at the Prytania at Canal Place.
TRAVEL AND LOGISTICS
Where should I stay?
New Orleans is an incredible city with much to discover in any neighborhood. You can stay anywhere in town and have a wonderful festival experience, however our festival headquarters is located downtown at the edge of the French Quarter and Central Business District.
Should I stay 3 or 4 days?
Do note that while the Closing Night Film plays Saturday night, we will continue to showcase films, events and performances all through the entirety of Sunday night, including our now annual silent film with live score as well as additional retrospective presentations with live elements. Additionally, pass holders will be admitted to screenings held on our post-fest locals night of Monday April 8th.
Do you offer event packages with hotels included?
The Overlook Film Festival does not sell hotel rooms or airfare with passes.If you’re coming from out of town, check out our lodging page HERE for updates on deals from partner hotels near our screening venues. Additional discounts will be added as they arise.
I’m a local, but I missed a film I wanted to see – what do i do?
The Overlook will feature a locals Bonus Day with added screenings of select films on Monday, April 8.
PASSES AND TICKETS
What’s the difference between a Pass and a ticket?
- Tickets – we sell a small quantity of individual screening tickets for films and panels.
- Overlook Passes – Passes allow access to all screenings, panels, parties and live events (immersive theatre experiences are sold separately), all under a single Pass. Details below.
Why buy a Pass (and not just tickets for the films i want to see?)
Overlook offers so much more than “just” films – special events, immersive experiences, parties, and all kinds of other mayhem away courageous souls…and Passes are the best entry to all the Festival has to offer. Pass holders receive invitations to Opening Night, Closing Night, and Centerpiece showings. In addition, Pass Holders can access all regular screenings, as well as all parties, events, panels, and live shows. Also, special events, receptions, and additional activities will be available exclusively to pass holders. Extra adventurous attendees can also purchase access to the immersive events (see below). We do sell a very limited number of individual tickets for screenings and events.
You can purchase your Overlook Passes HERE.
That sounds like a great time. How Much Are Passes for 2024?
We’ve updated our pass tiers for 2024, offering better prices for returning campers, and introducing a new pass that offers priority admission to all films. We also offer significant savings for purchasing passes early!
2024 Festival Pass Details
Camper Passes – Retail for our Standard Pass will be $299, but buying sooner means big savings:
- Spooky Season Special – Celebrate our favorite month and save $100 if you buy during the month of October! – $199
- Early Bird Slasher Promo – Save $50 if you buy from Nov 1 – Jan 31, 2024 – $249
- Standard Overlook Camper Passes – buy after Jan 31, 2024 – $299
2023 Pass Holders – We love our returning campers! If you bought a pass in 2023, come back for a visit and save big! Through December 31, Festival Pass holders from 2023 can purchase a Returning Camper pass for 2024 for only $149!
Final Girl Pass – this is our biggest, best pass, guaranteeing entry into all films. Ironically, our Final Girl pass holders will enter the theater first! Final Girl Pass Holders will be given priority admission for theater access, and will be escorted in first. However, only an extraordinarily limited amount are available!
- Final Girl Early Bird Pass – $499 (until January 31st)
- Final Girl Standard Pass – $749 final (after January 31st)
What should I do if I did not receive a confirmation after my purchase?
Please email ticketing@overlookfilmfest.com
Who should I talk to if I wish to transfer payment for my pass?
Please email ticketing@overlookfilmfest.com for questions regarding passes. For all lodging issues and inquiries, please contact your hotel directly. Please note that passes are non-refundable.
Will you send me my pass?
We hold all passes at our box office at festival headquarters starting April 4th. Photo ID will be required to pick up your pass.
EXPERIENCES AND LIVE EVENTS
What is the difference between the Live Events and the Immersive Experiences?
- Live events include podcast recordings, film panels, and one-person shows. These will be available to all festival pass holders without additional purchase.
- Immersive Theater Experiences are in-person, live-actor shows, or virtual reality, of varying lengths often for a small audience and often requiring the participant to have some sort of agency or interaction with the show. Overlook’s selection of immersive theater experiences will be exclusively individually ticketed events, and will require a separate purchase for admission. The experiences for the 2024 festival will be announced (and Immersive Theater tickets will go on sale) in early 2024. Any attendee (whether a pass holder or not) may register for Immersive Experiences, and can purchase tickets to the experiences separately.
What are the immersive theater experiences?
Our live immersive theater selections provide attendees the opportunity to step through the movie screen and become part of one-of-a-kind experiences featuring live performers and interactive environments. They are available as individually ticketed events to any attendee.
In the past, our selection of experiences has ranged from one-on-one scenes with a single performer, to haunted houses catering to groups of participants, and more.
The experiences range from the family-friendly to those with more mature themes. The safety, comfort, and enjoyment of our attendees is always of utmost importance, and we will clearly communicate the intensity level and types of interactions you can expect in an experience before you purchase your ticket.
This year’s line-up of immersive theater selections will be announced in Spring of 2024.
Sounds like a blast! How do I register for events and experiences?
Overlook’s immersive shows are featured as individually ticketed events, requiring the purchase of a specific ticket to attend. Each experience has limited availability and we do expect them to sell out, so we encourage attendees to purchase tickets as soon as possible. Pass holders do get advance access to purchase before the general public.
The immersive theater experiences will go on sale in Spring of 2024. You can sign up for immersive programming updates and on-sale announcements by subscribing to our newsletter.
Make sure to purchase Festival Passes HERE
Will the Overlook Film Fest feature an immersive game this year?
In past years, the festival has included a free, optional weekend-long activity in the form of an “ARG” (or Alternate Reality Game) as part of the curated immersive sidebar. The “game” as it was called, would run simultaneously along with film screenings and other activities throughout the festival. This year, as the festival evolves and grows, that concept has been-reimagined amidst the realities of producing a micro-budget volunteer-run event in modern times.
The 2024 festival will NOT feature a “game” as part of the immersive section in the traditional sense that regular players may have come to expect.
Instead, past participants and newcomers alike will want to explore the curated individual immersive experiences, which will be announced in the spring with the full festival lineup. Hallmarks of the ARG experience such as puzzles, one-on-ones, and sustained character interaction will be found within these individual showcases as well as throughout the rest of the festival program. These experiences are open to all no matter your level of immersive experience.
The festival remains voraciously dedicated to highlighting the great work of the best artists in the immersive field, which will be reflected in the robust lineup of projects in this section, and amidst the additional secrets and designs among the festival’s other events.
In the meantime, we are so grateful for the generosity of all of the festival’s game designers over the years who have donated their time, skills and effort to create the many stories, varied themes and original puzzles we’ve featured, and we salute the fortitude, exuberance and dedication of each of the game’s players. We thank you for your service vanquishing witches, closing portals, exhuming corpses, uncovering mysterious runes, joining secret societies, finding missing filmmakers, exonerating accused killers, and breaking curses with us. May your fight against (or for) evil continue. We will call on you again.
How much will the immersive experiences cost?
As with last year, this year’s line-up of immersive shows will be individually ticketed events open to all, with an advance registration window available to pass holders, and will be announced in early 2024. You can sign up for immersive programming updates and on-sale announcements by subscribing to our newsletter.
For reference of what you might expect, the 2023 lineup featured 4 experiences each with separate costs of $15, $33.33, $45 and $65 respectively based on length, depth and throughput. The majority of our experiences sold out within 24 hours of registration becoming available.
Should I attend the fest just for the immersive offerings?
In years past, some attendees have ventured to The Overlook just to enjoy the immersive programming — and we love you for it!
However, attendees should be advised that while any given of the year of the festival will feature anywhere between 3 – 6 experiences of varying length, they are one part of a larger curatorial festival mission that includes new and classic film screenings, premieres, podcast recordings, live shows, themed parties, group activities, meals, cocktail hours and communal gatherings.
And though the festival strives to recreate the feeling of a summer camp with added immersive elements to many aspects of the festival (such as our screening of The Tingler, or our Halloween Party), the individual experiences that make up the immersive section of the program will not encompass a whole weekend without being supplemented by the other aspects of the festival program.
As such, we suggest that you don’t come just for the immersive sidebar, as the best way to take part will be to embrace all facets of Overlook 2024.
FILM MAKERS AND INDUSTRY
Do you accept film submissions?
Submissions for the 2024 festival are now closed. Submission guidelines, deadlines and prices are available HERE. Please note that the festival does not grant fee waivers.
Do you accept submissions for live shows or interactive experiences?
We do not accept unsolicited pitches for live shows, panels, or immersive content at this time.
If you have a horror experience that you feel is right for the festival, and would like to invite a representative to view your work, you can contact us at immersive@overlookfilmfest.com
How can industry/press attend the festival?
Press accreditation applications are now closed. There is no individual industry pass. Industry must purchase a pass to attend. You can purchase passes HERE
WORK WITH US!
Are you hiring?
Though the Overlook Film Festival is volunteer-run, we do have select staff positions available. Our most up to date listings can always be found HERE.
How do I volunteer at the festival?
We rely on volunteers to help make the festival happen, and we’d love to have you be a part of it. If you’d like to join our fearless volunteer team, please email volunteer@overlookfilmfest.com
SPONSORSHIPS
Can I sponsor an event?
Yes! You can sponsor an event by emailing sponsors@overlookfilmfest.com