Art House Extra | The Return of Panic Film Festival

Prepared to be gripped by the return of Panic Film Festival, one of the nation’s great genre film fests.

Art House recently visited with Panic Fest co-founder Adam Roberts about how backers are mounting the festival at the tail end of a pandemic that has wreaked havoc on the movie exhibition industry.

“The pandemic has changed everything,” said Roberts, who also is co-owner of the Screenland Armour Theatre, which is hosting the festival.

But Roberts took advantage of the down time of the last year to create “as far as I know, the first ever hybrid fest.” This year Panic Fest combines socially distant in-person theater screenings with online access to both films and associated events and panel discussions.

A creative solution for mounting a festival is one thing. Content is another. And on that front, Roberts has great news to share.

Filmmakers didn’t waste their time during the pandemic. Panic Fest received the second most submissions in the nine-year history of the festival.

“It’s truly incredible the amount of things we have this year,” Roberts said. “It really does feel like Panic Film Fest, whether you’re at your house or whether you’re sitting in the theater.”

The 2021 Panic Film Festival runs from Thursday, April 8, through Sunday, April 18, both virtually and at Screenland Armour Theatre, 408 Armour Road, North Kansas City.

See more in the attached video.