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Watch the New Trailer for DIDN’T DIE: “The Sundance Midnight feature film Didn’t Die, directed by Meera Menon, has been acquired by Level 33 Entertainment, and will be released in theaters in the U.S. on March 6, 2026.
Heralded by Variety as an “enticing character-centric comedy” and by Collider as a film that “forges its own bloody path by taking the story back to the barest of bones,” Didn’t Die premiered in 2025 at the Sundance Film Festival as a Midnight feature; merely weeks after director Menon’s home was tragically consumed by the fires which ravaged Los Angeles.
Menon, who has directed episodes of “The Walking Dead,” “Fear the Walking Dead,” “Ms. Marvel,” and “Westworld,” describes Didn’t Die—a film about the human spirit rising from tragedy—this way: “I’m drawn to the question of what still makes life worth living when everything else has come undone. Being an indie filmmaker right now feels like podcasting in the middle of a zombie apocalypse—this film is about the grit it takes to simply keep going.”
Starring stand-up comedian and Emmy-nominated actress Kiran Deol in the lead role of “Vinita”, Didn’t Die revolves around an unfolding zombie apocalypse in rural America, as a podcast host (Deol) struggles to maintain their dwindling audience amidst the chaos.
Says Deol of her role in Didn’t Die, and in collaborating with Menon, “As a performer, It’s such a privilege to get to play an arc — especially one grounded in wry humor. Showcasing a South Asian family meant lots of dosas on set — which is a delicious way to make something revolutionary. From the collaborative style of developing the story, to staying in a house with the actors in upstate New York, Meera created an experience that felt like family coming together.”
The cast is rounded out by George Basil (Werewolves Within), Samrat Chakrabarti (“The Sinner”), Katie McCuen, Vishal Vijayakumar, Ali Lopez-Sohaili and Kandis Erickson.
Didn’t Die is produced by director Menon, Erica Fishman, Joe Camerota and Paul Gleason, the latter who serves as the film’s cinematographer, with a score by Samuel Jones.
Says Andreas Olavarria, President & CEO of Level 33 Entertainment, regarding the acquisition, “Didn’t Die is a witty and poignant take on the classic zombie film, crafted by a group of truly remarkable filmmakers. We can’t wait to share this film with audiences across North America.”
Didn’t Die will be released exclusively in theaters in the U.S. on March 6, 2026. Tickets are available now on Fandango.”
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PAUL GIAMATTI TO STAR IN MYSTERY HORROR “BOUTIQUE” FOR XYZ FILMS: “Paul Giamatti is set to star in the mystery horror BOUTIQUE, written and directed by Jim Gavin (Creator of AMC’s “Lodge 49”). Giamatti will produce with Dan Carey through their company Touchy Feely Films (“Outsiders”, COLD SOULS) along with James Harris and Mark Lane for Tea Shop Productions (OBSESSION) and Guy Danella (VIOLENT NIGHT) for XYZ Films, who will also finance. Jacob Jaffke (MAXXXINE) will serve as Executive Producer. The film is set for production in the UK this summer and marks Gavin’s feature film directorial debut, reuniting him with Touchy Feely, producers of “Lodge 49.”
In the film, American tourist Calvin (Giamatti) journeys to the eerie English seaside town that inspired the work of his favorite reclusive author but instead gets entangled with a murderous secret society permeating the whole town.
Paul Giamatti is an acclaimed American actor known for his richly textured performances in SIDEWAYS, AMERICAN SPLENDOR, the HBO miniseries “John Adams” and the hit drama “Billions.” He earned widespread awards recognition, including a Golden Globe win and an Academy Award nomination, for his performance in Alexander Payne’s THE HOLDOVERS.
Recent credits include the Paramount+ series “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy,” as well as starring in an episode of “Black Mirror,” for which he earned a Golden Globe nomination. He can next be seen starring opposite Julianne Moore in Jesse Eisenberg’s upcoming yet-to-be titled feature film.
BOUTIQUE marks another collaboration between XYZ Films and Tea Shop, who recently wrapped shooting on the horror film BANQUET, directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia and starring Meghann Fahy, Corey Mylchreest, and Alfie Williams.
“I’m crazy excited to be a part of this project and for Touchy Feely to be working with XYZ. Scary, funny, bizarre, strangely moving, it’s one of the best scripts I’ve ever read by one of the most talented guys I know, Jim Gavin!” said Paul Giamatti.
“We’re honored and excited to be working with a legend like Paul and take his singular talents to new genre territories through Jim’s iconic script,” said XYZ’s Guy Danella.
Giamatti is repped by UTA, Kipperman Management and and Sloane, Offer, Weber, & Dern. XYZ is handling world sales with UTA co-repping domestic rights.”
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Brazil’s Fantaspoa Announces Theme and Full 2026 Line-Up!: ” Fantaspoa returns from April 8th through the 26th of this year, proudly reiterating its position as one of the world’s foremost showcases of genre cinema. In its 22nd edition, the festival celebrates two major milestones in fantastic film history: the 50th anniversary of Brian De Palma’s CARRIE and the centenary of FAUST, the German Expressionist classic from F. W. Murnau.
The theme of this year’s Fantaspoa pays tribute to the symbolic and visual power of CARRIE. The official poster was created by artist Elizabeth Schuch, who also serves as the festival’s art director. Inspired by the striking imagery and emotional intensity of the 1976 film and the art of Gustave Doré that influenced Sissy Spacek’s interpretation of the character, Schuch developed an aesthetic concept that evokes the psychological horror and dramatic force that established the film as a genre landmark. The homage reflects Fantaspoa’s ongoing commitment to honoring the legacy of fantastic cinema while fostering its continual reinvention.
As has become tradition, the festival will open with a special live-scored screening. On April 8th, Fantaspoa’s official opening event will feature FAUST (1926), F. W. Murnau’s German Expressionist masterpiece, presented in celebration of its 100th anniversary. The screening will take place at Instituto Ling and will feature a newly composed live score by Argentinian guitarist and composer Germán Suane.
The 22nd edition of Fantaspoa will present a robust program of more than 200 films — including 85 feature films — alongside lectures, masterclasses, panel discussions, and social events such as its beloved Costume Party Cruise. Among the selected feature films are ten World Premieres, eight International Premieres, 42 Latin American Premieres, eleven Brazilian Premieres, and ten Regional Premieres, representing productions from 41 countries.
These figures emphasize Fantaspoa’s growing relevance on the global festival circuit and the international industry’s confidence in its curatorial vision. It’s also relevant to mention that this will be the first year in which Fantaspoa will present a Silver Méliès award for Best European Feature film. This is the first time the award will be given by a festival outside of Europe, reinforcing the presence of Fantaspoa in the Méliès Federation, now as a core member.
Fantaspoa 2026 lineup includes films that have screened at some of the world’s most prestigious festivals, including Berlinale, Cannes, Toronto, Viennale, Rotterdam, Sitges, Annecy, Mar del Plata, South by Southwest, Sundance, Fantastic Fest, Karlovy Vary, Fantasia, Fantasporto, Tallinn Black Nights, and BAFICI.
Confirmed guests attending the festival’s 2026 edition include Meekaaeel Adam, Clarissa Appelt, Oliver Bernsen, Jay Arden Black, Thales Banzai, Omar Calvo, Mauricio Chernovetzki, Abril Cicala, Daniel Dias, Aaron Fisher, Tomás Fleck, Diego Fuentes, Ritesh Gupta, Natasha Halevi, Karen Lam, Kate Kroll, Kapel Furman, Dean Francis, Diane Guerrero, Sean Gunn, Aleksandra Hansen, Luke Jaden, Rodrigo Lages, Sasha Lane, Kyle Mangione-Smith, Matheus Marchetti, Margaret Miller, Trevor O’Neil, Carolina Paiz, Chris Marrs Piliero, Cristian Ponce, Juan Pablo Raba, Pedro Rivero, Odeya Rush, Decker Sadowski, Pascal Schuh, Alberto Sciamma, Diego Velasco, Richard E. Williams, and James C. Williamson.”
Below is the complete list of feature films in competition in the 22nd Fantaspoa program:
- ADORABLE HUMANS (dirs. Anders Jon, Michael Kunov, Kasper Juhl, and Michael Panduro. 2025, Denmark. Brazilian Premiere)
- ANIMALS OF THE LAND (dir. Luke Jaden. 2026, United States. World Premiere)
- APPOFENIACS (dir. Chris Marrs Piliero. 2025, United States. Latin American Premiere)
- THE ARBITER (dir. Marc Price. 2025, United Kingdom. International Premiere)
- ARMAGEDDON ROAD (dir. Karen Lam. 2026, Canada. World Premiere)
- BACKSTAGE MADNESS (dir. Amanbek Azhymat. 2025, Kyrgyzstan. Latin American Premiere)
- BAGWORM (dir. Oliver Bernsen. 2025, United States. Latin American Premiere)
- BARRIO TRISTE (dir. STILLZ. 2025, Colombia/United States. Regional Premiere)
- THE BEARDED GIRL (dir. Jody Wilson. 2025, Canada. International Premiere)
- BEYOND THE NEST (dir. Rodrigo Lages. 2026, Brazil. World Premiere)
- BLUEBIRD (dir. Jay Arden Black. 2026, United States. World Premiere)
- BODY BLOW (dir. Dean Francis. 2025, Australia. Regional Premiere)
- BUFFET LIBRE (dir. Zoe Berriatúa. 2025, Spain. Latin American Premiere)
- BULK (dir. Ben Wheatley. 2025, United Kingdom. Latin American Premiere)
- CAMP (dir. Avalon Fast. 2025, Canada. Latin American Premiere)
- CAUTIVERIO (dirs. Sebastian Jimenez Franco and Omar Calvo. 2026, Panama. World Premiere)
- CIELO (dir. Alberto Sciamma. 2025, Bolivia, United Kingdom. Regional Premiere)
- COMPLIANCE (dir. Kyle Mangione-Smith. 2026, United States. World Premiere)
- CORPORATE RETREAT (dir. Aaron Fisher. 2026, United States. Latin American Premiere)
- THE CRAMPS: A PERIOD PIECE (dir. Brooke H Cellars. 2025, United States. International Premiere)
- THE CURSE (dir. Kenichi Ugana. 2025, Japan. Latin American Premiere)
- DEAD EYES (dir. Richard E. Williams. 2026, Australia. Latin American Premiere)
- DEATHGASM 2: GOREMAGEDDON (dir. Jason Lei Howden. 2025, New Zealand. Brazilian Premiere)
- DEATHSTALKER (dir. Steven Kostanski. 2025, Canada. Brazilian Premiere)
- THE DOLLMAKER (dir. José María Cicala. 2025, Argentina. Latin American Premiere)
- EXILE (dir. Mehdi Hmili. 2025, Luxembourg/Qatar/France/Saudi Arabia/Tunisia. Latin American Premiere)
- FABULA (dir. Michiel ten Horn. 2025, Netherlands/Belgium/Germany. Regional Premiere)
- THE FENCE (dir. Dmitry Davydov. 2025, Russia. Brazilian Premiere)
- FIFTEEN (dirs. Yossy Zagha and Jack Zagha. 2026, Mexico. Latin American Premiere)
- THE FORBIDDEN CITY (dir. Gabriele Mainetti. 2025, Italy. Latin American Premiere)
- FOREIGNER (dir. Ava Maria Safai. 2025, Canada. Latin American Premiere)
- GAUA (dir. Paul Urkijo. 2025, Spain, United States. Latin American Premiere)
- GODZILLA EN SANTA FE (dir. Alexander Duré. 2025, Argentina. Brazilian Premiere)
- GOSH!! (dir. Joe Odagiri. 2025, Japan. International Premiere)
- THE GHOST GAME (dir. Dong-wan Son. 2025, South Korea. Latin American Premiere)
- GRAVITY (dir. Leo Tabosa. 2025, Brazil. Regional Premiere)
- HEART OF DARKNESS (dir. Rogério Andrade Nunes. 2025, Brazil/France. Regional Premiere)
- THE JOURNEY TO NO END (dir. Xiang Chen. 2025, China. Latin American Premiere)
- IAI (dir. Zenzo Sakai. 2026, Japan. Latin American Premiere)
- IMPOSTERS (dir. Caleb Phillips. 2026, United States. International Premiere)
- IN THE MOUTH (dir. Cory Santilli. 2025, United States. International Premiere)
- INTERIOR (dir. Pascal Schuh. 2025, Germany. Latin American Premiere)
- KARMADONNA (dir. Aleksandar Radivojevic. 2025, Serbia. Latin American Premiere)
- THE KIRLIAN FREQUENCY (dir. Cristian Ponce. 2025, Argentina. Brazilian Premiere)
- LABYRINTH OF LOST BOYS (dir. Matheus Marchetti. 2025, Brazil. Regional Premiere)
- LEVITATING (dir. Wregas Bhanuteja. 2026, Indonesia/Singapore/Taiwan/
France. Latin American Premiere) - LIFE AT SANDY’S (dir. Aleksandra Hansen. 2026, Norway, United States. World Premiere)
- LUCID (dirs. Deanna Milligan and Ramsey Fendall. 2025, Canada. Latin American Premiere)
- LUGER (dir. Bruno Martín. 2025, Spain. Brazilian Premiere)
- LUNA ROSA: THE 7TH ASCENSION OF ATABEY (dir. Omar Rodríguez-López. 2025, Puerto Rico/Mexico/Germany. Brazilian Premiere)
- MAD MASK (dir. Nagano, Katsuya Arai. 2025, Japan. Latin American Premiere)
- MAG MAG (dir. Yuriyan Retriever. 2025, Japan. Brazilian Premiere)
- MARAMA (dir. Taratoa Stappard. 2025, New Zealand/United Kingdom. Latin American Premiere)
- MATAPANKI (dir. Diego “Mapache” Fuentes Badilla. 2026, Chile. Brazilian Premiere)
- MEAT KILLS (dir. Martijn Smits. 2025, Netherlands. Latin American Premiere)
- NARCISA’S WILL (dir. Clarissa Appelt, Daniel Dias. 2025, Brazil. Regional Premiere)
- NESTING (dir. Chloé Cinq-Mars. 2025, Canada. Latin American Premiere)
- OLIVIA & THE CLOUDS (dir. Tomás Pichardo Espaillat. 2024, Dominican Republic. Regional Premiere)
- PEEPING TODD (dir. Josh Munds. 2025, United States, International Premiere)
- THE PERIL AT PINCER POINT (dirs. Jake Kuhn and Noah Stratton-Twine. 2026, United Kingdom. Latin American Premiere)
- THE RED MASK (dir. Ritesh Gupta. 2025, United States. Latin American Premiere)
- REMANENCE (dir. Kapel Furman. 2026, Brazil. World Premiere)
- SACRIFICIOS (dir. Mauricio Chernovetzky. 2025, Mexico. Latin American Premiere)
- THE SCHOOL DUEL (dir. Todd Wiseman Jr. 2024, United States. Latin American Premiere)
- THE SERPENT’S SKIN (dir. Alice Maio Mackay. 2025, Australia. Brazilian Premiere)
- SUNSHINE EXPRESS (dir. Amirali Navaee. 2025, Iran. Latin American Premiere)
- THEATER IS DEAD (dir. Katherine Dudas. 2025, United States. Latin American Premiere)
- TONY ODYSSEY (dir. Thales Banzai. 2026, Brazil, United States. Latin American Premiere)
- THE TRAIL OF THE WOLF (dir. Ángeles Hernández. 2026, Spain. Latin American Premiere)
- THE TREK (dir. Meekaaeel Adam. 2026, South Africa. Latin American Premiere)
- THE TURKISH COFFEE TABLE (dir. Can Evrenol. 2025, Turkey. Brazilian Premiere)
- UNDER THE BURNING SUN (dir. Yun Xie. 2025, United States. Latin American Premiere)
- VIOLENCE (dir. Connor Marsden. 2025, Canada. Latin American Premiere)
- THE VILE (dir. Majid Al Ansari. 2025, United Arab Emirates. Latin American Premiere)
- VIRTUOUS WOMEN (dir. Cíntia Domit Bittar. 2025, Brazil. Regional Premiere)
- THE VOICES OF OUR MOTHER (dir. Mark O’Brien. 2026, Canada. World Premiere)
- THE WHISTLER (dir. Diego Velasco. 2026, Venezuela, United States. World Premiere)
- A WOMAN CALLED MOTHER (dir. Randolph Zaini. 2025, Indonesia. Latin American Premiere)
- WRONG HUSBAND (dir. Zacharias Kunuk. 2025, Canada. Latin American Premiere)
- YOU ARE THE FILM (dir. Makoto Ueda. 2026, Japan. Latin American Premiere)
- YOU GOTTA HAVE FAITH (dir. Tomás Fleck. 2025, Brazil. Latin American Premiere)
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CRUNCHYROLL VETERANS ANNOUNCE NEW YORK BASED CREATIVE VIDEO AGENCY, UNKNOWN FILM ORGANIZATION: “Director, Producer, and former Crunchyroll Head of Production Jesse Gouldsbury announced the formation of a new creative agency and production company, specializing in the creation of both live-action and animated video for the internet. Unknown Film Organization, or UFO, is looking to combat the costly bloat of agency creative with a full-service team of artistic voices who want to punch above their weight class in the digital content space.
“You don’t need a massive crew and millions of dollars to make something that looks amazing. We’re here to prove that with the right people, and the right kind of trust in what they can deliver, a company can flourish.” Said Gouldsbury. “We’re not afraid to show our rough edges. Our biggest influences have always been productions that had to work within their limitations. We love when you can see the handmade craft and effort in a video, we don’t want to make things that polish away that creative intent.“
Gouldsbury started making digital video content as a teenager on YouTube, in the platform’s nascent years. He leveraged that early work into a career, and his projects for clients like Starz, HBO, AT&T, Warner Bros, Frederator, Sony, Broadway Video and more have racked up billions of views altogether. In his spare time while being Crunchyroll’s Head of Production, Gouldsbury produced the cult hit film, The Velocipastor, and is the director of its upcoming sequel. This experience inspired him to go out on his own and build a team that matched his creative ethos, seeking to find the right excuses (and clients) to create the kind of video content they want to see in the world.
“YouTube is the greatest accomplishment of modern day. To lose it would be to lose the library of Alexandria. Also, it helped me learn how to fix my dishwasher. It’s amazing. There is real art happening on these platforms. I’m not trying to come in here and say we’re revolutionizing anything,” said Gouldsbury. “I’m saying that it’s happening and we won’t let it get drowned out by AI-slop, bad brand sponsored ads, and wannabe influencers that are trying to get rich. This is a craft. Unlike the early days of the internet, there are now multiple avenues of monetization, making ventures like this actually feasible and even sustainable. You can just make a 3 minute short or a 5 hour long movie and no one can tell you you can’t share it. Whether people watch is another thing, but the access is what makes it so beautiful.”
Viral cartoonist, comedian, and animator, Alex Krokus will serve as the company’s Creative Director. The most recent volume of his webcomics, Loud & Smart & In Color was released by Silver Sprocket in February 2025 and his debut graphic novel from Chronicle Books, Talking to My Father’s Ghost was on both Forbes’ and NYPL’s Top 10 Graphic Novels of 2025. Alex’s comics have been published by VICE, Buzzfeed and The New York Times. In addition to his comics work, Alex has also directed animation work for clients including 23&Me, Skittles, and Comedy Central.
Braith Miller joins as the Head of Production. Miller was previously at Crunchyroll overseeing in-house audience-facing content including anime documentaries, video essays and historical podcasts. He also worked on building the company’s mascot, Crunchyroll-Hime with projects like her VTuber presence, convention installations, concert appearances, and the 2023 GameBoy Color game Hime’s Quest. He is also responsible for that Vine where the guy gets arrested for kicking too much.
Adrian Apolonio joins as the Head of Marketing. Apolonio has over ten years experience in digital production, with a focus in audience development, working for companies like Crunchyroll, Netflix, where he built the internal production team for marketing Netflix’s anime properties, and Frederator, where he helped build one of the fastest growing anime YouTube channels in the world.
Nicholas Fung joins as Post-Production Supervisor. Fung has over ten years of post-production experience for large media brands like Nickelodeon, Netflix, Pokémon, and Crunchyroll. He was the sole editor of the viral Cyberpunk: Edgerunners AMV, which became the #1 most viewed video on Netflix’s YouTube channel.
“I’ve known these people for a long time and worked with them in many different forms. We were all brought together by our passion to make the most out of the freedoms in this era of digital distribution.” Said Gouldsbury. “I believe with all my heart that by enabling these people, we can not only make amazing work but be a positive force in the world of digital marketing. Sometimes it’s fun to make a commercial and tell the world about cool things.”
Unknown Film Organization is backed by a seed investment by New York Times bestselling comic book writer and producer James Tynion IV, and his production house Tiny Onion, Inc. will be one of the first clients and creative partners of the new digital agency.
“For the last two years, Jesse and I have spent long nights talking about the frontier of digital video, and the seemingly limitless possibilities of what you can do with a robust audience on platforms like YouTube.” said Tynion. “At a certain point, I wanted to stop talking about what might be possible, and start figuring out how to make it all real. My company, Tiny Onion, has ambitious plans for its partnership with UFO, and I can’t wait for everyone to see that ambition come to life.””
