2023 marked the first time that I covered The Overlook Film Festival, a horror-centric four-day festival that takes place in New Orleans, LA. Since then, I’ve covered it three times, viewing films from throughout the world – some having their premieres, some being honored for their cinematic influence – that possess an inventiveness that grip you in vastly different ways. The 2026 slate is no different with several remarkable titles that audiences can see right now while waiting for others to find North American distribution. I join Noel T. Manning on his television program Meet Me at the Movies to discuss five titles from this year’s fest, as well as what inspired my seemingly “new-found” interest in the genre.
Step into the shadows with Meet Me at the Movies as Noel T. Manning II welcomes back film critic Douglas Davidson for a chilling conversation straight from the Overlook Film Fest in New Orleans. Known for celebrating bold, boundary-pushing storytelling in the horror genre, this festival offers a mix of eerie originals, experimental voices, and cult rediscoveries.
In Episode 629, the Davidson explores a haunting lineup of films including Mārama, Normal, Chili Finger, New Group, and a revisit to the cult classic Habit (1995). Which films linger long after the credits roll? Which ones push the genre in unexpected directions? And what makes Overlook a must-watch festival for horror fans? Whether you’re a die-hard genre enthusiast or just horror-curious, this episode invites you into the conversation—no jump scares required… maybe.
Meet Me at the Movies airs weekly on C19 TV. Screen Scene airs weekly on NPR’s WNCW 88.7 FM Clips are used by permission for review, editorial, and commentary purposes. The show’s hosts are members of various entertainment guilds, including the Critics Choice Association, SEFCA, and the North Carolina Film Critics Association.
Music on Meet Me at the Movies provided by Johnny Russell, Voni Morrison, and Dale Evans. Opening and closing theme lyrics by Phil Ruff, used by permission.
Subscribe for more interviews, reviews, and film conversations that celebrate the power of storytelling on screen.
About The Overlook Film Festival:
The Overlook Film Festival is a 4-day celebration of all things horror held in America’s most haunted city, New Orleans. Each May, genre fans and cinephiles from the world over convene in the heart of the French Quarter, home to countless apparition sightings, voodoo legends, vampire curses and even some lore related to our namesake, horror fiction’s most frightening creation.
Presenting superior film programming with an expanded focus on experiential events, the festival showcases exciting work in new and classic independent horror cinema alongside the latest in interactive and live shows for a fully immersive weekend. As a summer camp for genre fans, The Overlook is a community event bringing the best of horror in all its forms to an enthusiastic and appreciative audience within an intimate and inspirational environment.
The Overlook has been listed as one of MovieMaker Magazine’s Best Genre Festivals in the world every year. Past guests to our events also include Roger Corman, Robert Rodriguez, Eli Roth, Taika Waititi, Ari Aster, Ana Lily Amirpour, Paul Scheer, Roxanne Benjamin, Darren Lyn Bousman, Simon Barrett and Jason Blum in addition to our illustrious advisory board, who include Elijah Wood, Karyn Kusama, Leigh Whannell, Mick Garris, Larry Fessenden and Joe Dante along with industry luminaries from the Sundance Film Festival, Toronto Intl. Film Festival, Blumhouse Productions, CAA, Endeavor Content, Neon, 30 West, XYZ Films and SpectreVision.
As part of the virtual collaborative initiative NIGHTSTREAM, a digital genre festival created in the wake of the pandemic, The Overlook spearheaded the virtual events component which included John Carpenter, Nia DaCosta, Mike Flanagan, Mary Harron, David Dastmalchian, Ernest Dickerson, John Landis, Issa Lopez, David Lowery, Greg Nicotero, Peaches Christ and many more.
For more information on Meet Me at the Movies:
Find new episodes of Meet Me at the Movies on their official site.
Find Noel T. Manning on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Find Douglas Davidson on Facebook, BlueSky, and Instagram.
Share this:
Categories: Meet Me at the Movies, Publications, Television
Leave a Reply