From October 28 to 31, 2025, Nice will host the return of the Samain of Fantastic Cinema. After several years of absence, the festival comes back to life between the Jean-Paul Belmondo and Pathé Masséna cinemas, before continuing in Beaulieu-sur-Mer.
Genre cinema is reclaiming its place in Nice. The “Samain of Fantastic Cinema,” as the organization spells it, returns after a long hiatus. From today until October 31, the public will be able to discover a program combining horror, science fiction, and dark comedy in several of Nice’s theaters. The festival, created in 2010, had established itself as a much-anticipated event for fans of the genre. It has previously featured works that have become iconic such as Rubber, Interstellar, and Take Shelter.
This 2025 edition promises to be a rebirth. The event aims to highlight the creativity of fantastic cinema and emerging talents: “Samain reaffirms its mission: to unveil the new voices of genre cinema through its international feature and short film competitions.” A “Fantastic Night” will also be organized at the Beaulieu-sur-Mer cinema, extending the celebration with nighttime screenings and a participative atmosphere.
Previews and Tributes in Nice
Several previews will mark this edition. The Pathé Masséna cinema will host the screening of Queens of the Dead, the first feature film by Tina Romero, daughter of the director of Night of the Living Dead. The film, supported by the Les Ouvreurs association, promises “a jubilant and decidedly queer horror-comedy, a true ode to diversity, underground culture, and the spirit of New York nightlife.”
Another highlight in Nice: It Ends, by Alex Ullom, will be screened in its French premiere after a noted run in genre festivals. The film was notably awarded at Fantasia. The thriller The Other People by Chad McClarnon will also be featured, exploring unexplained disappearances in a small town through a “claustrophobic and haunting narrative inspired by true events.”
The program is not limited to new releases. The festival will also offer a return to classics. Evil Dead 2 will be screened in Beaulieu-sur-Mer. In Nice, a selection of cult films will be shown in the Belmondo and Pathé Masséna cinemas. Aix-en-Provence novelist Stéphan Sanchez will have a carte blanche at the Jean-Paul Belmondo cinema. He will present I Know What You Did Last Summer, a 1990s film to which he dedicated his book Letters to Sarah.
A Popular Celebration of Genre Cinema
The Samain of Fantastic Cinema aims to be both accessible and festive. The public will be invited to participate in activities and happenings in Nice’s theaters. Costumed ushers will welcome the audience, prolonging the playful and collective spirit of the festival.
The organizers emphasize this desire for proximity. Samain intends to reconnect with the local audience and lovers of genre cinema, while celebrating the Halloween season in a friendly atmosphere. In Nice, the screenings will be interspersed with moments of encounter and sharing.
Finally, the festival claims a connection with figures of suspense and horror. It “continues to celebrate entertainment in all its forms, in the footsteps of genre masters like William Castle and Alfred Hitchcock.”
From October 28 to 31, Nice will once again become a place of thrills and imagination. The Samain of Fantastic Cinema wants to remind us that here, cinema is experienced as much in the theater as it is in the street.
Practical Information
Dates: October 28 to 31, 2025
Venues: Jean-Paul Belmondo and Pathé Masséna cinemas (Nice), Beaulieu-sur-Mer cinema
Reservations: on-site at partner cinemas.
