AUSTIN, Texas—Standard film genres—horror, documentary, sci-fi, et al.—run rampant at Fantastic Fest, but subgenre niches also seem to emerge every outing. In 2016, the festival boasted multiple films about promotional film art, for instance, in addition to a treasure trove of animation styles.

In 2017, origin stories jumped off the schedule. The high-profile Professor Marston and the Wonder Women was the most prominent (our review to come, but it’s worth it for those interested in explorations of societal forces in specific historic periods… or if you want the Finding Neverland of the Wonder Woman-universe). But that film was far from the only title taking audiences back to the beginning of a beloved (or at least notorious) cultural institution.

Fons PR / Fantastic Fest