Girl in the Night Won Best Picture at Fantastic Fest
The Slovenian genre film claimed top honors at the largest U.S. genre festival in Austin.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Horror
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The Slovenian feature film Girl in the Night secured the best picture award at Fantastic Fest. The film held its world premiere at the event held in Austin, Texas.
Why it matters
The win marks a significant milestone as the first Slovenian film selected for the competitive program of the largest genre film festival in the United States. Producers and director Luka Marčetić believe the recognition will provide a needed boost to the Slovenian film industry.
Fantastic Fest is recognized as the largest genre festival in the U.S. and currently serves as a major platform for independent international cinema.
The players
Luka Marčetić
He is the director of the award-winning Slovenian film Girl in the Night.
Urban Kuntarič
He plays the lead character Rok in the film.
Lara Wolf
She plays the leading female role in the production.
The details
Directed by Luka Marčetić, the film is a genre-bending mix of romance, dark comedy, and superhero tropes starring Urban Kuntarič and Lara Wolf. The production team learned of their victory after a chance meeting with the festival director at a local cafe, who then introduced them to the jury.
Timeline
September 2026: Girl in the Night won the best picture award at Fantastic Fest.
Industry Dynamics
The success of Girl in the Night highlights the growing visibility of Eastern European genre cinema within the competitive framework of the Fantastic Fest competition programme. This trend signals a shift toward broader international representation at major U.S. genre festivals.
Film enthusiasts in Austin who missed the premiere may need to wait for further distribution announcements to see the award-winning title. The festival win typically influences future streaming or theatrical availability for international genre films.
The takeaway
This victory demonstrates how international filmmakers can utilize genre festivals to gain recognition for non-traditional narrative styles. Emerging creators should consider entering niche, high-profile competitions to increase their global industry standing.
Further reading
Explore more cinematic developments in our Horror section.
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