FANTASTIC FEST WELCOMES US DEBUT OF FAIRYTALE HORROR ANTHOLOGY TALES FROM THE WOODS
- Horror Movies Uncut
- Sep 17
- 2 min read
Wayward Entertainment brings the dark side of folklore to Fantastic Fest this week with the U.S. premiere of its new anthology series Tales from the Woods, launching with two festival-veteran-directed installments: Mattie Do’s The Sleeping Beauty and Aaron Moorhead & Justin Benson’s Jacques the Giant Slayer.
Both shorts mark the beginning of a larger series that reimagines the sinister origins of fairy tales through an international lens. According to Wayward, the anthology will spotlight “bold voices in independent film from around the world”—and for Fantastic Fest, that means two creative teams with deep roots in the fest’s history.
Returning to Austin: Mattie Do and Moorhead & Benson
Mattie Do, who premiered her debut feature Chanthaly at Fantastic Fest in 2013, calls The Sleeping Beauty a homecoming:
“I’m so excited to share my dark and exotic twist on a familiar fairytale… Fantastic Fest was the first festival I ever attended. It’s the place that made me realize I was—and still am—a storyteller. Coming back with The Sleeping Beauty feels like coming home.”
Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson, no strangers to the Alamo Drafthouse crowd, are equally reflective:
“Jacques the Giant Slayer is a return to running wild—vintage Rustic Films, guzzling distilled weirdness from start to finish. The fact that we’re premiering it at Fantastic Fest, the same place we premiered Spring in 2014, just feels right.”
About the Films:
The Sleeping Beauty
Set in the jungles of Laos, this version follows the wife of a colonial governor who faces the consequences of her son removing a mysterious woman from a sacred temple. What he brings back is not just a body, but a curse.
Directed by: Mattie Do
Written by: Christopher Sean Larsen
Cast: Sonedala Sihavong, Phonesavanh “Tata” Phimpha, Gabriel Soutphilabaideng, Sivilay Ouanephongchareune
Jacques the Giant Slayer
A grim retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk told through the eyes of an early 20th century archaeologist who unearths something he was never meant to find.
Directed by: Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead
Cast: Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead
About the Series:
Produced by John Hegeman (Holidays, Into the Dark), Tales from the Woods sets out to restore the original darkness of fairy tales—before they were softened for mass consumption.
“Most of the fairy tales we love today started as cautionary stories meant to scare people straight,” says Hegeman. “With this series, we’re going back to that origin point. We’re excited to kick things off with Mattie, Aaron, and Justin.”
What’s Next:
Following its fall festival run, Tales from the Woods is aiming for an early 2026 streaming launch. Additional episodes and directors are expected to be announced in the coming months.
Stay tuned to @HMUNCUT and The Final Cut for exclusive interviews, festival reactions, and continuing coverage of Tales from the Woods.
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