Cult film fans in Prague are set for a weekend of the bizarre and outrageous as the Shockproof Film Festival returns with its Autumn Harvest edition at Kino Aero. The festival, which has celebrated extreme, campy, and unconventional cinema since 2004, offers audiences a rare mix of horror, exploitation, and cult films, often paired with interactive live elements.
Over three days from Nov. 21-23, the festival invites viewers to experience films in formats ranging from HD to nostalgic VHS, with a lineup that promises a blend of modern novelties and forgotten classics. Alongside screenings, performances and live commentary by festival regulars Samantha Bifidus, Josef Vokurka, and Pan Akurát add to the immersive atmosphere, creating a distinctly participatory viewing experience.
Autumn Harvest 2025 highlights
This year’s Autumn Harvest edition presents a diverse lineup of cult, horror, and genre films that exemplify the festival’s irreverent spirit. The festival will present a selection of cult classics along with new 2025 releases and Czech premieres.
The 1990 cult classic Frankenhooker sees Frank Henenlotter bring the classic Frankenstein tale to his grotesque version of New York in a story blending gore, dark humor, and campy eroticism, following a hapless young man who attempts to reassemble his beloved from unlikely parts.
Lam Nai-Choi’s Erotic Ghost Story brings Hong Kong’s CAT III cinema to the festival with a lascivious yet fantastical take on traditional ghost folklore, combining eroticism, humor, and imaginative special effects.
The long-awaited New Zealand sequel Deathgasm II: Goremageddon continues the saga of heavy metal mayhem, mixing apocalyptic chaos with over-the-top practical effects and a soundtrack designed to push volume and boundaries alike.
Latvian Oscar submission Dog of God offers a visually rich, psychedelic adult animation set in 17th-century Latvia, depicting pagan rituals, village unrest, and grotesque mythological creatures in a story both chaotic and darkly humorous.
Finally, Deathstalker (pictured at top) revives the cult 1980s sword-and-sorcery series with a modern reboot that remains true to the spirit of heroic fantasy, featuring rubber monsters, bloody battles, and a self-aware, campy tone. Together, these selections showcase the festival’s commitment to films that shock and amuse.
Other screenings, including 1978 Filipino cult classic Vampire Hookers, 1999’s low-budget The Killer Eye, feature simultaneous Czech dubbing from live actors at Kino Aero.
A history of boundary-pushing cinema
The Shockproof Film Festival was first conceived by Ivo Andrle and David Čeněk in 2004. Inspired by progressive sections at international festivals, including John Waters’ Pink Flamingos, the founders sought to introduce Czech audiences to the edgier, less conventional side of cinema. Early editions combined live translation, horror, camp, and exploitation, establishing a format that continues today.
Over the years, the festival expanded its creative and operational team, incorporating costume design, live commentary, and immersive set pieces. These additions reinforce the festival’s ethos: celebrating films that eschew mainstream appeal and embrace shock, absurdity, and lowbrow humor. From 35mm prints to VCDs, screenings maintain a playful unpredictability, often including unexpected interruptions or surprises for audiences.
This year’s Autumn Harvest continues the festival’s tradition of presenting cinema that challenges, entertains, and surprises. From cult classics to contemporary genre experiments, Kino Aero has become a stage for communal shock, laughter, and shared enthusiasm during the Shockproof Film Festival for more than two decades.
