A Babymoon to Die For: Our Overlook Film Festival 2025 Trip Report

Brandon and I recently attended The Overlook Film Festival in New Orleans (for our Babymoon!) and we’re still basking in the haunted vibes of watching scary movies in one of our favorite cities. I love how each film festival has its own personality and The Overlook was no exception. Not quite as nuts as SXSW or Fantastic Fest, but also not as isolated and intimate as Telluride Horror Show, The Overlook felt both exclusive and yet still very approachable to all kinds of horror fans. Having access to all of the other incredible things to do in New Orleans was also a huge perk that I hadn’t fully considered before we got there. The draw for my pregnant self was mainly watching scary movies in a dark theater with candy and nachos with plastic cheese!

Thursday: Laissez les Frights Rouler

Travel Day 

We caught a late afternoon flight from Austin to New Orleans. It felt so strange being baby-free at the airport (as much as a very pregnant lady can, that is). We got our Iced Turbo from Jo’s coffee, per tradition and headed to our flight where we did not get to sit together, but at least we had free texting. 

I also don’t recommend being crammed in the back of a plane with strangers while pregnant. This was probably the worst part of the trip, but luckily it was only about an hour long. 

Finally - we arrived! The humidity greeted us in New Orleans as we grabbed an Uber and headed to the French Quarter. I forgot how spooky and haunted the city is with its rich history of pirates, ghosts, and voodoo. So perfect for a horror film festival! 

Badge Pickup 

After landing and a quick zhuzh at the hotel, we made our way to the Prytania Theatres at Canal Place for badge pickup. I don’t know why, but I was not expecting this to be in a mall. I loved it though - it felt like the Dobie Theater of old Austin times in a comfy retro way. Badge pickup was quick and easy and gave us an opportunity to peek at the excellent festival merch. 

Dinner at Latitude 29

About 10 years ago Brandon and I took a trip to New Orleans (actually our first trip together!) and accidentally stumbled into Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29. We had no idea who Beachbum Berry was, but we did recognize some of the iconic tiki memorabilia in the space and actually ended up chatting with the man himself without realizing who he was. Highly recommend checking out this legend, this restaurant, and his books for the best in tiki history.

We love Latitude 29 so much and have never been let down by their drinks or food. I was pleasantly surprised to find a “Tiki Teetotalers” menu for my visit this time too! I had a Re-animator - their spiritless Zombie (I know - sounds absurd but it was delicious). 

Shudder's 10 Second Line Parade

After dinner we walked just a block or two to the beginning of the Shudder 10 year anniversary Second Line Parade. This New Orleans parade tradition usually celebrates weddings, funerals, or birthdays. It was so fun to join in on this spooky version for Shudder's 10th year and march with fans dressed as ghouls and horror movie characters accompanied by band renditions of classic horror tunes. We marched through streets of the French Quarter until we reached the Toulouse Theater. 

The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula Drag Show & Party

The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula party was better than anything I could have imagined. The Toulouse Theater was the perfect spooky venue and Shudder did a great job providing drinks, swag, and even a tarot reader. 

I’ve seen a few episodes from early seasons of Dragula, but I was fully unprepared for how incredible the drag performances would be. The Boulet Brothers were joined by recent contestants Throb Zombie, Blackberry, and Asia Consent. WOW! My favorite was Throb Zombie’s undead astronaut performance, but I was totally blown away by the costumes, the performances, and the energy from everyone in the room. I’m definitely going to binge watch the rest of Dragula ASAP. 

Friday: Beignets, Best Wishes, and a False Alarm

Breakfast at Café Du Monde

Did you even go to New Orleans if you didn't grab beignets covered in a mountain of powdered sugar served with chicory coffee at Café Du Monde? We had to make a stop at this classic powdered sugar avalanche zone and it was so tasty as always. 

After breakfast we wandered around, found a cute vampire boutique, and just enjoyed some sunshine before our retreat into the darkness of the theaters. 

It was the perfect start for a whole day of horror movies. 

Screening: Best Wishes to All

First movie of the fest was Best Wishes to All - a directorial debut from Yûta Shimotsu that perfectly kicked off the day of films. Very creepy folk horror from Japan -

Our first film of the fest, Best Wishes to All, kicked things off with a whisper of dread that quickly turned into full-blown folk horror nightmare. This debut feature from Yûta Shimotsu pulls clear influence from classics like Audition and The Wicker Man, but carves out its own unsettling space. The pacing is deliberate and eerie, with ritualistic overtones and moments of sudden violence. I found myself thinking about it for days afterward—especially the ending, which left me with more questions than answers (in a good way). If you love slow-building Japanese horror that leaves you unnerved, add this to your list. Read the full review here. 

Scared & Cozy Score

Scared: 2.5/5 ghosts
Cozy: 3/5 blankets

Screening: Frewaka

This Irish folk horror from Aislinn Clarke (The Devil’s Doorway) had a quieter, more introspective vibe. Frewaka explores inherited trauma through a lens of religious horror and ancient myth. While the film’s pace is slow, it’s richly atmospheric and offers moments of deeply unsettling imagery. It might not be for everyone—especially if you're expecting jump scares—but if you’re in the mood for a haunting meditation on guilt and legacy, this one's worth sitting with.

Scared & Cozy Score

Scared: 3/5 ghosts
Cozy: 3/5 blankets

Dinner on Frenchmen Street

We skipped the third block of films to take in a little of the spooky New Orleans atmosphere. Tired of Bourbon Street, we wandered a little farther to Three Muses on Frenchmen Street. This is another spot we’ve haunted many years before, and it felt great to be nestled back in this spot. Even in the early afternoon we were treated by live music while we dined on traditional New Orleans fare as well as some new Korean-inspired dishes. 

Screening: Life Hack (Interrupted)

For the last show of the day, we picked Life Hack. I was drawn in by its description as a found footage film that takes place mostly on Discord. I was hoping for something as fast paced, scary, and fun as Host.

Unfortunately, we soon realized that this movie is more of a Gen Z heist film than a horror film (it’s not horror at all). I also felt like we were not the target age demographic as older millennials, even though we do use Discord all day everyday. The film was fast paced and fairly fun though, until someone pulled the fire alarm right in the middle of the third act! We were certainly spooked, and it appeared many people in our theater were as well. After evacuating the theater we were told that it was not a real alarm and could return to our seats, but it was already late and my pregnant self was ready to call it a night. I do hope to finish this one as soon as it’s available though! 

Saturday: Good Dogs, Witches, Clowns, and the End of the Line

Screening: Good Boy

This was the standout of the entire fest for me. Good Boy takes place entirely from the perspective of a sweet, anxious dog named Indy, and it manages to be both terrifying and deeply emotional. You see what he sees—and what he thinks he sees—which turns the idea of a haunted house story completely on its head. Next time one of my dog's stare at nothing I won't as easily dismiss it.

Director Ben Leonberg did a Q&A with co-writer Alex Cannon after the film and revealed that the dog in the starring role is actually his dog, an untrained animal actor. I laughed, I cried, I flinched. This one’s going to stick with me.

Scared & Cozy Score

Scared: 3/5 ghosts
Cozy: 5/5 blankets

Grady Hendrix Talk: Witches and Witchcraft

Grady Hendrix is a gem. I recently finish both Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and My Best Friend’s Exorcism - both fun and excellent as per usual with his work. This talk blew me away though. He dove deep into the history of witches and their representation across history and media. I feel like I could listen to him talk about any subject for any length of time. Just a mesmerizing joyride that also included rapping from the man himself. 

Trip Uptown: Clown in a Cornfield at Prytania Theater

Unfortunately, we had to get back to our toddler early in the morning so the last film of the night was also our last film of the festival. Fortunately, it was in the historic Prytania theater in uptown. On our journey there we stopped at Le Bon Temps Roule where I had one of the best burgers of my life. I’d love to come back when I can imbibe and maybe catch some live music. We heard this place can get wild at all hours of the night. We said goodbye though, and walked just a few minutes to the theater to catch Clown in a Cornfield. 

On future trips, I absolutely want to prioritize seeing more films at this venue. Originally built in 1915, the Prytania Theater is the oldest theater in New Orleans and the last single screen theater in Louisiana. As you walk in you can feel the history around you and imagine all of the great moments in film this venue has seen over the decades. We didn’t have a priority pass for this film and were anxiously hoping to grab two seats together from the standby line. Thankfully, they opened the balcony seats at the last second and we were able to relax in style! 

Clown in a Cornfield is an adaptation of a YA horror novel from Adam Cesare directed by Eli Craig (of Tucker and Dale vs Evil and Zombieland). This movie is a pure popcorn blast and one you want to see in a packed theater. The story gives off YA Goosebumps vibes, but there are moments that are 100% rated R for adults only. This was so much fun and the perfect movie to end the fest (at least for us) with. 

Scared: 3/5 ghosts
Cozy: 5/5 blankets

Final Thoughts

As expected, Brandon and I had a great time. Watching movies and spending time together in one of our favorite cities was the perfect babymoon and we hope some of the excitement, adrenaline, and delicious food made its way to my rapidly growing baby bump. I was surprised by how much walking and exercise we ended up doing, but it made the trip feel more balanced and I would definitely do another horror film filled baby moon again. 

Next up: surviving a newborn and watching horror movies with subtitles on. Wish us luck.